mooreeffoc

slumry commented on the word mooreeffoc

Great word, great observation.

July 1, 2007

whichbe commented on the word mooreeffoc

The queerness of things which, previously trite, are suddenly seen from a new angle. (from WordCraft)

May 20, 2008

yarb commented on the word mooreeffoc

Excellent.

May 20, 2008

sionnach commented on the word mooreeffoc

Here is the derivation:

a Chestertonian fantasy (coffeeroom seen in reverse)

"Mooreeffoc is a fantastic word, but it could be

seen written up in every town in this land. It is

Coffee-room, viewed from the inside through a

glass door, as it was seen by Dickens on a dark

London day; and it was used by Chesterton to

denote the queerness of things that have become

trite, when they are seen suddenly from a new angle."

I have no doubt that Chesterton coined this word, and I appreciate the idea. But the explanation that this is what one would see from the other side of the glass door seems demonstrably untrue. Just write 'coffeeroom' on a piece of paper, turn it over and hold it up to the light. There is no angle from which you would see 'mooreeffoc'.

Or am I missing something? (I have the kind of personality that finds this kind of inaccuracy profoundly irritating, God help me)

July 18, 2008

scuilion commented on the word mooreeffoc

Weird Words: Mooreeffoc

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Relating to things suddenly seen in a new and different way.

Though this word is rare to the point of never being used in its ostensible sense, but only as a keyword to initiate discussion, it has been keeping illustrious company, since its few appearances in

print have been in works by G K Chesterton, J R R Tolkien and Charles Dickens.

Dickens invented it, if that's the right word. He mentions it in his autobiography, when he describes his poverty-stricken youth:

In the door there was an oval glass plate, with COFFEE-ROOM painted on it, addressed towards the street. If I ever find myself in a very different kind of coffee-room now, but where there is such an inscription on glass, and read it backward on the wrong side MOOR-EEFFOC (as I often used to do then, in a dismal reverie,) a shock goes through my blood.

From Michael Quinion's World Wide Words weekly newsletter.

September 16, 2008

rutemple commented on the word mooreeffoc

I hadn't realized that Chesterton had it from Dickens, thanks Wordnik!

I will venture to guess that sionnach has never been a proofreader of letterpress typesetting; those who have been can quite easily read letters as well as words in any direction; it's part of the "new angle" charm.

July 5, 2010

sionnach commented on the word mooreeffoc

Sounds like dyslexia to me.

July 5, 2010

ruzuzu commented on the word mooreeffoc

All I see is "more coffee." Hey, that reminds me....

*gets another cup*

July 6, 2010