I don't want to lose momentum on posting here--it's helped me immensely with getting back into the flow of language practice--but I have a busy morning today so I'm just going to put out a quick thing in my native language. Maybe some people will enjoy it?
Whatchamacallits. Doohickeys. Thingamajigs! The little piece of metal that's broken on my screen door--what's it called? I don't know, it's a whatchamacallit. A thingy. A whatsit. Anyway, whatever it is, I need to get a new one.
Wikipedia tells me "Placeholder names are words that can refer to objects or people whose names do not exist, are temporarily forgotten, irrelevant, or unknown in the context in which they are being discussed." In other words: that thing, you don't know the name, you can't remember. Maybe you need the word or maybe you don't right now, but either way you need to say something.
In English we have many of them. I've used some of the common American ones here--whatchamacallit (from "what-you-may-call-it"), thingy, doohickey, whatsit, thingamajig. Thingy-do.
What are the whatsits and thingies called where you come from? Please share!
P.S. - In this case I really did need to know what it was called, so that I could get the right replacement. After poking around some home repair sites, I learned the name: strike plate. Or, particularly, because English likes to shove nouns together, a spring type screen door strike plate. I.E., a whatchamacallit.
Thanks for sharing this @janewt! This is so awesome! In German we just say "Dings", "Dingsi", "Dingens" or "Dingsbums" which all 'translates' to thingy.
This is so interesting and something I haven’t thought about before, haha.
Loooool Dingsbums XD , that's hilarious! I also tend to use "whatsit" way too much ))
This is fun! Love the German ones @Lindaslinguas. I might use thingamybob or thingamybobber, hoojacamflip, whatsit or doofer (this one usually for the tv controller!)
Also a very common one in Ireland is "yolk" or "yolkie" or "that yolk there" :)
Yolk! I've never heard that, it's great. :D And awesome, I didn't know the German ones. I think Dingsi is my new favorite... Hoojacamflip is a new one on me!
Today I realized that I am using another German word to says "thingy" which is: "Gedöns". It's totally informal and you should not use it in professional environments, but I totally like it and currently use it all the time!