[Fictionary] pink tooth results
fictioneric at cluemail.com
fictioneric at cluemail.com
Thu Aug 7 17:07:35 EDT 2008
Hey Folks,
We had a good spread of votes this round, with the real definition
getting six points. But the winner is Hutch, with 8 points,
including 2 for voting correctly.
Take it away, Hutch!
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Real Definition:
pink tooth of Mummery, n. Tooth exhibiting typical pinkish hue,
due to resorption of dentin or internal bleeding. After
James Howard Mummery, cf.
6 points (2 Ellen, 2 Hutch, 2 Pierre)
I made this one out of several sources, including:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_tooth_of_Mummery
- http://www.uky.edu/~cmiller/page2/figure.14-2.html
- http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/Pink_tooth_of_Mummery
Elliott: Believable except for the ``cf.'', which I believe
would be ``q.v.'' in a real dictionary. Two points for this
straightforward medical definition. Plausibility: 20%.
[Eric says: yes, the cf. was my mistake.]
Hutch: I usually don't like scientific eponyms, but I'll
bite *oops* on this one: 2 points
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pink tooth of mummery, n. A ceremonial hat in the shape of a
large tooth, worn by members of the Kween's Honor Guard
during the New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration.
2 points (1 Ellen, 1 Judith)
by: Jim
Elliott: "Are you sure it's the Kween's Honor Guard, and not
the Kanine Kleening Krewe? Plausibility: 15%."
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pink tooth of mummery, n. A servant of the lower House of the
Parliament of Mummery, charged with compelling the
attendance of delinquent Members, suppressing
demonstrations, and adjudicating disputes at cards.
Traditionally Pink Tooth was required to abstain from
alcohol, and to exhibit his vigilance by blinking his eyes
alternately rather than simultaneously; however, these
disabilities were removed by the Channel Islands
(Government) Act, 1931.
2 points (1 Jacob 1 Pierre)
by: Elliott
Elliott: . . . I don't think I made it very clear that
Mummery was supposed to be an island, though. Oh, well.
Plausibility: 0%.
Jacob: Like this one a lot, except for the word
"disabilities". Perhaps "constraints"?
Hutch: I take it that "Mummery" is supposed to be one of the
Channel Islands with its own Parliament? This is a serious
WTF!? fictionition.
Ranjit: Brilliant! But the pseudo-blinking is too wacky to
earn a point.
Pierre: One point for being completely preposterous!
Jim: So Silly It Must Be Elliott award
---------------------------------------------------------------
pink tooth of mummery, n. A sarcastic description of Johann der
Feigling, prince (for 6 months) of Braunschweig. He
attempted to present himself as a fierce fighter, but died
of a spear wound in his back.
1 point (Ranjit)
by: Judith
Elliott: What are his dates? And why a pink tooth?
Plausibility: 0%
Hutch: Naah, I've never heard of mummery having anything to
do with bravery and/or cowardice.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Pink Tooth of Mummery, The: When an indebted playboy gets a tip
about a treasure ripe for the taking in "Tim-bok-too," his
neglected fiancee insists on going with him. This
unremarkable 1919 comedy-adventure starring Bebe Daniels and
'Snub' Pollard uses its exotic settings primarily as a
backdrop for romantic bickering between the two leads.
(Silent, 81 minutes)
no points
by: Ranjit
Eric: I *love* this definition. Also, Ranjit, where can I
get this movie, or at least one greatly like it?
Elliott: Ah! Pink Tooth, like Pink Panther! Good one. I
also like the idea of writing it as a movie abstract.
Plausiblity: 15%, and an Oscar nomination.
---------------------------------------------------------------
pink tooth of mummery, n. Pejorative phrase used in Restoration
England to describe a supposed Catholic conspiracy to gain
influence in Parliament. "Pink tooth" was an idiom used to
describe a child's first tooth, and Catholics were seen as
just beginning to have enough "bite" to be dangerous.
4 points (2 David 2 Judith)
by: Jacob
Elliott: First of two defs bearing to each other a stronger
affinity, both in the sense and in the expression, than
could possibly have been produced by accident; so strong
indeed, that no philologer could examine them both, without
believing them to have sprung from some common source,
which, perhaps, no longer exists. Plausibility: 90%, and
the Sir William Jones Award (shared).
David: 2 points, for similarity to my definition.
---------------------------------------------------------------
pink tooth of mummery, n. The tendency of actors to make their
entire lives into a performance. The lives of Sir John
Barrymore, Rudolph Valentino, and (to a lesser extent) Elvis
Presley may be said to demonstrate the "pink tooth of
mummery".
8 points (1 David, 1 Linda, 2 Jean-Joseph, 2 Jim,
+ 2 for correct def.)
by: Hutch
Elliott: Why a pink tooth? Plausibility: 0%.
Ranjit: love this one too, but i'm all out of points.
---------------------------------------------------------------
pink tooth of mummery, n. The term often applied to the
anticipation felt by youngsters toward the prospect of
receiving sweets at Pantomime and other holiday pageants.
3 points (1 Hutch 2 Ranjit)
by: Jean-Joseph
Elliott: One point for alternate universe. Would have been
two, but doesn't sound dictionary-like enough to me.
Plausibility: 0%, and a Hogswatch pudding.
Hutch: I'm pretty sure I remember that the players in the
holiday Pantos are referred to as "mummers": 1 point
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Pink Tooth of Mummery: Kept in the headquarters of the
Mummers' Guild in Boulogne since 1687. This small quartz
relic was first used by Bernard de Boulogne to exorcise
demons during the Battle of the Mimes.
7 points (2 Jacob 2 Linda 1 Jean-Joseph + 2 for correct def.)
by: Pierre
Elliott: Who is it a relic of? Plausibility: 1%.
Hutch: The Battle of Mimes?!?!?!? *LOL*
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pink tooth of mummery, n. Low-Protestant term of abuse for the
Church of England; the Catholic Church was "mummery," and
the Anglican Church an infant version--"pink tooth"--of the
Catholic. Largely archaic, although still in patchy use in
Northern Ireland.
1 point (Jim)
by: David
Elliott: Plausibility: 90%, and the other half of the Sir
William Jones Award.
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Pink Tooth of Mummery, eponym. In the New Orleans Mardi Gras
parades, the character with the frizzy blue hair and obvious
pink snaggle-tooth, often called "Tootsie". He/she throws
pink and blue necklaces to the crowds.
no points
by: Linda
Elliott: Who knows what all goes on in New Orleans?
Plausibility: 15%.
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Random Comments:
Hutch: Hmm, two Mardi Gras definitions, two and a half of
Protestants thinking Catholicism is "mummery", three and a
half about actors and acting, one about dentistry, one about
cowardice, and one about the Parliament of Mummery????? This
is bad. I find my own definition more believable than any of
the rest. *LOL*
Ranjit: Wow, this is a particularly fun batch of defs, and
not a single one is even slightly believable!
--
-- Eric | fictioneric at cluemail.com
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