'Pass me that Whatchamacallit or Whozeewhatzit!': Actual words people use for when they can't remember the right one

Don't you sometimes feel incredibly frustrated when there's something you need to say—you almost remember the word—it's on the tip of your tongue, yet you just can't seem to recall it? That nagging feeling of annoyance persists until you finally retrieve the exact word. Well, there's nothing wrong with you; you're just experiencing 'lethologica.'?

The phenomenon where you can't quite recall a specific word or name is known as lethologica. This term describes that frustrating feeling of having a word on the tip of your tongue but being unable to retrieve it.

Also read: Four words to make you sound more assertive at work, according to experts?

In response to forgetting the word for what they wish to convey, people hesitate and use fillers like "um" or "uh" to buy some time, hoping that the elusive word will eventually come to mind.?

Representational image/ Behavioral Health Clinic

Alternatively, people might describe what you're trying to express, aiming to convey the message despite not having the exact word.

Another tactic involves recalling certain formal characteristics of the word, such as its initial letter, sound, or syllable count.?

If that doesn't work, you might resort to using ready-made placeholders like "thingamajig" or "whatchamacallit" for objects, or "what's-his-name" for people.?

For instance, if you can't remember the name of a specific tool, you might say, "Hand me that whatchamacallit over there" or "Pass me that thingamajig on the table."

Interestingly, the struggle to find the right word is a long-standing issue.?

Representational image/ Harvard Health

The Oxford English Dictionary even has a category for terms used when a name is forgotten or unknown, with 64 entries dating back to the early Middle English period (1100–1300).?

While not all of these terms are still in use today—"whiblin," for example, was last recorded in 1652 and "jiggumbob" is now obsolete—some have endured.?

Terms like "gizmo" and "doodah" remain popular, and you can even find products like Hershey's "Whatchamacallits" and "Whozeewhatzits" chocolate bars on the market.

So next time you can't quite grab that perfect word, remember you've got a whole arsenal of quirky placeholders ready to go. But let's be real—will you even recall words like "whatchamacallit" and "thingamajig" when the moment strikes?!

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