TV Words

[Wilson Gray]

Dang, Charlie! That's a horrible faux pas. Shorely, you went to write,
"There are other suffixed '-zilla' words, I expect."

-Wilson

On 12/11/06, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: TV Words
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I heard one yesterday on the news but stupidly ignored it. Momzilla?  Dadzilla?
>
>   I thought I'd just invented those, but suddenly there are 15,000 RG's for one and nearly 10,000 for the other !  Parentzilla ?  A mere 40.  Bushzilla ?  Over 1,000.
>
>   There's also Britzilla, bratzilla, Cheneyzilla, Kerryzilla, Hil(l)aryzilla, Hitlerzilla, Jesuszilla, Satanzilla, Crunkzilla, Weedzilla, Crackazilla, Geekazilla, Freakazilla, Vanillazilla, chillazilla, thrillazilla, Manilazilla, Billazilla, Fillazilla, Jillazilla, Killazilla....
>
>   No Tombombadillazilla though.
>
>   Most frightening ?
>
>   Gorillazilla.
>
>   Best in class ?
>
>   Holy crapazilla !
>
>   JL
>
>
>
> Charles Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU> wrote:
>   ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Charles Doyle
> Subject: Re: TV Words
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I believe the "TV words" of interest in this conversation a few days ago were mostly spoken (and thence popularized) by fictional characters on television shows. But "non-fiction" TV has also contributed to the general lexicon, either coining or popularizing words.
>
> I'm thinking of "bridezilla," which I have heard several times recently in reference to specific young women who were in the (cantankerous) process of getting hitched; a graduate student of mine even referred to herself by that appellation. I expect there are other suffixed "-zilla" words?
>
> --Charlie
>
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