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Pedants' corner

Is there a specific word for the condition of deliberately reacting against someone else's behaviour because you they get on your nerves?

31 replies

Tinker · 18/05/2009 19:42

I'm thinking there should be good German word to describe, for example, becoming very moody and monosyllabic when you're with someone who won't shut up.

Deliberately taking a stance on something which isn't what you actually believe but just because it's the opposite of whoever you're talking to

God, this all sounds a bit heavy now - it's meant to be more light-hearted than it sounds.

OP posts:
domesticallychallenged · 18/05/2009 19:43

I don't know the word but I have got the condition

cornsilk · 18/05/2009 19:43

arsey?

Tinker · 18/05/2009 19:46
OP posts:
whomovedmychocolate · 18/05/2009 19:48

inlawitis

BigBellasBeerBelly · 18/05/2009 19:48

Contrary.

Ta dah!

BigBellasBeerBelly · 18/05/2009 19:52

As in "Mary mary quite contrary" rather than "contrary to popular opinion".

My DD is nearly 2 and it describes her perfectly

AnarchyAunt · 18/05/2009 19:53

contra-suggestive?

pmt?

FromGirders · 18/05/2009 19:54

I call it "dealing with my grandmother".
So "Grossmutterstummgemachen"?

Tinker · 18/05/2009 19:55

Hmm, contrary is close but not quite what I want. Definitely needs to be German, along the lines of schadenfreude

OP posts:
Overmydeadbody · 18/05/2009 19:55

I was gonna say contrary too

There is another word too though.......tip of tongue.....no can't think of it

Tinker · 18/05/2009 20:00

Contrary in German:

noun:

Gegenteil

adjective:

entgegengesetzt
gegensätzlich
gegenteilig
gegenläufig
umgekehrt
trotzig
widerb orstig
widersetzlich

Some sound like possibilities.

OP posts:
BigBellasBeerBelly · 18/05/2009 20:00

Well bleedin eck tinker! What do you want, blood? Close but no banana eh?

Tinker · 18/05/2009 20:01
Grin
OP posts:
Hassled · 18/05/2009 20:02

Bloody minded?

BigBellasBeerBelly · 18/05/2009 20:10

No hassled, that's not german enough...

Could describe tinker though...

TheHumanTorchIsDeniedaBankLoan · 18/05/2009 20:15

devils advocate?

Tinker · 18/05/2009 23:30

No, not bloody minded or devil's advocate. More a mixture of truculent and moodiness. Maybe it's just Adolescence.

OP posts:
tattifer · 18/05/2009 23:37

awkward?

AllFallDown · 19/05/2009 11:31

It is contrary, as others have said.

EachPeachPearMum · 19/05/2009 11:35

trolling?

EachPeachPearMum · 19/05/2009 11:37

Gegenteil seems to be it though...

ScummyMummy · 19/05/2009 22:03

I have the condition too! We need someone like frogs or emkana to help us find the right German word. I do like trotzig...

Poledra · 19/05/2009 22:08

Nah, trotzig sounds like a vicious D'n'V bug

SlartyBartFast · 19/05/2009 22:09

oppositional defiance,
sounds about right.

SlartyBartFast · 19/05/2009 22:11

just ODD
here

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