Selfie-isms: When Words Take a Selfie

By Scudder Meier

Can words take a selfie? You bet they can!

This book serves up a smorgasbord of fun, thought-provoking "selfie-isms"--words, phrases, and snippets of conversation that point to themselves in an ironic or comical way, just as we do with a camera when taking a selfie. Packed with witty, whimsical wordplay, Selfie-isms: When Words Take a Selfie is sure to delight casual readers and wordsmiths alike. The book showcases 101 selfie-isms in bite-size portions, so you can enjoy a few any time you want a quick brain tease or humor break. When you've read a few, you'll want more!

Limited edition autographed by author

This autographed first-edition digital version is available for a limited time! In this edition, the author's autograph appears at the end of the "About the Author" page.

What's a selfie-ism?

A selfie-ism is a word, phrase, etc., that refers to itself, usually in a way that makes you laugh. Words are funny creatures. A word can describe itself, and sometimes a word is what it describes. The word "ostentatious," for example, refers to something showy or pretentious, something meant to draw attention. But it's a pretty pretentious word and seems tailor-made to draw attention. "Ostentatious" is a very ostentatious word! It points to itself; it's a selfie-ism. Here's an interesting twist: a phrase can do the opposite of its meaning. That's an inverse selfie-ism. For instance, imagine someone shouting, "I am NOT SHOUTING!" Those are two brief examples. Have a peek inside the book for more!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scudder Meier
• Release date: Jun 4, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310100178

Scudder Meier

Scudder Meier is an author, entrepreneur, and neologist (a person who makes up words). Scudder has always been fascinated by words--their origin, composition, and usage. For many years, he kept a log of words and phrases that point to themselves. After a successful career in IT, Scudder decided to turn to writing and now shares his accumulated list with you in Selfie-isms: When Words Take a Selfie. A native of the USA, Scudder now makes his home in Florida and London, where he can spend time with his delightful three-legged cat, Sapphire.

Book preview

Introduction

We love selfies! Every day, millions of people point a smartphone at themselves to take a selfie. But words can take selfies, too. I call them selfie-isms—words that point to (or refer to) themselves, usually in an amusing or ironic way, just like we do with a camera when taking a selfie.

This book contains 101 of my favorite selfie-isms. Some are funny, some are cute, some just are. To understand what a selfie-ism is, see Anatomy of a Selfie-ism or just keep reading.

As you read, you may start thinking of selfie-isms yourself. I invite you to send me your selfie-isms. A selfie-ism you submit may be selected for publication in a future