You likely use your own strange words among your family and friends, with etymologies referring back to your early development, inside jokes, and misunderstandings. For example, my mother still laughs about how I spent my formative years calling hot dogs “dot dogs.” Illustrator Rinee Shah (whose previous collection, Seinfood, we featured here) created The Made-Up Words Project, a series of drawings that take these private colloquialisms and share them with the broader community. Check out some of the illustrations after the jump, and see how many end up in your own vocabulary.
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Chicken Milk
Definition: water
Source: “As a child I only wanted milk, so my dad gave me water but called it chicken milk.” — Ivan C., Marlboro, New York
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Deli-shoes
Definition: delicious
Source: “This hamburger is deli-shoes.” — David K., Los Angeles, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Schmerfed
Definition: to vomit
Source: “Timmy schmerfed all over the couch and passed out on the bathroom floor.” — Jonathan W., Austin, Texas
Image credit: Rinee Shah
The Quincy
Definition: A small defect in our bathtub. Like a small brown burn mark.
Source: “Somehow, it became known as ‘The Quincy.’ We tried to avoid touching it. I remember sitting in the tub terrified of it. My mom would say ‘It’s just The Quincy, it won’t hurt you.'” –– Robbie W., Riverside, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Pasta-Fagioli!
Definition: You’re in trouble!
Source: “My grandma always said it in a raised voice. We thought it was a bad word so we’d say it to other kids at the park when we were mad at them and we always got weird looks. I realized later that it means pasta and beans in Italian. ” — Katherine R., Playa del Rey, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Schmoodle
Definition: A state of over-ornamentation. But almost in a tacky sense.
Source: “Jennifer’s sweater would be cute if it didn’t have all that schmoodle on it.” — Jonathan W., Austin, Texas
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Soupies
Definition: homemade sausage
Source: “My dad used to hand me one of these glorious sticks of meat at dance recitals in college when everyone else’s father was handing them flowers.”— Maura M., Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Yonies
Definition: Good vibes that you send out.
Source: “Send good yonies, Timmy’s dad is in the hospital.” — Drew H., Menlo Park, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Gotchies
Definition: underwear
Source: “He stripped down to his gotchies” — Maura M., Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Ho-Po
Definition: pillow
Source: “Did you pack your ho-po for your sleepover?” — Laura S., Palo Alto, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Geedunks
Definition: snack food
Source: “We’ve got some geedunks on the kitchen counter if you want a snack.” — Matt W., San Diego, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Barking Spider
Definition: a fart
Source: “Timmy, did you smell that barking spider?” — Kevin R., Newport Beach, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Mouse Hands
Definition: When you stick olives on the tips of your fingers.
Source: “When we were kids we used to put black olives on all ten fingertips and called them Mickey Mouse hands. Mouse hands for short” –– Dickie G., San Clemente, California
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Frubie
Definition: tipsy
Source: “I’m feeling a little frubie from that third beer.” — Matt B., Minneapolis, Minnesota
Image credit: Rinee Shah
Dupa
Definition: butt
Source: “Check your dupa, I think you sat in something.” — Maura M., Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania