The noun falsiloquence refers to situations in which a person is less than truthful. This is obviously not a word in common use and was phased out in the 1700s. But it is a good word to know and use to have everyone scratching their heads.
The word falsiloquence derives from the Latin falsiloquus, a combination of falsus (untrue or false) and loquus (speaking).
“Judy’s falsiloquence was obvious as we listened to her lie to her boss on the phone.”
“Jane’s smooth talk could not hide her reckless spending and falsiloquence.”
“Jack was tired of his wife’s falsiloquence whenever they discussed the family budget and spending.”
A mumpsimus is a tradition or custom that is adhered to or followed even though it is known to be false or unreasonable. It can also be used to designate a person who adheres to customs or notions when unreasonable or false. It can be used as a noun or an adjective. Like so many of our words that end in “us,” it has a Latin origin.
“Tony knew that Area 51 was not an alien base, and everyone knew his repeating the ‘Little Green Men’ stories was pure mumpsimus.”
“Sherry kept repeating the story about her childhood successes, a small mumpsimus that everyone just ignored.”
“The chemist’s mumpsimus about compounds slowed progress even when evidence was presented to the contrary.”
Combining these two was a chore, and I had to simplify my thinking to “nonsense” and “false confidence” to get there with substitutions.
”Tony called Joe’s speech ‘a bold blending of mumpsimus and falsiloquence,’ a polite code for ‘nonsense with confidence.’”
“George’s mumpsimus kept him clinging to the same tired falsiloquence long after everyone saw through it.”
“The audit exposed a pattern of falsiloquence defended by sheer mumpsimus.”
