More Words from the Vocabulary Vulture.

Well, I know that whoever is still reading all of this is most likely not that interested in how I'm doing and other inane babble about, say, my comics 'n such, so let's just dig into the newspapers of today, shall we ?
- 'Antitabaksverdrag' (anti tobacco treaty). The war on smokers has reached the excess of an actual treaty signed in Geneva, which the WHO wants enforced worldwide. Still, I have my doubts that this requires three words to be thrown together into one.
- 'Billenknijpen' (butt sqeezing). Note the difference between the Dutch version and the English one ? That's right - a SPACE. It's TWO words, folks. The verb is *not* in the dictionary as one word.
- 'Toekomst-mentoren' (future-mentors). This is a cute label for college students in Amsterdam going to help out underprivileged kids sort out and get on their way in regards to plans of the future. I nearly didn't nominate this, because the initiative is admirable, and the word *was* written between quotes in the paper. But when I look at the word out of context, I have to admit, it makes no sense. The addition of this word to Dutch language is not helpful to its progress.
- 'Scheepsarcheologie' (ship archeology). Let's illustrate this by a discussion I had about this word with a colleage, shall we ?

colleage: "No no, that word exists, seriously."
me: *checks the dictionary* "Nope, it doesn't."
colleague: "Well, then they just forgot to put a dash in there."
me: "Nope, the dictionary doesn't recognize the version with a dash either."
colleague: "Er... well, then someone just forgot to add a space between the words."
me: "Right. The word 'scheeps', used seperately." (To Dutch people it's obvious here that this word is never used seperately)

NOMINATED !

- 'Telefoonterreur' (phone terror). This is too rich: the phone company has invented some kind of internet trick to let you click on someone's phone number, then fill in your own, and then you can call to that number through your computer. Apparently it doesn't check wether or not that actually *is* your own phone number, so it can be used to call some number repeatedly just to harrass them. And *that* they call phone terror. Quick, George, get the nukes out ! Axis of Evil !
- 'Openluchtbordeel' (outdoors brothel). Er. Errrrr. Outdoors.... brothel ? Isn't the whole point of a BROTHEL that it's INDOORS ? How does this work ? Isn't this just outdoors prostitution ? Why does the word 'brothel' need to get thrown in there ? Or is this a brothel with the roof missing ?

Tough decision today. But the last Word of the Day of February 2005 has to be... 'Toekomst-mentoren' !