neologist

World-Weary in West Hollywood

Dear Neologist,

I have a problem with reconciling myself to the difference between potential and reality. Some things or people or situations seem really exciting and promising and generate all kinds of ideas or high expectations, but then I frequently find myself disappointed by their actualization. I would like to be able to sum this up with a high-falutin' German word that I can drop into conversation with a slightly embittered sigh. Please help!

Sincerely,
World-weary in West Hollywood

----

Dear World-weary,

I'm sorry to hear of your situation.
You are clearly experiencing

Erwartungsentzauberung
f, er-wuhr'-toongs-ent-tsouw'-buh-roong
(Expectation Demagication)

This is also related to the problem of

Rückwirkende Vorfreudensauslöschung
f, roik'-virr-kun-duh fore'-froi-duntz-ows'-loi-shoong
(retroactive joy-of-anticipation expungement)

Please, hang in there! Don't lose your

Hoffnungsfundierter Liebesunklarsinn
m, hoff'-noongs-foon-deer'-tur lee'-bus-oon'-kluhr-zinn
(hope-based love un-clarity)

that lets you suspend your cautious disbelief
in the hopes of finding the Real Thing after all.

The Neologist

Willkommen to the Neologist

Good afternoon. Welcome to THE NEOLOGIST. Do you ever find yourself grasping for a word? A word that will not only describe precisely what you mean to say, but also dazzle the person you're speaking to with your brilliance and wit? A word that will immediately telegraph your utter intellectual superiority? If so, rejoice! The Neologist is here to help you with the soothing power of the German compound noun.

Sure, you could rely on old standbys such as Zeitgeist, Schadenfreude, or even Fahrvergnügen if you're looking to provoke the kind of thin-lipped smile that blooms reluctantly on the face of a person suppressing intestinal discomfort.

The German word for that would be

Höflichkeitsschmerzlächeln
n, hoif'-lick-kites-shmartz'-lek-keln
(courtesy pain smile)

But why use a word off the rack when you can
have one tailor-made exclusively for you?
Why not discover the pleasures of

Wortfindungsfreude
f, vort'-fin-doongs-froy'-duh
(the joy of word finding)

I invite you to send me a definition of the word you need
and I will create it for you, made to measure.

Let me give you an example:

Dear Neologist,

I have a strong tendency to overcommit myself due to excessive enthusiasm for my own ideas. Is there a German word for the decisions I make in this state?

---Frazzled in Fresno

Dear Frazzled in Fresno, you clearly suffer from

Enthusiamusbedingte Grenzsinnverzerrung
f, en'-too-zee-uss-moos-ba-ding-tuh Grantz'-zin-fer-tser'-oong
(enthusiasm-caused distortion of your sense of boundaries)

which leads you to commit the occasional

Überbegeisterungsfehltritt
m, oo'-bur-ba-guys'-tar-oongs-fail-trit
(a wrong step taken due to excessive excitement).

Begeisterung
f, buh-guy'-stir-oong

is, of course, the German word for enthusiasm,
literally meaning to be possessed of spirit.
And there you have it.

Please let me know your neology needs at [email protected]