adjective.
This word describes a piece of factual information that has been stated for no other reason. Often the word encompasses a kind of ironic element, but this is not necessarily part of the working definition.
The term is used when something is said that for all intensive purposes could have been left unsaid.
The word originates from two Farsi words: ’Tip’ (تب) meaning the search for truth, and ‘derv’ (ديرف) meaning idiom or fact. The first known appearance of the word is in the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip. It was adopted into western culture only recently, although its first recorded appearance in English was in 1949 in the Autobiography of Henry Rhodes Hamilton. Hamilton says, in this innovative contribution to modern culture: “I asked Mahatma Gandhi why he thought Indian culture was so discriminated against in other parts of the world. Gandhi replied in his usual typedeervical style “Because people discriminate against us.” Since then, the word has been picked up by popular culture, especially that of the British Isles, English-speaking Canada and Alaska. There are now specific conventions around the idea of tipedeervicality including styles of tipedeervical debate, drama and jokes.
This word describes a piece of factual information that has been stated for no other reason. Often the word encompasses a kind of ironic element, but this is not necessarily part of the working definition.
The term is used when something is said that for all intensive purposes could have been left unsaid.
The word originates from two Farsi words: ’Tip’ (تب) meaning the search for truth, and ‘derv’ (ديرف) meaning idiom or fact. The first known appearance of the word is in the Persian fairytale The Three Princes of Serendip. It was adopted into western culture only recently, although its first recorded appearance in English was in 1949 in the Autobiography of Henry Rhodes Hamilton. Hamilton says, in this innovative contribution to modern culture: “I asked Mahatma Gandhi why he thought Indian culture was so discriminated against in other parts of the world. Gandhi replied in his usual typedeervical style “Because people discriminate against us.” Since then, the word has been picked up by popular culture, especially that of the British Isles, English-speaking Canada and Alaska. There are now specific conventions around the idea of tipedeervicality including styles of tipedeervical debate, drama and jokes.
Tipedeervical argument:
What do you know about astrophysics anyway?
I am an astrophysicist.
Tipedeervical complaint:
The government needs to shape up. People are not sheep
Tipedeervical joke:
Q: What’s pink and fluffy?
A: Pink Fluff.
What do you know about astrophysics anyway?
I am an astrophysicist.
Tipedeervical complaint:
The government needs to shape up. People are not sheep
Tipedeervical joke:
Q: What’s pink and fluffy?
A: Pink Fluff.
by jgballard February 16, 2010