the LCSH insult challenge

Tim Spalding at LibraryThing asks: “…if LCSH is a language (of sorts), how good is it for that most important role of languages—conveying insults?”

And of course since I collect headings that have amused me, I had to play…

The first one that popped to my mind was Horses–Anatomy. Also Horses–Manure.

Of course, there is always just Asses or Asses–behavior.

I know at least one person I might call an Emotional contagion. To such people one might want to say “You are my Nausea–Etiology.”

It’s bad if you are not the sharpest knife in the drawer and you are a member of the Dull Knife family. And then there is the Butt family. And my ancestors, the Downer family.

Someone can be a Headache or an Intractable pain.

I find it curious that there is no –Pain, since it could be used with many other headings. The closest I could get to my goal with this one was Buttocks–abscesses.

I do not know what a Bog-butter is, but it sounds like an insult. So do Butt rots.

Something sorely needed, perhaps as a part of employment tests: Thickness measurementability testing (not sure if that’s valid).

Some people just leave one speechless. One might call them Curiosities and wonders if one wanted to be nice.

Dam failures only works if spoken aloud.

Some people are full on Disasters (often with –Chronology tacked on). Often they are Messes in art.

And then there are your Monsters and your Freak shows.

Surely there are occasions to tell someone they need Anorectal function tests or that they need Defecation disorders–Diagnosis. I know I’ve at times wanted a Defecation–Fiction stamp to use on papers that I end up throwing across the room.

In fact the freefloating –Fiction can be used in so many places for sarcastic effect: Competent authority–Fiction, Ability–Fiction, Intellect–Religious aspects–Fiction, Food–Quality–United States–Fiction, or Hedge funds–Fiction.

And now back to work with me. Of course, I could stretch it and say this is work since I’m teaching more LCSH next week. But in reality we all know this is Procrastination. If Proposal writing in library science doesn’t kill me, not doing it will.

And now, the Exorcism of Distraction (Psychology).

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