Otokichi Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 (edited) Here's another IMDb post begging for the right word to describe predictions for the future that didn't happen. This would cover the "Martian/Moon colonies of the 1980's" predicted by writers in the 1950's. The closest I could come up with was "protoptimistic" to describe a missed prediction of the future. So, "anachronism" is King Arthur using a Cellular telephone as "X" is Pan American Spaceways starting nonstop flights to the Mars Colonial Spaceport. By the way, "para anachronism" has also been suggested. Edited February 20, 2006 by Guest Spelling counts, also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Wha? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Joe Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Huh?? An anachronism is a clock on a tower in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. No clocks in Caesar's days. The opposite of that might be looking at an hourglass to tell time in 2001: A Space Oddysey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Laurie_ Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I think I'm in the wrong thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I'd imagine para-anachronism would be the best bet, as disanachronism just sounds silly. Misprediction, predisprediction... my head hurts already! Bazooka would have this in one lick I bet!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Levis Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Stop! Head spinning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJonSurfer Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 How about if we just say "Keep guessing!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edna Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 If it was an "unachronism" then the opposite would be an "achronism"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 This is no more than a hunch, and I have no dictionaries nearby to verify it, but my theory runs thus... Since "anachronism" refers to something which is incorrectly located in time, the word already contains a notion of negation in the form of the prefix "ana". Therefore, the removal of this negatory prefix should leave a word meaning "correctly located in time": the opposite of an "anachronism", namely a "chronism". Anybody getting moist yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Geek alert - I'm all ears!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 BF, that's the geekiest thing I've ever read, and I own two etymology dictionaries. You absolutely win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 My conclusion may be wrong, pescophile,...doesn't that matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 There are dozens of us! Dozens! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I meant my conclusion regarding the correct opposite of anachronism, not your suspected pescophilia... I invented that word by the way: in all probability it is a totally erroneous fabrication, wrecklessly combining Latin and Greek components . If I had been more meticulous...what is the opposite of "wreckless" anyway...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 (edited) I couldn't get past you finding out my horrible secret. No, it doesn't matter that your conclusion is based on speculation. It sounded right, and that's all that matters. I'd never heard that word, but I could tell what it meant. Maybe you should patent it? The only thing reckless about it was your spelling of "reckless". (You know, I really should know better than to pick on Blind-Fitter, of all people, about grammar/spelling. I know that I will pay for it, but I couldn't help it. I should've at least made the joke funnier so it would be worth the inevitable backlash.) Edited February 20, 2006 by Guest to include desperate disclaimer/psuedo-apology Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 The only thing reckless about it was your spelling of "reckless". :doh: This may be a "winking" matter to you, Mr Fish-Fingers; to me the impact is...(stifles a sob)...infinitely more grievous. When you've had the kind of upbringing I've had...when your self-esteem, nay, your whole sense of identity is so ...when your inability to bring a sentence to a satisfactory conclusion is.... I'm not saying my parents were cruel as such, but their standards were, shall we say, exacting, especially with regard to spelling and, to a lesser degree, grammar. (On the peripheral issue of excessive (and unnecessary) verbiage- a practice which has thus far resisted all manner of remedial strategies (some more successful than others though, it has to be said)- their otherwise most stringent standards could be described as "lax", (amongst other things). What may appear a simple spelling error to you, means (to me):self-recrimination, social isolation, an appointment with the doctor, a week off work, (which, as I am a public servant, costs the tax-payer)and- why not let's be open about it- in all probability, loss of libido, (with the concomitant marital stress that entails...) So it's all very well you winking...you obviously haven't thought this through like I have. You know who I blame for this...this...this debacle? Wreckless Eric. You know Wreckless Eric? Composer / performer of the classic "(I'd go the) Whole Wide World", contemporary and labelmate of Ian Dury and The Blockheads , Elvis Costello, etc. If Eric Goulden hadn't been so (bleep) reckless as to mis-spell reckless as "wreckless" in his own nom de plume, I wouldn't have spent my entire adult life confidently but recklessly spelling it incorrectly. How many times must I have repeated this error, remaining blissfully oblivious to my recklessness. The shame... the shame is almost too much to contemplate. Thank you Das, from my heart's bottom, for having the courage to challenge my reckless spelling of "reckless", despite your understandable fear of reprisals. Only through being forced to face my demons will I ever be able to truly conquer them. I forgive your halibut-hugging ways, however perverse they may appear...You are......MY SAVIOUR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawna Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 Uh, BF? There are several glaring punctuation errors in your post. Shall I point them out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daslied Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 My god but you are entertaining. Are you Tony Blair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 a true cola snorting post! Pip pip, old chap!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted February 20, 2006 Report Share Posted February 20, 2006 I invented that word by the way: in all probability it is a totally erroneous fabrication, wrecklessly combining Latin and Greek components . i believe that should be ichthyophilia, from the ancient greek for fish, which is ichthyis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blind-fitter Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 i believe that should be ichthyophilia, from the ancient greek for fish, which is ichthyis Thank you , Invisible! You're absolutely right. This is so cool! First I am saved from a case of terminal mis-spelling malaise, now this splendid piece of etymological advice. Things just get better and better! Altogether now!... "Happy days are here again The skies above are clear again So let's sing a song of cheer again Happy days are here again Altogether shout it now There's no one Who can doubt it now So let's tell the world about it now Happy days are here again!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 (edited) being greek kinda helps with knowing these things Edited February 21, 2006 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earth-Angel Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 ^^ tee hee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy1104 Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 If an anachronism is something which is out of place in time wouldn't the opposite be timely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invisible_r Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 (edited) this is really bugging me, chronism doesn't seem to be a real word, and i can't believe that i don't know whether it is a valid word in greek either! none of the online dictionaries provide an antonym for it either! they all say there are no antonyms Edited February 21, 2006 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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