Quirtibation is a term that was coined by dyspraxic individuals to describe a phenomenon,
common in people with the developmental disorder dyspraxia, wherein a lapse in coordination between the
body and
mind causes an involuntary, inaccurate and/or sudden motion such as a
flail or
fumble. The word is not considered offensive unless
used in an otherwise derogatory context.
While quirtibation originally referred specifically to dyspraxic neuron misfiring, it has since been adopted more broadly and can be colloquially used to refer to any unexpected physical movement or failure of motor skills, regardless of neurotype.
Etymologically, quirtibation derives from a mondegreen (mishearing) of the word "coordination." This mishearing is believed to have arisen due to comments received and/or made by dyspraxics about their lack thereof.
Despite his best efforts, Ahmed had a
bout of quirtibation while trying to
tie his
shoes, resulting in a tangled mess.