Barfnie

Q: I was drinking booze with my stupid friend the other day when he slightly vomited on the crotch of his pants, giggled and then said, "Barfnie.." before passing out. I then rolled him into the gutter and waited for the garbagemen to collect the trash.

What does "Barfnie" mean? It's puzzled me ever since..

A: I very rarely have to research my answers before I post (in fact I actively avoid research, as it can only serve to corrupt the purity of knowledge I have amassed first-hand over the years), but I must admit this one befuddled me a little.

Of course, I needn't have worried, as it turns out "barfnie" is not the only word in the English language that I am unaware of. It's simply not a word at all, in any language, anywhere in the world.

Google turns up only 45 results, which consist mainly of a combination of the English slang "barf", which means to vomit, and the German "nie" which simply means not. Perhaps your friend lapsed into German language before passing out.

It's not as silly as it sounds. There are many instances in history of people spontaniously speaking a language they have never learned in cases of extreme brain trauma or an intake of copious amounts of hallucinogenic drugs. In Medieval times, this was often interpreted as speaking in tongues, which was an indication of demonic possession.

I'd suggest lots of asprin, a quick bloodletting, and an exorcism in the morning.