Brainfart

Brainfart (or brain fart) is a neologistic expression denoting a degree of mental laxity, colourfully clothed in neuroflatulent metaphor. The term is typically employed in the United States [Lenerd, Kilian. " [http://www.welt.de/print-welt/article531878/Start-ups_wollen_nicht_behindert_werden.html Start-ups wollen nicht behindert werden!] ", "Die Welt", 6 September 2000] to indicate a regrettable and poorly thought out choice of action, as in the case of the American teen pregnancy pact, [Giles, Doug. " [http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/DougGiles/2008/06/28/the_teenage_pregnancy_pact_brain_fart The Teenage Pregnancy Pact Brain Fart] ", "Townhall.com", June 28, 2008.] the ill-fated 2003 deblondification of Britney Spears, [Gilmore, Dan. " [http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=349260 View from the Pop] ", "Harvard Crimson", October 10, 2003] and in a speech by retired Marine General Anthony Zinni, the Second Iraq War. [Corn, David. " [http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/views03/0927-08.htm Is Bush's War in Iraq A "Brain Fart"?] ", "The Nation", September 27, 2003.] According to vaunted Philadelphia Flyers defenceman and amateur linguist Denis Gauthier—whose seminal association with the phenomenon has earned him the honorific sobriquet "Mr. Brainfart"—a brainfart occurs when one "momentarily loses hissic sense of logic…and does something "dumb."" [Zeisberger, Mike. " [http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Hockey/NHL/Playoffs/Philadelphia/2006/04/28/1555189-sun.html Gauthier claims spear was incidental contact] ", "Toronto Sun", April 28, 2006] A further clarification comes from investigative journalist Louie Pierson, who proffers that while accidents are preventable, "brain farts are unpredictable, unpreventable and universal", and advances the theory that Mother Nature had "added the unfathomable minor irritant of the brain fart as a failsafe backup." [Pierson, Louie. " [http://www.sun-herald.com/NewsArchive2/072303/tp14ew27.htm?date=072303&story=tp14ew27.htm Even animals have moments of absent mindedness] ", "Sun Herald" 2003-07-23.] The term may also be used to inelegantly refer to a situation in which one speaks out of turn. [cite book | last = Jansen | first = Erin | title = Netlingo | publisher = NetLingo | location = Ojai. | year = 2002 | isbn = 0970639678 |pages=67] Lexicologists demur, preferring the definition of "losing one's train of thought".Monson. Gordon. "From BYU to Boston College, Slang Sets a..." "Salt Lake Tribune" October 31, 1993] On the perilous question of etymology, "The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English" suspects that the term is a jocular derivation from "brainstorm". [cite book | last = Partridge | first = Eric | title = The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English | publisher = Routledge | location = New York | year = 2006 | isbn = 0415259371 |pages=255]

Related topics

*Brain freeze
*Darwin Awards
*Fatuity
*Neurochemistry

Further reading

*cite book | last = Green | first = Jonathon | title = Cassell's Dictionary of Slang | publisher = Weidenfeld & Nicholson | location = London | year = 2005 | isbn = 0304366366 |pages=174

References

External links

* [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Brainfart Brainfart] in the esteemed "Urban Dictionary"