In a conversation with Geoff Stone the other day (we were trying to come up with names for a product and Geoff had launched a particularly funny one), a word wandered in from the cold and stuck in my head. I started laughing and said, “Hockulator.”
As we often do in naming sessions, I Googled Hockulator, Hockulation, Hockulate. Nothing. I had invented a word, albeit a twisted one with even stranger tenses.
Jeff Johnson heard it and told me to immediately go to Godaddy.com and register the domain names. I now am the proud owner of my own word.
What would a Hockulator do? What is Hockulation? What does it mean to Hockulate?
When a kid hocks a lugie, is he a Hoculator? Did he just Hockulate? Is it the act of Hockulation?
People go to pawn shops and commit Hoculation all the time, especially in this economy. The proper name for that person would be a Hockulator. The guy behind the counter who gives you $75 for your watch could also be the Hockulator. This thing is a multifunctional verbiage jewel.
Perhaps it involves hockey. As in, “Grab your sticks and let’s Hockulate.” Or, “Tonight, at the Arena, the Detroit Hockulators take on the Pittsburgh Puckmasters! Be there!” Could be a fight during a hockey match: “Lance went down after that hard check and violent Hockulation followed.”
In another context, you might hear, “Hey baby, you up for a little Hockulation tonight?” Probably not. Hockulation isn’t exactly romantic. It’s more raw and visceral and has bruises attached. Is it a threat? “Keep it up and I’ll Hockulate you into next Wednesday.” Possibly.
I think I will just toss the word out into the webosphere and see if it finds a home. It may Hoculate into the urban culture. Need a new word? I know where you can buy a dotcom domain.
