# Words you don't expect in a text **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 19, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050 "2015-02-19T00:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/21 "2015-02-22T00:22:31Z")
boustrophodon ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/22 "2015-02-22T02:28:15Z")
_Mise-en-scène._ [spoiler] > [@](#): > > **Mise-en-scène:** A French term used to describe the design aspects of a film, _mise-en-scène_ incorporates key aspects such as lighting, props, set design and costume. More recently the term has been broadened to include reference to a director’s attempt to get across all the information about a scene in a single shot. For example, a character’s internal struggle may be conveyed through nuances in the lighting and set design - thus a _mise-en-scène_ is created. [How to Talk Like a Film Critic: Glossary of Film Terms](http://janebovary.hubpages.com/hub/Glossary-of-Film-Terms)[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/23 "2015-02-22T02:32:07Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > A friend once texted me that my wife was a “pulchritudinous lucubrator”, but he was just showing off. Closely related, of course, is _callipygian._ callipygian and pulchritudinous often go together. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/24 "2015-02-22T03:56:10Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > A friend once texted me that my wife was a “pulchritudinous lucubrator”, but he was just showing off. I’d keep an eye on him, myself. Especially at night. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/25 "2015-02-22T04:46:10Z")
Once in high school, I sent a teacher to the dictionary when I used the word “diaphanous.” I use the word “albeit” a lot. But I also use the subjunctive in texts and casual conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/26 "2015-02-22T14:22:53Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > boustrophodon I believe it’s “boustrophedon”. It reminds of a word I once made up: zambonitrophedon. If you have ever watched a zamboni clean a hockey rink you will know what it means. I once used it in an email. Of course, I use highly technical words in mail to my collaborators all the time. Do you like this one: ultrapseudometric. There are ultrametrics and pseudometrics and there are those that are both. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/27 "2015-02-22T15:08:25Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Got my first smartphone ten months ago. Early on, I was (laboriously) posting to the SDMB on it…some topic involving World War II. I don’t know how the auto-suggest is coded, but it seems to have some sort of learning algorithm based on usage, because for weeks afterward it constantly guessed my next word might be “Nazi.” > > “Honey, I’ll be home by Nazi.” "“Let’s invite the Nazi.” That post made me LGDTTQATHII! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/28 "2015-02-22T16:15:32Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > One day while mowing the lawn, I noticed that my toddler son was dropping his blocks out the front window of the house, into the space behind the hedge. I shut down the mower, walked over to the front door, stuck my head in and called out to my wife that our son was defenestrating his toys. > > A short time later she came outside and said that when she married the son of an English teacher, she knew I’d eventually use a word she’d never heard before, but she didn’t think it’d take that long. Defenestrating his toys was better than the Defenestration of Prague.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050/29 "2015-02-22T18:28:25Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Closely related, of course, is _callipygian._ > > callipygian and pulchritudinous often go together. Yes. However, only after work - and just for coffee and conversation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-dont-expect-in-a-text/713050.md?page=1)