13. Making up Words

Many architects fancy themselves writers and orators.  It is because of this that they often decide to make up words.  Some may think making up words is a silly idea relegated to children and uneducated adults.  Others think it is appropriate in some situations, such as when a profession has specific lingo uncommon to the native language.  Architects, however, think it is appropriate in all forms and situations.

Making up words helps make the profession more exclusive and feel hip.  Though one may think it to be a daunting task to make up words, it is actually quite simple.  All one must do is insert any form or portion of the word “architect” or “architecture” into another word.  Voila, your jargon is complete.

We have made up words to describe our sentiments and attitudes as they relate to architecture: Snarkitecture.  We have described our daily need for stimulation from architectural images as a medical directive: archidose.  We scold fellow workers for driving and “architexting” plan revisions to us at the same time.  (It’s dangerous, you know.)  We’ve renamed places and spaces to be vaguely reminiscent of newly discovered jungle creatures: archipod.  We even go so far as to include those with speech impediments: architwibe.  We have mutliated websites, firm names, clubs, and verbs (though we can never quite be on par with terms such as “lawyered”):

We’re architecting it up ‘til 3 a.m.!

Architize this image!

Would you like to archinect with me?

I’d help you with your drawing layout if I wasn’t so busy archi-typing this punch list.

There goes that Frank Gehry again, always the starchitect!

Feel free to make up some of your own words and test them out on your architect friends.  They probably won’t even notice that an outsider has infiltrated their group.  The possibilities are endless!