# Malapropagation (Thread 3 of game -- #1 with New Name) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 16, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579 "2008-04-16T12:25:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/1 "2008-04-16T12:25:33Z")
Over the past three weeks over two dozen Dopers have posted close to 500 posts – in two other threads here in The Game Room – that relate to a game I played as long ago as the 60’s, but never (until yesterday) had a name for. Thanks to [**kunilou**](http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9694218&postcount=234) we now have a name that should be more descriptive of the idea. Check [here](http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9694102&postcount=233) for more on the name origin, and go [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malapropism) if the word **Malapropism** is unfamiliar or foggy to you. The earlier threads where the evolution of how we’ve been playing the game takes place are: [I thought that was a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_](http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461889) and [The Cossack Game – Thread #2](http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/showthread.php?t=463205) ================================== This new chain of malaprops and puns and word manglings begins with **Atrocity** — which is a fancy word for Speed ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/2 "2008-04-16T13:28:31Z")
> [@](#): > > This new chain of malaprops and puns and word manglings begins with > > **Atrocity** — which is a fancy word for Speed _Sigh_ No, you are thinking ofVelocitywhich is a measure of the (in)ability of a liquid to flow freely. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/3 "2008-04-16T15:12:40Z")
No, silly! viscosity is a word oft used to describe the severity of attacks. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/4 "2008-04-16T18:44:38Z")
No, viciousness is a type of cold French potato soup. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/5 "2008-04-16T18:49:33Z")
No, Vichyssoise are the ups and downs of life. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/6 "2008-04-16T18:57:58Z")
(Missed the edit window, but wanted to add: Love the new name for the game!) ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/7 "2008-04-16T19:15:06Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] No, Vichyssoise are the ups and downs of life. [/QUOTE] Whatever we call this game, it doesn’t change the fact that you constantly demonstrate your shortcomings as a word maven. In actuality, vicissitudes are distances between various points and the _y_-axis on those graphs you may remember from algebra class. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/8 "2008-04-16T20:05:01Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] Whatever we call this game, it doesn’t change the fact that you constantly demonstrate your shortcomings as a word maven. In actuality, vicissitudes are distances between various points and the _y_-axis on those graphs you may remember from algebra class. [/QUOTE] It’s been a long time since I took algebra, but I know my anatomy and the vector is that muscle in your bladder and your anus that keeps your bodily wastes from dripping out all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/9 "2008-04-16T20:07:59Z")
Pretty sure a sphincter is the half lion/half man thing in Egypt. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/10 "2008-04-16T20:20:56Z")
[QUOTE=Darth Sensitive] Pretty sure a sphincter is the half lion/half man thing in Egypt. [/QUOTE] No, actually sphinx is a children’s trick that is utilized when two children say the same word. ---
**Author:** ![TheMerchandise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/11 "2008-04-16T20:51:26Z")
I disagree. Jinx …is what you might call a flirtatious woman. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/12 "2008-04-16T20:58:50Z")
No, a vixen is a shot given to prevent a disease like measles or polio. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/13 "2008-04-16T21:05:15Z")
Almost but not quite a vaccination is another word for what those crazy foreigners call as holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/14 "2008-04-16T21:13:16Z")
[QUOTE=Oredigger77] Almost but not quite a vaccination is another word for what those crazy foreigners call as holiday. [/QUOTE] I see you’re from Colorado, so you can be forgiven for not knowing a vacation is a large farm in the old South, where slaves picked cotton. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/15 "2008-04-16T21:24:06Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] I see you’re from Colorado, so you can be forgiven for not knowing a vacation is a large farm in the old South, where slaves picked cotton. [/QUOTE] Nothing to do with that. Plantation is to soften or break up by soaking in a liquid. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/16 "2008-04-16T21:44:41Z")
[QUOTE=MHaye] Nothing to do with that. Plantation is to soften or break up by soaking in a liquid. [/QUOTE] No, Macerate is to devise a plot. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/17 "2008-04-16T23:02:47Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] No, Macerate is to devise a plot. [/QUOTE] I marvel how we get to the point where Machinate substitutes for the need to chew ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/18 "2008-04-16T23:13:43Z")
[QUOTE=Zeldar] I marvel how we get to the point where Machinate substitutes for the need to chew [/QUOTE] Is that notmasticateto put off doing something? ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/19 "2008-04-16T23:21:02Z")
[QUOTE=MHaye] Is that notmasticateto put off doing something? [/QUOTE] I hesitated as long as I could (and forgot a couple of times) before responding to tell you that procrastinate really means to predict according to present indications or signs or to foretell. But you already knew that, didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579/20 "2008-04-16T23:59:18Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] I hesitated as long as I could (and forgot a couple of times) before responding to tell you that procrastinate really means to predict according to present indications or signs or to foretell. But you already knew that, didn’t you? [/QUOTE] Sorry to disabuse you but prognosticate is the primary character in a story, around whom the plot revolves. You should have seen it coming. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/malapropagation-thread-3-of-game-1-with-new-name/445579.md?page=2)