The languages of the world are always changing. Every day, new words are adapted, either for fun, to shorten longer words, or to create a genuinely-useful word in a language. Well, I’m sure that I am not alone when I state that I have a habit of using some words that are not actually “words” (as in, actually recognized by the dictionary). One particular word, in my case (and the case with several other individuals I personally know), is “contentivity.”

This word is actually really useful. If I wish to express that an individual is content in a short way, I could simply say that “so-and-so professed ‘contentivity.’” The only way to make this statement in a way that makes grammatical sense would be to say: “so-and-so professed an air of content,” which is longer than simply using the word “contentivity.”

In addition, there is no way for an author to express content contrasts between two characters (as in, one feeling content, while the other is not) in a simple manner. For instance, take these examples: “Johnson could not match the content air of Charlie,” or “Charlie had a more profound air of content than Johnson,” or “Charlie’s contentedness outmatched that of Johnson.” Those are some long sentences (albeit grammatically-correct ones). However, would it not be more simple to just say: “Charlie’s ‘contentivity’ outmatched Johnson’s.” I think it would be.

Lastly, there is the fact that, yes, with a few additions to a sentence, this word could easily be replaced by saying something such as “an air of content” (instead of, conversely, “contentivity”). However, just look at the words “fiction” and “fictitious:” they both mean the exact same thing in the modern day, and yet, both words exist. Saying that I am talking about a “fictional” character and a “fictitious” character means the exact same thing, practically. What’s more, these two words are interchangeable in virtually any sentence that uses them. Therefore, surely “contentivity,” which is useful in adapting sentences to a simpler form (when it cannot simply be interchanged with “content”) is only mildly redundant at its worst.

I looked into persuading the various English dictionaries and lexicographers into adding this word, and it has come to my attention that, for a word to be considered for the English dictionary (or any dictionary, for that matter), it must be used by a number of people.

So, I am calling on my fellow authors in an attempt to, if you could be so kind to do so, use this word (“contentivity”) in your writing whenever it is relevant. Also, please feel free to enter into the challenge that this post is posted under and share any words that you wish to be considered for the dictionary, and I will be happy to begin utilizing them. Excuse my contentivity, but the road to the dictionary seems to have begun here.

It somehow has a much better ring to it than ‘fantastic’. Or ‘fabulous’. And so much loftier than ‘great’.

And the contentivity I feel when I use this word cannot be described in words – or by using the dictionary either (not to mention the tailspin that both words send Microsoft’s spellcheck into).

How was your day? Fantabulous. And you might just find the memory of the day is better than the day actually went.

How’s the new restaurant? Fantabulous. Better than finger-lickingly delicious, don’t you think?

How do I look? Fantabulous. And lo and behold, you just feel more glamorous than the outfit actually warrants.

Try it - and perhaps we may get it into the Prose dictionary if not the Oxford one…..

noun.

The presence of ubuntu is still widely referenced in South Africa, more than two decades after the end of apartheid. It’s a compact term from the Nguni languages of Zulu and Xhosa that carries a fairly broad English definition of “a quality that includes the essential human virtues of compassion and humanity”. - Andrew Thompson, Understanding the Meaning of Ubuntu: A Proudly South African Philosophy

Synonymous terms:

“I am because you are [happy].”

“You’re welcome.”

“My pleasure.”

Antonymous terms:

Schadenfreuden

baditude/battitude - a cross stance

- a mean-spirited, self-righteous stance

- an irascible stance (bad attitude)

sneakret - a sneaky secret such as a surprise party or a gift (sneaky secret)

blitherot - an extremely stupid, foolish, and/or nonsensical person (blithering idiot)

flavorite - one’s fave (favourite flavour)

If I may advance one word to the presses only, I'll go with my first and spell it 'battitude'. I wrote it, battitude, into a non-fiction poem, 'explicit and indefinite facets of life', in the middle of the night a couple of weeks ago. (Then I published the poem in my poetical ebook by the same name, explicit and indefinite facets of life on Barnes & Noble.) :)