Looking for a word or two.

'Round these parts, we call it a "senior moment"!

I'm not certain of either of the words you are looking for, but--for the second word, perhaps you mean . . .

Aphasy -- (n.) Loss of the power of speech, or of the appropriate use of words, the vocal organs remaining intact, and the intelligence being preserved. It is dependent on injury or disease of the brain.

A variant form of that word is the one with which i am more familiar, aphasia. But i'm uncertain if you mean anything so drastic.

As for the first definition you seek, i'm unsure if there is such a word, but perhaps you are thinging of . . .

Ontology -- (n.) That department of the science of metaphysics which investigates and explains the nature and essential properties and relations of all beings, as such, or the principles and causes of being.

Although that definition is very general, ontological arguments is a term which is almost always applied to arguments for the existence of god which do not depend upon demonstrable proof, but rather from philosophical arguments about the nature of existence and the implication of the existence of the cosmos.

Re: Looking for a word or two.

Well, back in Catechism, the sisters called it a "mystery."


Uh, I know this one...it's right on the tip of my tongue...

Actually, doing a Google search on "inability recall word definition," I came up with two possible answers: either "expressive aphasia" or "dysnomia." Both terms are used in a clinical context, denoting a more serious condition than simply the occasional inability to come up with a word ("dysnomia," for instance, would be the oral equivalent of "dyslexia"). Perhaps you could refer to it as a "dysnomic moment."

Thanks for all the replies. The mystery thing killed me.

As for the second word, I've managed to find it after googling for about an hour.

Lethologica: temporary inability to remember the right word.
It has also been called the tip of the tongue phenomenon.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a961213.html

The search also turned up another interesting word.

Loganamnosis: obsession with trying to recall a forgotten word.

As for the first word, I don't think it's ontology. I'm pretty sure its exact definition had something to do with proving the existence of God.

Ok. Just found it.

Agnostic:
1
a)One who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
b)One who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.

2
One who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.

It doesn't really mean proving or disproving, but I guess this is the closest I can find.

Hi Setanta,

I think the second one should be "anomic aphasia", not aphasia. Anomic aphasia is a compound noun of physic. It means one's understanding and iterance are all normal but the one suddenly cannot remember some term in his speech and has to stop or express in another way.