Family Language

 
Does your family have some words that they use that no one else you ever say them to has ever heard of?

Mine certainly does.  Some have foundations elsewhere and were picked up when my sister or I mispronounced a word as a child such as 'cuggle' for cuddle/hug.  I was in highschool before I realised this wasn't a word.

Then there are a couple of other that I have no idea where they stem from.  Such as 'globbing'.  Globbing, in my family, refers to the (incredibly disgusting) sound a person makes when they eat with their mouth open.  My dad does this very very regularly.  As children, Mum would tell my sister and I to 'stop globbing', as in 'chew with your mouth shut'.  This term has well and truly stuck and both of us have morphed into our mum by repeating this statement to Dad.  I've googled 'glob/globber/globbing' to no avail.  It does not seem to mean what it means to my family to anyone else in the world.  Perhaps it stemmed from gobbling?  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the accurate word to interchange it for, so it will continue to be used until that time.

Another strange word my family uses is 'catballs'.  Now this is not at all what you might think it is.  Catballs are the dry cat biscuits that the cat eats.  I haven't googled this one for fear of what might come up, but since realising that this word was another unique one to my family, I've been listening out and haven't heard anyone else use it or understand it when I say it.

I'm sure every family has some of their own words.  It does make me wonder, how often do they turn into everyday language?  What is the thing that makes them 'work' in language so well that others pick it up as well?  How many generations of my family on my mum's side have been telling their children and husbands to stop globbing?

Your turn now.  Tell me your unique-to-you-family words.  Entertain us!