Word salad

[[File:Cloth embroidered by a schizophrenia sufferer.jpg|thumb|165px|A cloth embroidered by a person with schizophrenia]]
{{langnav}}
{{cquote|The film is nothing more than the cart issues, wishes ramp and that lashbone, be hydrodash-tower, and cramp seven lash. Milbord zakt feebled-seven, tilsubatidemisemistupan.|||Terry Bruge-Hiplo, ''Movie Reviews''<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuUM4rgcexA</ref>}}
'''Word salad''' is a term applied to rants and ramblings that completely fly off the rails of normal grammar and meaning.

Sometimes it is [[technobabble]] too shabby to look even superficially convincing, but sometimes it doesn't obviously aim at anything at all. Sometimes it is calm, sometimes it is highly emotional. The term is also pejoratively used for statements void of any meaning, even when grammatically correct.

==Not your typical deli salad==
The most obvious example, of course, is the [[Time Cube]] website. Many other people manage to diverge into what "looks like" a human language, but on deeper exploration (called "reading") proves to be utter nonsense.

Someone's rant may be called "word salad" if their beliefs are so extreme (or their word choice and grammar is ''so absolutely godawful'') that their screed appears nonsensical to the average person. [[Incel]]s and members of the [[autistic dark web]] are examples of people whose manifestos may be dubbed word salad.

The New Age world is also famous for its many [[Channelling|channeled]] world salads, in which various spiritual beings or often [[Pleiadians|suspiciously human-looking]] aliens explain the secrets of the universe or just deliver loving pep talks, often mashing up all manner of [[deepity]] and [[technobabble]] and bold claims and predictions.

===Mental disorders===
If a usually coherent person begins speaking in word salad, this is usually a sign they need to see a doctor, sometimes urgently. Word salad ({{wpl|schizophasia||)}} can be a sign of:<ref>[http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/Word-Salad.htm Word salad]</ref>
* An oncoming stroke<ref>http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Stroke-Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp</ref><ref>http://www.webmd.com/stroke/signs-of-stroke#1</ref> (Call emergency services immediately)
* [[Schizophrenia]]
* [[Psychosis]]
* [[Brain]] damage
* Aphasia, especially {{wpl|Wernicke's aphasia}}
* Another potentially serious condition

===Toxic word salads===
"Word salad" can also colloquially refer to a type of [[gaslighting]] in which an abuser [[Gish Gallop|jumps rapidly from one topic to the next]], making many accusations and moving on before the target can defend themselves.<ref>[https://medium.com/little-red-survivor/how-to-deal-with-narcissistic-word-salad-14d10ef63d3a How to Deal With Narcissistic Word Salad] - Cherilyn Christen Clough</ref><ref>[https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-word-salad-that-narcissists-often-use-during-conversations What is the "word salad" that narcissists often use during conversations?] - Quora</ref> The goal is to deflect, confuse, and silence. While this is frequently described as an issue in abusers who have narcissistic personality disorder, any abuser (regardless of diagnosis) is capable of doing this.

This is different from typical word salad because the abuser's misuse of language is strategic. They are using it to browbeat someone, not attempting to earnestly express themselves (or just goof off).

===Just having fun===
Word salad generators are sometimes written by beginning programmers for the sake of amusement.{{cn}}

==Examples==
Some phrases could be cool band names
*<i>The {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s {{verb|}} {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s</i>
*<i>Her {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s {{verb|}} {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s</i>
*<i>My {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s {{verb|}} {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s</i>
*<i>His {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s {{verb|}} {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s</i>
*<i>Their {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s {{verb|}} {{adjective|}} {{noun|}}s</i>
*<i>Full of sport mind & luxury feeling super potential winter wheel Iver</i>
*<i>Just a roller skate grand touring. All over the physical ironic power</i>

===Quantum===
{{main|Quantum woo}}
*<i>Quantum energy vibration frequencies</i>
*<i>Spiritual quantum energy fluctuations</i>
*<i>Quantum crystal vibration auras</i>

==See also==
{{div col|2}}
*[[Argument by gibberish]]
*[[Fun:Birth Control Is Sinful In The Christian Marriages and also Robbing God Of Priesthood Children!!|''Birth Control Is Sinful In The Christian Marriages and also Robbing God Of Priesthood Children!!'']]
*[[Bullshit]]
*[[Dennis Markuze]]
*[[Dr. Bronner's Soap]]
*[[Francis E. Dec]]
*[[Gish Gallop#Argumentum ad tl;dr|Argumentum ad tl;dr]]
*[[Green ink]]
*[[Management speak]]
*[[Non sequitur]]
*[[David_Wynn_Miller#Quantum_grammar|Quantum Grammar]]
*[[Speaking in tongues]]
*[[Time Cube]]
{{div col end}}

==External links==
*[http://freethoughtblogs.com/dispatches/2012/09/28/philosopher-pulls-a-sokal-on-theology-conferences/ Philosopher Pulls a Sokal on Theology Conferences] — Two [[theology]] conferences mistook this intentional word salad for serious theology, see [[Theology#Duping theologians|duping theologians]]. For the meaning behind "pulling a Sokal", see our article on the [[Sokal affair]].

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[category:Neologisms]]

Categories: Neologisms