After nine long seasons, the last episode of How I Met Your Mother aired on TV on March 31, 2014. This American sitcom series stars Josh Radnor as Ted Mosby who recounts to his kids the story of how he met their mother. The narrator also describes the journey of his life along with his four best friends, Lily, Marshall, Robin and Barney.
Over time it has been a general trend for TV shows and movies to introduce their viewers to made-up words and catchphrases to engage their audience more. Similarly, this series has generated several sniglets and phrases that most himym fans would be familiar with. The first of the lot is “revertigo” which was termed by Marshall; a phenomenon that takes place when the presence of someone from your past causes you to become the person you used to be back when you knew them. (also known as associative regression)
Most of the catchphrases and invented terms in himym are courtesy Barney Stinson, who is by far the most interesting character on the show. He is also a blogger where he explains his truly self-made theories. (Check them out here!)
Barney invented a bunch of portmanteaus such as “possimpible” which, in his words, means “the place where the possible and the impossible meet, beyond what is impossible”, and the word “visativity” which is a mere blend of the words vision and creativity.
In the season six thanksgiving episode, Ted came up with the “Turturkeykey” which was a turkey stuffed with a smaller turkey instead of actual stuffings which, in spite of looking appetizing, tasted “wrong” according to Ted himself. However, some chef youtubers like Binging with Babish tried to remake the turturkeykey and even succeeded in doing so.
I’m not sure what this next one might sound like, but here it is: the “Cockamouse”, and it is as scary as it sounds. A hybrid of a cockroach and a mouse; presumably a cockroach having some mouse-like features and as huge as a mouse!
Lastly, my personal favorite ones. These two made-up german words “Lebenslangerschicksalsschatz” and “Beinaheleidenschaftsgegenstand” (don’t bother trying to pronounce them) were featured in the first episode of season 8. Somehow, Klaus’s words hit me every time I hear them…
“There is a word in German, Lebenslangerschicksalsschatz. And the closest translation would be “lifelong treasure of destiny.”
And Victoria is wunderbar, but she is not my lebenslangerschicksalsschatz. She is my beinaheleidenschaftsgegenstand. You know?
It means “the thing that is almost the thing that you want, but it is not quite.”
Lebenslangerschicksalsschatz is not something that develops over time. It’s something that happens instantaneously. It causes swirling like the water of a river after a storm, filling you and emptying you all at once. You feel it throughout your body, in your hands, in your heart, in your stomach, in your skin.
Have you ever felt this way about someone?
If you have to think about it, you have not felt it. Everyone does eventually, you just never know when or where.”
– Klaus, How I Met Your Mother
Aren’t we all waiting for our Lebenslangerschicksalsschatz?
P.S. Which made-up term fascinated you the most? Let me know in the comments!
Hahahahah, oh, my God, I wanna watch this show! I love the Turturkeykey! It’s so random and weird and I love it. You’re also very funny, I love your sense of humor. Also, love the quote you put in. Deep stuff
oh i would really recommend you to watch this show. It’s actually one of my comfort shows as well. Glad you liked it!! 🙂
LOVED your topic!
Thankyouuu!