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(For an explanation of what a "showerthought" is, please read this page.)
Rule-breaking posts may result in bans. >

If you have the soapbox and people are listening, you could invent a word like "cromulent" like The Simpsons did, and it could become an accepted part of the language.
Shakespeare also invented words that later became accept (i.e., became perfectly cromulent). >

Making up words embiggens the soul. >

Hobbit-ism >

You can invent hundreds of thousands of words yourself(as all words have been invented since they dont exust in nature), them being accepted is the issue. >

Qzytrx >

xnopyt >

aaa >

Love >

Username does not check out >

Wait until you learn about the German language.
I can invent any noun right now, and all German speaking people will instantly understand it without explanation. >

Only if the Redditworterfindungsbeirat approves it >

The Redditworterfindungsbeirat meets every odd Thursday to discuss Worterfindungen on Reddit. I shall add your Worterfindung to the Redditworterfindungsbeiratsagenda for the next Redditworterfindungsbeiratstagung. >

Please don't forget to fill out the Redditworterfindungsantragsformular, or the Redditworterfindungsbeiratstagungsleitung will have to reject your Redditworterfindungshinzufügungsantrag. >

All words were invented at some point. Beforehand we relied on sticks and stones to communicate.  Lessons were more painful back then. >

Yes but no. Anyone can invent a word but it’s also not really a word if nobody else in the world uses it or knows what it means. >

Basically it depends on what emphasis you put on the word "just"
You can just make up a word
But you can't just make up a word >

This is why I love language. it's not owned by one person. its not controlled (even though so many try). its always changing always growing. 
my favorite right now is how the word literal is changing to mean the exact opposite. So many people are losing their minds over the idea that people use the word "literal" to give emphasis to something figurative. 
but it has happened before. if something was kinda cool, it had 'some awe' i.e. it was "awesome". but if it was full of awe it was "awefull" I dont know the progression of that word but somebody probably starting using it sarcastically ... "oh that is awe-full" and eventually it changed from being full of awe to being horrible. 
Language is chaotic neutral. >

what I don't get is that the way 'literal' gives emphasis was through hyperbole. Changing the definition has actually destroyed that use of the word. So people use it that way and I am literally stuck in an endless loop of logic. >

The tricky part is not inventing the word. It is getting many people to use it. >

Pfft, what a load of fizzleposh. >

Well, it's true that you can't just invent a word out of thin air, but with a bit of creativity and imagination, you can certainly come up with some interesting new words! Who knows, maybe one day you could even create the next \ubiquitous\ or \supercalifragilisticexpialidocious\! >

Stop trying to make fetch happen, fetch isn’t going to happen >

I read the post and instantly thought: "GRETCHEN!" >

It's not that you can't invent a new word. It's that you can't invent a new word.
It's always personal. >

Yes!! 
"That's a made up word!"
"That's a made up holidayyy"
All words and holidays are made up lol. People don't like sudden change but we will always evolve to the time we are in, including traditions and speech. >

Everyword is invented to some level. It's not like they are natural discoveries. >

Here's another shower thought: Language is just an evolved form of babbling. In fact you can probably call it babbling in a way that it is taught to other people. >

Most of the words you know weren't invented but adapted.
For example:  goodbye.  Starting in the 16th century (approximately-im going from memory) it was an English common phrase to say "God be with ye" when parting company and this eventually was adapted to goodbye. >

I think you are confused with the statement that we cannot invent things without a reference. 
The very core of language and words is based on the concept of creating symbols as reference, putting those together and assign a generally accepted meaning to those symbols we now call "words ".
You can put any of the existing symbols together to create a word. All you need to do is get people to assign a collective meaning to it. >


There's a perception that you can't just invent a word...

A misperception. Of course you can invent a word, otherwise where would they come from? Not only that, but you can--and do--use existing words in an idiosyncratic way. I would argue that you can't actually use them any other way--at least, not nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. It's important to understand that everyone means something different when they use a word, and conversations can fall apart very quickly if one or another person doesn't understand that. >

Thank you!  Now I can finally explain my aridanalitis to someone. >

Grian invented the word chobblesome and dr. Suess invented the word nerd >

This is a friendly reminder to read our rules.
Remember, /r/Showerthoughts is for showerthoughts, not "thoughts had in the shower!"
(For an explanation of what a "showerthought" is, please read this page.)
Rule-breaking posts may result in bans. >

If you have the soapbox and people are listening, you could invent a word like "cromulent" like The Simpsons did, and it could become an accepted part of the language.
Shakespeare also invented words that later became accept (i.e., became perfectly cromulent). >

Making up words embiggens the soul. >

Hobbit-ism >

You can invent hundreds of thousands of words yourself(as all words have been invented since they dont exust in nature), them being accepted is the issue. >

Qzytrx >

xnopyt >

aaa >

Love >

Username does not check out >

Wait until you learn about the German language.
I can invent any noun right now, and all German speaking people will instantly understand it without explanation. >

Only if the Redditworterfindungsbeirat approves it >

The Redditworterfindungsbeirat meets every odd Thursday to discuss Worterfindungen on Reddit. I shall add your Worterfindung to the Redditworterfindungsbeiratsagenda for the next Redditworterfindungsbeiratstagung.