The Mermaid Dictionary

[Ashe]

With all the crazy things mermaids say, it is hard to understand. A dictionary-of-sorts was needed.

Bubble rings
(noun) - Bubbles made underwater that form the shape of rings when done correctly
Butt-scooting​
(verb) - The act of scooting around the floor in a tail to reach a desired area without the help of a mertender.
Copymer
(noun) - A mer who steals tail designs and tailmaking techniques from others in the community.
Dorsal
(noun) - The fin that runs along the spine of a fish or a mermaid tail
Fabric tail
(noun) - A simple yet effective type of tail usually made out of spandex. These tails have limitless customizable options.
Fluke
(noun) - The large fin at the end of a tail which helps to propel the mermaid through the water. This fin is where the monofin is inserted.
Fin-slap
(verb) - The act of slapping another with the fluke of your tail in an aggressive rage. Very painful, yet very effective. Much like a bitch-slap.
Lightly slapping tails together in appreciation or triumph, much like a high-five
Fintastic
(adjective) - A play on words to describe something that is cool or appealing in the mermaid community
Fishbone
(noun) - The unfortunate event when a pelvic fin stands up on its own
Gig
(noun) - An event that a mer is hired or volunteers for. Can include parties, fundraisers and modeling.
Guppy
(noun) - A compassionate way to describe a younger mermaid or merman. Interchangeable with merling.
Jellyfish
(adj) - A play on words of the term 'jealous' or 'jelly'. Used to describe one who feels envious of another's achievements or possessions
Latex tail
(noun) - A type of tail usually made of a neoprene or neoprin base covered in latex caulk or tun cure latex.
Mer
(noun) - A shortened version of merman, mermaid, or merperson. Usually describes someone within the merfolk community and not a real merperson.
Meetup
(noun) - A gathering of merpeople usually specific to a pod where members can swim and or discuss the community and hang out
Merfolk
(noun) - A gender neutral term to describe a merperson
Mermaid
(noun) - A female merperson. Typically has the torso of a woman and the tail of a fish or other marine animal
Mermaiding
(verb) - The act of wearing and often swimming in a tail to resemble a merperson
Merman
(noun) - A male merperson. Typically has the torso of a man and the tail of a fish or other marine animal
Merling
(noun) - A compassionate way to refer to a young merperson. Interchangeable with guppy.
Mertender
(noun) - A human who aids a merperson. Usually is in charge of moving the merperson from place to place and making sure they are safe while swimming.
Mervert
(noun) - A mermaid pervert who fetishizes and harasses merfolk
Merwrangler
(noun) - Synonymous for mertender, a human who aids a merperson.
Monofin
(noun) - A single bladed fin used in most tails to propel the mer through the water. Aids in the effect of creating the 'mermaid look'.
Neoprene tail
(noun) - A type of tail made with the neoprene material, the material used to make wetsuits. These tails are extremely buoyant but keep the mer warm.
Pod
(noun) - A group of merfolk living in the same region who often meet up to swim.
Public Pool Bitch
(noun) - Someone who has a tendency to brag about being a mer or having a mermaid lifestyle when they are disconnected or badly treat the mer-community.
Sequin Tail
(noun) - A type of tail that uses a fabric or neoprene base adorned with individual sequin scales that are glued on or sewn. Very time consuming to make.
Shellfie
(noun) - A play on words to describe a selfie within the community.
Shellphone
(noun) - A play on words to describe a cellphone within the community
Silicone tail
(noun) - The most realistic recreational tail on the market today. Made of silicone rubber and is extremely durable and customizable.
Tail
(noun) - The fishtail costume that many mers wear. Comes in a range of materials and reflects the mer as a person and as a mer.
Tail Farts
(noun) - When pockets of air get trapped inside a tail underwater and get released creating the effect of farting.
Tail-gap
(noun) - The gap that forms at the top or waistline of the tail while swimming. This is usually do to a loose-fitting tail and is often seen in neoprene and some silicone tails.
Tailmaker
(noun) - A mer who professionally makes and sells mermaid tails

[Ashe]

It had to be done!
Haha this is something that will be edited constantly when new sea-inspired terms come into the community. If theres a word that you think would fit, just tell me and I'll add it :)

[Mermaid Wesley]

Latex tails aren't always on neoprene and aren't always tin cure ;) see mermaid Julz's tails.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ashe]

Ah right! I remember Julz :)

[Raayvhen]

Merfolk for groups and gender neutral mers, as well as Fintastic..<3

[OceanWhisper]

Yes^^^ and put the fin names maybe?
e.g
Fluke- end of tail... (I dunno)
Dorsal- fin that runs down spine/back of tail
Ankle/ heelfins- (self explanatory)
Side fins
Anal fins
Pectoral fins
(I can't think of anymore....) You get the idea :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

Mertender(s)

[Ashe]

Updated! I'll add the rest of the fins later, I need to look up some more stuff :)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Hey now... I don't fin slap in rage. I fin slap like a high 5. Its what FishRicky and I decided a long time ago, that the mermaid hi 5 is a fin slap.

Then there is the Mega Fin Slap for stupidity. And the Fin Smash to get attention when the Fin Slapping isn't good enough.

[OceanWhisper]

Lol Jaffa :lol:

[Raayvhen]

Oh! Pods!

[Kishiko]

I second jaffa! Fin slap - equivalent of a high five; fluke slap - equivalent of a bitch slap

Also: tail gaps!

[Ashe]

Haha updated the fin-slap :lol: Dual definitions.
I'll add in pods and tail-gap right now!

[Echidna]

Fin-Slap is also one of Nixentanz's (mermaid waterballet) techniques!
But this would become a very long dictionary if you wanted to put up all the waterballet lingo as well ;)

[Kishiko]

Yeah I guess fin slap refers to slapping the surface of the water as well..... Geez theres a lot of definitions for that o-o

[Ashe]

Haha I think I'll add more expressions like fintastic. I see mers use carp instead of crap, stuff like that :p

[Trade Winds]

Maybe add shellphone!

[Ashe]

Shellphone, yep!
This is getting big :lol:

[MerMaisy]

My bf like merwrangler, which is another name for mertender

[Mermaid Kelda]

Ankle/ heelfins- (self explanatory)
Side fins
Anal fins
Pectoral fins
I'd probably put ankle fins and heel fins separately.
I haven't actually seen a tail with anal fins, and in any case I personally prefer to name fins by their human positioning, not their fish positioning.
So on that note I'd call pectoral fins "pelvic fins" (unless we're talking about boob fins!).

Just my 2c!

[OceanWhisper]

Lol >.<

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Tail farts where air is escaping from one's tail that is not from yer bottom.

[Merman Dan]

And there I thought this was going to be a list of mermish (http://moonlightmermaidsnight.webs.com/mermaidlungarege.htm) words, the language often used by merfolk in Second Life (http://secondlife.com), which originated in The Secret World of Mermaids (http://www.amazon.com/Secret-World-Mermaids-Francine-Rose/dp/1592233686).

[Echidna]

Do people really speak this?
I've seen Tala and Lusa-em and nothing else.

Also, while I get the appeal of using a new, non-human language, it will probably never be as developed as some rare or extinct languages that already exist.
Wouldn't it be an idea to agree on using one of those, and contribute to the preservation of dying tongues?

For example:
Romanian, Icelandic, Hawaiian or another Polynesian dialect all sound pretty exotic and don't have many speakers.
Then there are Native tribe languages (Aztec, Maya, Sioux...).
And if you want something that has no speakers whatsoever, Ancient Egyptian is really awesome. ;)

[AniaR]

Sean and I coined merwrangler ;)

I like mermish the language of mers

[Keiris]

Tail farts where air is escaping from one's tail that is not from yer bottom.

Jaffa that's :lol: !!!

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Jaffa that's :lol: !!!

It was late at night... My brain was asleep!

[Ashe]

Added meetup and merwrangler!

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Added meetup and merwrangler!
What about tail farts?

Tail spin-where one is doing consecutive barrel rolls underwater as they swim along.
Fish hop-where one bobs out of the water at max swim speed from the bottom of the 2 m depth pool. Best achieved if one has buoyancy issues and can use that to get more height. Deep end only as landing back in, if in a shallow end may cause injury.

[MerMaisy]

Shellfie-mermaid selfie

[Merman Dan]

Clamnesia (http://www.slate.com/blogs/wild_things/2015/06/30/razor_clams_poisoning_can_cause_diarrhea_amnesia_a nd_death.html) ... "I recognize your tail but what's your name, again?"

[Ashe]

Added tail farts, shellfie, copymer, and of course, jukumerboii's Public Pool Bitch

[Mer-Crazy]

Just one thing I quickly noticed:

Bubble rings
(noun) - Rings made underwater that form the shape of rings when done correctly

Should maybe be (and sorry if I'm incorrect) "Bubbles made underwater that form the of a ring when done correctly"?

[Ashe]

Haha derp on my part. Fixed!

[Ashe]

I also laugh at this video so much everytime :lol:

Stuff Mermaids Say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfyY7kxoEz4

[introverting]

add public pool bitch

[Mer-Crazy]

add public pool bitch
It's already there, like 5 posts or so up :)

[Mary Marine]

I nominate Keiris' pun:

fishbone: when a floppy fin stands up by itself

[Keiris]

I nominate Keiris' pun:

fishbone: when a floppy fin stands up by itself

:p Glad you liked that Mary!

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Does mermaiding really only mean swimming in a tail though? I've been a highly prolific member of the mer-community for a few years now, and the most I can do in the water is sit at the edge of the shallow end and kick my fluke up. I think that really should be changed to "wearing a mermaid tail, which often includes swimming in it". There are many things to do in a tail that do not involve actual swimming. One can chill on the couch and watch The Little Mermaid or Splash in your tail if that floats your boat. You can do dry photo shoots. For a while I was really into meditating in my tail, I have this great CD of ocean sounds that really relaxes me and put's me in a mermaidy mood. There are even plenty of events one can do as a professional mermaid that don't require swimming ability. Even in the water one can enjoys ones tail without actually swimming, such as soaking in a kiddie pool or the bathtub, hanging out on the steps of a pool, sitting on the beach as the waves lap over you, etc.
With all that said, please don't take offense anyone. I know I have a reputation here from the past of raising a stink by being offended by petty things and being desperate for validation, over and over, that it truly is OK to be in the mermaiding community and not be able to swim. I'm not saying you intended to not be inclusive on purpose, but please keep in mind that actually swimming in a tail is not easy or even possible for everyone. My best friend Lisa is a HUGE mermaid lover too and she can't swim either.

[SeaMansa]

I'm surprised Tailor isn't the name for a tailmaker xD I CRACK MYSELF UP.

[Mermaid Kelda]

I think it would be if Mertailor hadn't already snapped it up!

That said though, it's easier to do a google search of "tail maker" since there aren't really any other meanings for those two words combined, other than maybe the furry community.

[Ashe]

Does mermaiding really only mean swimming in a tail though? I've been a highly prolific member of the mer-community for a few years now, and the most I can do in the water is sit at the edge of the shallow end and kick my fluke up. I think that really should be changed to "wearing a mermaid tail, which often includes swimming in it". There are many things to do in a tail that do not involve actual swimming. One can chill on the couch and watch The Little Mermaid or Splash in your tail if that floats your boat. You can do dry photo shoots. For a while I was really into meditating in my tail, I have this great CD of ocean sounds that really relaxes me and put's me in a mermaidy mood. There are even plenty of events one can do as a professional mermaid that don't require swimming ability. Even in the water one can enjoys ones tail without actually swimming, such as soaking in a kiddie pool or the bathtub, hanging out on the steps of a pool, sitting on the beach as the waves lap over you, etc.
With all that said, please don't take offense anyone. I know I have a reputation here from the past of raising a stink by being offended by petty things and being desperate for validation, over and over, that it truly is OK to be in the mermaiding community and not be able to swim. I'm not saying you intended to not be inclusive on purpose, but please keep in mind that actually swimming in a tail is not easy or even possible for everyone. My best friend Lisa is a HUGE mermaid lover too and she can't swim either.
You are totally right though! Thank you for bringing this up, hadn't thought it through. I think I was using the media's definition of mermaiding, meaning swimming in a tail, but we as a whole community are different :)

[Ashe]

I edited mermaiding and added fishbone :lol:

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Thanks Kalani for understanding!! :) I figured you didn't mean to exclude people on purpose

[Princess Kae-Leah]

Mer-idioms I enjoy using in this forum:
Beat a dead seahorse/beat a dead whale
get on my high seahorse
roll out the seahorse-drawn welcome wagon
Give my two sand dollars

[Mermaid Jaffa]

You forgot to add Mega Fin Slap for stupidity and teaching merverts a lesson.

[AniaR]

I'd like to put a version of this in the reference section of my new book and credit you all if it's OK :D

[Ashe]

Raina that would be awesome :)

[Ashe]

Sorry this hasn't been updated in a while, I've been off the forums :p I'll get to it when I can get to my computer :)