Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture below, which this week is supplied by Dale Rogerson.
© Dale Rogerson
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Inertive
The woman’s voice dominates the busy restaurant.
Perhaps she thinks that, because this is France, no one understands English.
Or maybe she’s just loud.
Her companion, however, is silent, staring downwards.
Do you think, I ask my friend, that he is listening, or is he totally inertive?
She laughs.
Is that even a word?
I shrug, unperturbed.
I am a writer, I create new words when I need to.
Or, sometimes, just on a whim.
Have a look, I say, grinning, give me a better word.
She turns her head, watches them briefly.
Then, with a smile, she speaks.
Comatocious?
New words leave me speechless! Nice story – People are odd! Enjoyed your story muchly!
The muchfulness of my appreciation is hugeous, Nan
Excellent. My favorite of all….
How very kindful of you, Ms Dood!
Sounds like she needs someone listening… maybe he’s just deaf.
I like your contradictory view, Bjorn, but I think he just wishes he was deaf.
Yep, that’s the word for it, he sounds like he’s been through the mill for far too long and ended up in this state
And sometimes it only takes 10 minutes before we comatosify in self defence!
Made up words are the best! I enjoyed both in your story.
I think ‘bestest’ is the word you want here, Alicia!
I think every writer has created a word or two. An excellent story.
Sometimes it’s necessary, sometimes it’s just fun.
Always love learning new words, especially if they’re really brand-new!
Glad you had fun, Eugenia
Hahaha! Nothing like being a wordsmith when the occasion calls for it. I’m not good at making up words, though, unless it’s some kind of a sci-fi story. Vomitocious would be better.
Thanks, Kent, 5 out of 5 emetics!
I guess that the silent treatment was all he had left.
He never got a word in edgeways, Michael
They were all made-up words once…Think we sat near that couple last holiday.
I find that I have to restrain myself from ambling over and saying ‘Could you kindly reduce your output by about 3,000 decibels?’
That’s a good word for a situation I’ve been in several times.Comatic is shorter 🙂
And more dramatocious too!
I’ve been comatocious several times in similar situations 🙂
Laughing. We’ve all been there, Ali!
Comatocious is a word I could get to liking. I could even put it into practice at work from time to time!
It will not necessarily meet with the complete approval of those above you in the hierarchy, Russell
You’re probably right. 😞
Love this wordplay. Just had the pleasure of looking up a word the other day for its origins: steep as in, steeping a cup of tea. Turn out its related to stoup, a wordfor the basin you dip your fingers in to cross yourself when you enter a Catholic church.
In Scotland ‘steep’ means to soak, like clothes, with the participle becoming a noun: That’ll need a guid steepin’ to get the marks oot.
Love it!
Loved it. Even I could underconstumple it. 😉
As long as it is comprehensative I am happy, Doug
I’d be your man looking downwards and cringing inside, quietly. I LOVE comatocious!
It’s the fact that the speaker invariably seems oblivious to their impact on the rest of the world that is so sodding irritating!
Ah, Comatocious! I love this word! I can think of quite a few times when it would be perfectly perfective! 😉
And, after all, perfectiveness is what we all seek, Na’ama
Exactlymentous!
Comatocious? that should work. but he better not hear it unless her date can handle his violent outburst. 🙂
Now, now, my dear Plaridel, there is no violence on this page!
English is an ever-expanding language. Just consider all the terms we never heard of before COVID 19! And I like both the newly-coined words in your story.
Maybe I should have coined my own word–how about “English is an ever-expansional language”?
As you say, Linda, language is in a constant state of evolutisticality
🙂
Good new words, we should compile a dictionary for FF’s to dive into when the need arises!
As long as we can communicate, it doesn’t matter if a word is newly inventified, does it?
Not at all, it’s a great idea
Now THAT was fun! Who’d a thunk? And may I say thank you for NOT talking about you know what?
I am bored rigid with it, I think we need to start shooting folk who have no other topic
Don’t get me started… I am amazed at the lack of imagination… we KNOW what’s going on as we are all living it… have you nothing else to write about? OK… that’s my rant for the day…
He he – love these new words! Nicely imaginative.
Thanks, Susan, language evolves, yes…
The wordsmith 🙂
Great to have the power to create new interesting words! And educate all 🙂
Take care.
Well, why not, it’s fun!
I like inertive. I also like that peculiar British (English?) habit of talking loudly to foreigners in English in order to make them understand. Very entertaining.
And you have to wave your arms about, or Johnny Thicko Foreigner will never understand
Dear CE,
Comatocious. I like it. Sound precocious. Like supercalif…oh never mind.
Shalom,
Rochelle
It has a certain narcolepticity about it, I think
I suspect she’s being insulting, lol. Fascinabulously done.
My gratitudosity is ginormous, Anthony
I love making up new words so I completely identify with this. The novel I’m working on now is called Boundarising
Are we turning into Muricans, Neil?
That would require a ‘z’ methinks. However we need to ensure no confusion with ‘bounderising’ i.e. acting caddishly. 😉
Shikspars
Inventing new words is all part and parcel of getting older. Sometimes the word I want is just a hairs breadth away, I know what it begins with, I know how many syllables… but the one that comes out is so much more … fabricational. No wait…
I would rather read your words than Dr Johnson’s
There seems to be one of these types in every social setting!
Keep making those words up 😀
So true, Tannille, they just love the sound of their own voice.