The Modern Phoenix Dictionary

[PixelPixie]

One of my alltime favorite features in WIRED magazine is their Jargonwatch sidebar, where slang terms from the industry are explained to those plebs so out of the loop.

The recent gush of language play on the boards today has inspired me to create our own Oxford English Dictionary style thread to be maintained in perpetuity until we run out of creativity, run out of hyphens, or are all dead and gone and stuccoed over in our sorry stucco mausoleums.

Format:
- Word
- Phonetically spell it if needed
- Define it
- Provide an example of it in use

Let the etymology begin.

[PixelPixie]

Haverhood
Rhymes with neighborhood

A neighborhood of homes in Phoenix, Arizona designed by midcentury architect Ralph Haver. First known sighting in lasting print was when ModPhx created a "haverhoods" directory in their images folder in the summer issue of 2005. May have been used in text much earlier, its just that Pix can't find it. Long used in vernacular conversation by many, such as:

"This Haverhood is so far off the ModPhx radar!"

[PixelPixie]

D.I.T.
Pronounced like it looks, silly. Or Dee Eye Tee if you want to get technical.

Do-it-together project. A project that you actually accomplish with the help of another ModernPhoenix member.

"The Kings' backyard fence is the longest D.I.T. project known to man! Just get it done already!"

[Mr. Natural]

Haver

'hA-v&r

v. i. Etymol. uncertain: To hem and haw. to talk foolishly; to chatter.


"And if I haver, hey I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you"

[modernlover]

Now, THAT is funny. Oops, I tried not to laugh, but it looks like I done gone and woke everybody in the house up.

[Mr. Natural]

Freudian Typo

'froi-dE-&n 'tI-(")pO

(Named after Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud). When typing, accidentally inserting a word on one's subconcious mind in place of another penis.

"I'm not gay but I love you Mr. Natural!
-Silly me thought Realtor of a father flock together!"

[pedrolobo]

Home Depot'd (verb, past tense)

(home DEE-pode)

The tragic removal and disposal of original—often charming—features (cabinets, countertops, hardware, etc.) of a home, followed by the equally-tragic installation of various "improvements" (often beige in color). This is frequently done in the name of resale value.

"I wish we'd bought the place before it had been Home Depot'd."

[modernlover]

Freudian Typo

Classic.

[PixelPixie]

*chuckles*

This morning we showed Pedrolobo the sacred ModPhx Gang Signs. We Jumped him. He is SO in.

Sometime soon we'll post photos here so you all know what the hell we're talking about when we throw you some fingers from across the Phatio.

[pedrolobo]

I've got people flashing me fingers all the time when I drive around the valley! Who knew they were all members of the MP community?

[modernenthusiast]

Although I would like circle of power to be my original term, it was my neighbor Tiffany's and I really want to give her the credit because she is funny ( and drives a cool motorcycle and I want to be just like her when I grow up ).

I would like to address a good point that one of my friends brought up to me- that maybe some people don't know who Haver is! It seems to me that people who own Havers answer questions about their home by telling the other person the architect and tract they live in where as non-haver owners simply describe their home as being in a certain locale of Phoenix ( West Phoenix, Tempe, etc). Before I bought my house and I would ask people where they lived no one said "a Frank Lloyd Wright". But if they lived in a house built by Haver, that is the answer I would get. The term "haver" would be followed by "in marlen grove" or "windemere"- non Haver enthusiasts don't know the names of the tracts they live in- they might describe what historical district or part of town. When I tell people about my house, I too catch myself saying "I just bought a Haver". The response is either a "What? - you bought a ....Haber, Hoover, Javier? etc...to which I reply Dear GOD I didn't buy JAVIER- that is a person!) - YET I expect them to know who Haver was. Or they say "YOu DID- I love those houses....which neighborhood?". I really like the whole gang sign idea. It would cut out the need for this question if each neighborhood just had a sign. At parties I could answer "Haver" while flashing my gang sign (an MG for Marlen Grove) and wearing the colors each neighborhood would pick out ( I vote for nothing too bold- I am into soft colors this season - maybe a shade of plum?). I think Windemere should be careful though- their gang sign could be mistaken for the "westside" gang- they should probably think of something more distinctive than just a "W".

[PixelPixie]

You all should get some shirts whipped up at http://www.neighborhoodies.com/catalog/ ;-D

[DG]

Faggot
noun: a bundle of sticks and branches bound together
noun: offensive terms for an openly homosexual man
verb: faggot-ize. Definition: When a group of gay men take over a run down neighborhood and turn it into the new, hip and trendy place to live in.

Finally this neighborhood has been faggotized…now thanks to “those gay people” what used to cost 100K is now worth 600K…

verb: de-faggot-ize. Definition: When a gay man feels the urge of cleaning after him some “gay items” when surprised by a last minute visit of his mother or favorite aunt (ie: the subscription to Icon, the Official Maddona Fan Club Mag, some “personal use” toiletries or the last issues of Honcho and Oprah Home)

Damm, I have to defaggotize this place bc mother is showing up for tea with aunt Doris and you know she will ask me why I have so many decoration magazines and why I have not brought “ghost girlfriend” Jane to her birthday party last week.

[Mr. Natural]

Note to self: cancel subscription to Oprah Home

[PixelPixie]

Whoah, DG drops the f-bomb!

Its no secret that the gay community has been largely responsible for a HUGE part of the revitalization of Phoenix and especially its homes. I am so totally grateful for the impact gay folks have made in our city and I am sure that you did not mean this post in a derogatory manner. I've been asked to pull it but I don't relish playing the role of censor so for now, unless this idea gets totally out of hand, I'm letting it stay.

Now my curiosity is raised... is faggotize a real term that people are actually using out there in the community? I wouldn't be surprised.

Have fun in the dictionary thread, everyone, and lets not turn this into a lengthy discussion about whether DG's post was tasteless or not. But in the future if any of you want to get controversial or poke fun at race or gender please do so sensitively and with lots of context.