Re: a rose by any other

[Michael McClary <michael>]

> From acad!blitzen!rick Tue Feb 20 18:12:02 1990
> 
> In another vein, we could create new words from roots -agoria (OFr 
> 'agorie' to assemble or collect) and -orama (Gr. 'horama' from
> 'horan' to see).  As examples for InfoFactory we'd have
> lexorama, onogoria, libriorama, and bibliagoria.
> 
> Yeah, I know the -orama conjures imagery of swilling beer in the 
> local bowling alley if not used cleverly, and onogoria
> sounds like a nasty pet disease, but words like libriorama and 
> bibliagoria are, I think, pretty classy.

I hate to pour cold water on someone else's brainstorm, but I think
I should tell you know that, to me at least, the -orama ending makes
all constructions using it sound pretentious.  Like somebody with
junk putting cheap glitter on it.  Like a run-down shopping mall,
or the gambling houses of Carson City.

(I recall part of forming that opinion:  A MAD magazine takeout on
department stores, with a two-page illo of the mall: every department
named "Foo-a-Rama!" and a "Ram-a-rama" prominent in the center,
selling livestock.  This appeared about when the use of such coinages
plummeted.)

I suspect this may vary both regionally and by age cohort.  Nevertheless,
if it produces this reaction in one sample of baby-boom-midwesterner,
searching for another root might prove worthwhile.

	michael