Mo's Rather Interesting World of Figures of Speech and Other Rhetorical Devices

[undyingking]

#10 in an occasional series -- your challenge is to use it at least once today.

Yes, after a break for Inspiration, MRIWFSORD is back, and more rhetorical than ever.

Tmesis

Literally, something like "cutting".

Means: inserting something into the middle of a word. Usually a compound word, although you can do it within an ordinary word too if you like, or even within a syllable.

Examples: things like abso-bloody-lutely, hi-diddly-ho, any old how. Note that whatsoever was originally a tmesis (and hyphenated accordingly) but has become accepted as a word in its own right.

OK, this one isn't very exciting, but tmesis is a good word, isn't it? (In Yorkshire of course it means something different, namely: what you set t'cats on.)

Comments

[jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com]

I can remember someone describing something as "fan-tmesis-tastic" on LJ once, self-referentially enough.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

*visceral shudder*

[metame.livejournal.com]

My favourite bit of French ever (it occured at some point in my school French though I can't now recall when, or who came up with it) - said in a sarcastic tone

quelle su-fucking-prise...

[bluedevi.livejournal.com]

In Ireland I occasionally heard 'super-fucking-market'.

[queenortart.livejournal.com]

Oh I like that. Frantically tries to think of a way to slip that into casual conversation.

[thecesspit.livejournal.com]

Tmesis is my favourite word. it's the only word in the english lanuage starting TM.

Other words for tmesis are "diacope" and "tumbarumba".

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

These guys disagree with you about diacope... tumbarumba sounds good though!

[thecesspit.livejournal.com]

Aha, I blame wikipedia then :)

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

bastards!