undyingking: (Default)
[personal profile] 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.)

Date: 2006-01-25 10:29 am (UTC)
ext_44: (swings)
From: [identity profile] jiggery-pokery.livejournal.com
I can remember someone describing something as "fan-tmesis-tastic" on LJ once, self-referentially enough.

Date: 2006-01-25 10:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] undyingking.livejournal.com
*visceral shudder*

Date: 2006-01-25 10:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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...

Date: 2006-01-25 12:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bluedevi.livejournal.com
In Ireland I occasionally heard 'super-fucking-market'.

Date: 2006-01-25 10:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] queenortart.livejournal.com
Oh I like that. Frantically tries to think of a way to slip that into casual conversation.

Date: 2006-01-25 01:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 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".

Date: 2006-01-25 03:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] undyingking.livejournal.com
These guys disagree with you about diacope... tumbarumba sounds good though!

Date: 2006-01-25 03:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thecesspit.livejournal.com
Aha, I blame wikipedia then :)

Date: 2006-01-25 03:46 pm (UTC)

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