how do you say "random mood"?

Question

Is there one word or two in latin or spanish that describe "random mood" or "changing mood"?

Answer 1

Is there one word or two in latin or spanish

In Latin? This is not a Latin forum.

Though might I add that is it indeed heartening to find someone down wiv da lingo of da yoof that also has an interest in Latin. - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Obviously. Thanks for noticing. You must be a Spanish major??? In your case, no comment is better than a smart a* comment. - aqua4ever, Aug 22, 2011

how is this a correct answer? No offense laz and thanks for pointing that out, but the question did include "or spanish" and this has not answered the questions - toothpastechica, Aug 22, 2011

Answer 2

Izanoni.

I didn't misinterpret your observation as a belittling, rather partaking of a little banter with my comment, albiet hard to discern without the use of smilies or further explanation that would only serve to detract from said banter

I don't think that anyone could argue that the above-mentioned use of random is incorrect as per its dictionary definition. However, to me, the currently being discussed use of random suggests something subtly different to the whimsical or capricious. Possibly more importantly, many who chose to use ransom over the other two might term their usage 'well gay' and, even when having their meaning explained, would probably not chose to include them in their working vocabulary.

With regards to the seemingly oxymoronic nature of this usage, if one looks at it as deliberately choosing to do something odd at random (from a long list of odd things), then one need no longer preoccupy oneself with what might seem to be an internally inconsistent expression.

I guess that only time will tell as to whether this usage will stick - depends on how cool it is, one might suppose

Answer 3

When in a random mood, one is likely to do things that are distintcly odd, often simply for effect...Some examples might be: being a robot, hopping, grazing in the grass sense of the word, pretending to be French

I get it. I get it.

I am the father of two high school aged children and several nephews who, along with their friends, are quite fond of this particular turn of expression, so I am intimately familiar with the contexts in which such expressions using the word random are often used.

On the other hand, I also feel that there already exist suitable words for such behavior as you have described. Certainly, a person who, whether for effect or just for fun, chose to act like a robot, hop around, pretend to be French or what have you, would certainly be one who could be described as "prone to flights of fancy" or at possessing of a very "whimsical nature." Whatever the case, I would definitely consider such a person to be, by definition, acting capriciously (that is, in a seemingly impulsive manner, possibly tending to change abruptly and without any apparent reason).

Just to be clear, I did not intend to belittle, "the yoof of today" in remarking that I had noticed this particular expression being used by the generation represented by my own children and nephews. This comment was simply an observation as to the nature in which this expression has, of late, infiltrated and propagated itself amongst, particularly, the younger generation in the area in which I live.

Personally, I do not tend to use this word in this way because, even though I understand the expression as it is used, I feel that using the word "random" in this way takes away from the more traditional meaning of the word. If someone is acting in a whimsical fashion "for effect" then they are, by definition, not acting "randomly." Instead, they are acting with a specific purpose or aim in mind. In such cases, "acting randomly" is generally a deliberate action with a specific goal in mind, and to my mind, "deliberate randomness" is somewhat of an oxymoron, that is, it is somewhat contradictory to assert that one is acting both "deliberately" and "randomly" at the same time.

In my opinion, this usage is probably (at least in the area in which I live) best characterized as slang. I suppose only time will tell whether this expression fizzles out over time or whether it will prove to be one of those more lasting expressions such as "awesome" or "cool" which now includes very common and accepted uses which at one time were also considered to be "untraditional."

Answer 4

More and more I hear younger people use the word random to mean "unexpected" or "surprising" (generally when used to describe an event or action) or "whimsical" or "capricious" (when used to characterize a person).

I'm not sure if this is what you intended with the expression "random mood," but if so, I might try something along the lines of "de humor caprichoso/voluble" or perhaps "sujeto a capricho;" however, this is mostly conjecture on my part, and it might be better to wait for a native Spanish speaker to advise you of a suitably colloquial expression.

Bah, the yoof of today! To my mind their is an important difference between doing something on a whim and doing something 'on the random'. When in a random mood, one is likely to do things that are distintcly odd, often simply for effect... - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Aaarrrrrgggghhhhh - *there... - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Some examples might be: being a robot, hopping, grazing in the grass sense of the word, pretending to be French. - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Answer 5

I'm not sure you can have a random mood in english. As far as a changing mood...mood of a person or of a place (ambiance)?

It's a standard phrase in British English. In the mood for behaving randomly or doing random stuff perhaps without logical or emotional justification. - afowen, Aug 22, 2011

Answer 6

Translating, you get 'estado de ánimo aleatorio'.

Not sure as to whether that would be understood or indeed used...