this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2024
118 points (95.4% liked)

Showerthoughts

29827 readers
905 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics
    • 3.1) NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
    • 3.2) Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
    • 3.3) Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Looking it up just kinda feels like cheating, y'know? Or at least throwing in the towel.

top 31 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 40 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] HonoraryMancunian 7 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I was going to say “old age” but, yeah, stubborn is definitely the personality trait. :-)

[–] exixx 21 points 10 months ago (3 children)

There's probably a word for it in German or Swedish. I bet it's long and hard to pronounce, maybe with a non-English pronunciation symbol.

[–] jasep 6 points 10 months ago

Google translate says "Zungenspitze" is the German word for "tip of tongue".

[–] cmbabul 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I’d be surprised if there isn’t a German word for it

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

I think it's "tipphoffzetongue"

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

There isn't one in German.

[–] cashews_best_nut 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Let me rephrase that: I never heard one. There is a word for tip of the tongue but not for the concrete situation OP described. I mean the possibility to just look up stuff wherever you are is a very recent development so it makes sense that a word that incorporates this isn't invented yet.

[–] blazeknave 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Still don't believe you. Just smash a sentence together or whatever y'all do. We need you. Latin doesn't do this.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I invented one for you:

Zungenspitzendilemma, das

When you have something stuck at the tip of your tongue, but looking it up feels like cheating.

[–] blazeknave 1 points 10 months ago

We're best friends now. Do another one: "when an Internet stranger connects with you over an infinitesimally small and unlikely shared idea or experience, and for the first time in your life, you don't feel alone on an earth with 7 billion humans, and you have a best friend"

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (3 children)

sometimes it's something that can't be looked up like a song tune or a scene from a show. i tried searching once using humming and it didn't work, but thankfully it only took a couple days for me to remember where it was from

[–] HonoraryMancunian 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

A couple of days...! I get annoyed after a couple of minutes, lol

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

it was definitely annoying that's for sure

[–] Sigh_Bafanada 3 points 10 months ago

Once, I had a song in my head that I wasn't able to remember much about. I posted on the /r/tipofmytongue community, letting them know that all I could remember was "eh, oppah"

After a few incorrect guesses, somebody realized that it was Moby's "Natural Blues"

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Definitely the worst part of being a post rock fan, or I guess a fan of any instrumental music.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Generally it is literally called a “tip-of-the-tongue” state in psych literature. Presque vu is the “fancy” french term for it, and means almost seen, similar to deja vu (already seen).

E: as a sidenote, I am fairly sure Vsauce had a video on this.

[–] fidodo 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Is there a word for when there's a word that's on the tip of your tongue but it turns out the word doesn't actually exist?

[–] surewhynotlem 7 points 10 months ago
[–] homesweethomeMrL 9 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I thought the post title was a joke. Like you couldn't remember the word you were thinking of to describe when you can't think of a word.

[–] HonoraryMancunian 3 points 10 months ago

Yes I did see the irony at the time of writing

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago

Something like onamanfuckmeah

[–] LemmyKnowsBest 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I always experience a phenomenon in which no matter how hard I wrack my brain trying to think of the thing that's on the tip of my tongue, as soon as I go to look it up or ask somebody, it suddenly comes to my mind right before they tell me the answer.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Happens to me often with wordle. I take a screenshot to send my friend and show her that I'm stuck, and for some reason right after I send it, the answer comes to me.

[–] LemmyKnowsBest 3 points 10 months ago

Yes it happens to you too, isn't it a weird phenomenon??

like I wouldn't be surprised if I could even predict the lottery Powerball numbers a fraction of a second before they are called out LOL

[–] Bahalex 3 points 10 months ago

I’m partial the term ‘wonder kill’ for when one does look it up.

[–] Boozilla 2 points 10 months ago

CRS syndrome.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Brain fart.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Sounds like it could be called "trivial pursuit"