I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

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immaf
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I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by immaf »

Made you look!

A Facebook friend just posted that "factoids" are trivial facts that are NOT true. Trivial facts that ARE true are called "factettes".

According to my dictionary, a factoid is indeed "an invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print". There is, however a second definition: "a brief and usually trivial news item".

My dictionary does not include "factette" at all.
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by dhkendall »

immaf wrote:Made you look!

A Facebook friend just posted that "factoids" are trivial facts that are NOT true. Trivial facts that ARE true are called "factettes".

According to my dictionary, a factoid is indeed "an invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print". There is, however a second definition: "a brief and usually trivial news item".

My dictionary does not include "factette" at all.
So in other words, a factoid is something that appears on Facebook, email, the media, and everywhere else.

Good to know.
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by teapot37 »

immaf wrote:Made you look!

A Facebook friend just posted that "factoids" are trivial facts that are NOT true. Trivial facts that ARE true are called "factettes".

According to my dictionary, a factoid is indeed "an invented fact believed to be true because of its appearance in print". There is, however a second definition: "a brief and usually trivial news item".

My dictionary does not include "factette" at all.
Factette: the word "factoid" was coined by Norman Mailer.
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by davey »

I think trivial facts that ARE true are called "facts."
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MDaunt
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by MDaunt »

It's not a factette. It's a factella (I just made that up).
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by AlphaDummy »

That's "fwords"...
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by Volante »

AlphaDummy wrote:That's "fwords"...
I'm pining to see that category now.
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by Magna »

MDaunt wrote:It's a factella (I just made that up).
That makes it a brand nutella.
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ArthurChu
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by ArthurChu »

I like the word "factoid" for something presented with so little context that it's impossible to clearly say whether it's true or not -- it's almost certainly implying something far more shocking and momentous than the actually factual news item it's referencing implies. Most clickbait headlines fall into this category.
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by dhkendall »

ArthurChu wrote:something far more shocking and momentous than the actually factual news item it's referencing implies.
There are actual factual news items out there? You're pulling our legs!
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by bpmod »

dhkendall wrote:actual factual
Say that three times fast.

Brian
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Volante
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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by Volante »

bpmod wrote:
dhkendall wrote:actual factual
Say that three times fast.

Brian
thatthatthat

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Re: I'll take "F" words for $1000, Alex

Post by AlphaDummy »

Volante wrote:
AlphaDummy wrote:That's "fwords"...
I'm pining to see that category now.
http://www.fastcocreate.com/3033103/lon ... ters-field
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