embedded words

[Ris]

I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking
it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word that describes the
practice of interrupting one word with another or, if not the practice, then
the object itself. I'm thinking of something like "a whole nother thing"
although it's more commonly used by people who can't bear to use four
syllables without swearing at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.

Any ideas?

[Donna Richoux]

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking
it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word that describes the
practice of interrupting one word with another or, if not the practice, then
the object itself. I'm thinking of something like "a whole nother thing"
although it's more commonly used by people who can't bear to use four
syllables without swearing at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.

I knew we had discussed it long ago but I couldn't turn it up in the AUE
FAQ. However, I remembered asking whether "brand-spanking-new" fit the
definition, so searching the archives for that got me the term: tmesis.

You might want to look at that exchange, a 1997 thread called "Tmesis in
English."

The FAQ lists "tmesis" with many other language-related terms, and
suggests these two sites for definitions:

http://www.csi.uottawa.ca/~kbarker/ling-devices.html
Linguistic Phenomena/Devices

http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html
A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples

The u.c.l.e FAQ (kept at the AUE Website) discusses the word "bloody"
and uses these terms for interjecting into the midst of other words:

Its use as an integrated adjective seems to be from
the 20th century. Examples of "bloody" as an
integrated adjective are: "Not bloody likely",
"Abso-bloody-lutely", and the Australian
"Kanga-bloody-roo". There is little doubt that the
Aussies hold all known records for the use of
"bloody" as an enclitic device.

[Iskandar Baharuddin]

Post by Donna Richoux

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking
it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word that describes the
practice of interrupting one word with another or, if not the practice, then
the object itself. I'm thinking of something like "a whole nother thing"
although it's more commonly used by people who can't bear to use four
syllables without swearing at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.

I knew we had discussed it long ago but I couldn't turn it up in the AUE
FAQ. However, I remembered asking whether "brand-spanking-new" fit the
definition, so searching the archives for that got me the term: tmesis.
You might want to look at that exchange, a 1997 thread called "Tmesis in
English."
The FAQ lists "tmesis" with many other language-related terms, and
http://www.csi.uottawa.ca/~kbarker/ling-devices.html
Linguistic Phenomena/Devices
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html
A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples
The u.c.l.e FAQ (kept at the AUE Website) discusses the word "bloody"
Its use as an integrated adjective seems to be from
the 20th century. Examples of "bloody" as an
integrated adjective are: "Not bloody likely",
"Abso-bloody-lutely", and the Australian
"Kanga-bloody-roo". There is little doubt that the
Aussies hold all known records for the use of
"bloody" as an enclitic device.

Bloody oath!

As in:

"Up in Tumba-bloody-rumba shootin' kanga-bloody-roos."

In an earlier response I suggested "infix", but that is too
respectable.

Now tossing up between "tmesis" and "enclitic".

What is the etymology of "enclitic"? Could be interesting.

[Purl Gurl]

Post by Iskandar Baharuddin

Post by Donna Richoux

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking

I knew we had discussed it long ago but I couldn't turn it up in the AUE
FAQ. However, I remembered asking whether "brand-spanking-new" fit the
You might want to look at that exchange, a 1997 thread called "Tmesis in
The FAQ lists "tmesis" with many other language-related terms, and

"Up in Tumba-bloody-rumba shootin' kanga-bloody-roos."
In an earlier response I suggested "infix", but that is too
respectable.
Now tossing up between "tmesis" and "enclitic".
What is the etymology of "enclitic"? Could be interesting.

Donna's use of enclitic is very precise. Use of tmesis is
acceptable but generic.

Clitic - proclitic, mesoclitic, enclitic.


Purl Gurl

[Mike Lyle]

Iskandar Baharuddin wrote:
[...]

Post by Iskandar Baharuddin
"Up in Tumba-bloody-rumba shootin' kanga-bloody-roos."
In an earlier response I suggested "infix", but that is too
respectable.
Now tossing up between "tmesis" and "enclitic".
What is the etymology of "enclitic"? Could be interesting.

The infix is what's inserted during tmesis. Thanks, I'd completely
forgotten that. I'll bet some unpoetic bastard has started using
"infixation". I'm afraid you'll be a bit disappointed when you find the
enclitic, though: it just means something like "leaning on", and that
isn't good enough, really.

There's a word "clitoris" which I don't suppose you were thinking of,
but that isn't related. The etymology of its Greek source, _kleitoris_,
is uncertain.

[Ris]

Post by Donna Richoux

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about
looking it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word
that describes the practice of interrupting one word with another
or, if not the practice, then the object itself. I'm thinking of
something like "a whole nother thing" although it's more commonly
used by people who can't bear to use four syllables without swearing
at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.

I knew we had discussed it long ago but I couldn't turn it up in the
AUE FAQ. However, I remembered asking whether "brand-spanking-new"
fit the definition, so searching the archives for that got me the
term: tmesis.
You might want to look at that exchange, a 1997 thread called "Tmesis
in English."
The FAQ lists "tmesis" with many other language-related terms, and
http://www.csi.uottawa.ca/~kbarker/ling-devices.html
Linguistic Phenomena/Devices
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Classics/rhetoric.html
A Glossary of Rhetorical Terms with Examples
The u.c.l.e FAQ (kept at the AUE Website) discusses the word "bloody"
Its use as an integrated adjective seems to be from
the 20th century. Examples of "bloody" as an
integrated adjective are: "Not bloody likely",
"Abso-bloody-lutely", and the Australian
"Kanga-bloody-roo". There is little doubt that the
Aussies hold all known records for the use of
"bloody" as an enclitic device.

Thanks a bloody lot Donna :-) that's an excellent reply.

[John Holmes]

Post by Donna Richoux
The u.c.l.e FAQ (kept at the AUE Website) discusses the word "bloody"
Its use as an integrated adjective seems to be from
the 20th century. Examples of "bloody" as an
integrated adjective are: "Not bloody likely",
"Abso-bloody-lutely", and the Australian
"Kanga-bloody-roo". There is little doubt that the
Aussies hold all known records for the use of
"bloody" as an enclitic device.

Where the bloody hell are you?

Not an enclitic, but that's what the Australian government has chosen as
a new tourism marketing slogan. It probably paid a small fortune to a
marketing consultancy for coming up with that.

It will be interesting to see what sort of reaction it gets, especially
from non-native speakers.

Comments?

--
Regards
John
for mail: my initials plus a u e
at tpg dot com dot au

[Peter Moylan]

Post by John Holmes

Post by Donna Richoux
The u.c.l.e FAQ (kept at the AUE Website) discusses the word
"bloody" and uses these terms for interjecting into the midst of
Its use as an integrated adjective seems to be from the 20th
century. Examples of "bloody" as an integrated adjective are: "Not
bloody likely", "Abso-bloody-lutely", and the Australian
"Kanga-bloody-roo". There is little doubt that the Aussies hold all
known records for the use of "bloody" as an enclitic device.

Where the bloody hell are you?
Not an enclitic, but that's what the Australian government has chosen
as a new tourism marketing slogan. It probably paid a small fortune
to a marketing consultancy for coming up with that.
It will be interesting to see what sort of reaction it gets,
especially from non-native speakers.

I've already had some feedback from American friends:

"Those Australians are crazy. They think people are going to be shocked
by the word 'bloody'. They didn't even consider the possibility of a
scandal caused by saying 'hell' on American TV."

This thread has reminded me of an old friend who used to sing

Yankee fuckin Doodle fuckin went to fuckin town
A-fuckin-riding on a fuckin pony.
Fuckin put a fuckin feather in his fuckin hat
And fuckin called it fuckin macafuckinroni.

[Donna Richoux]

Post by John Holmes
Where the bloody hell are you?
Not an enclitic, but that's what the Australian government has chosen as
a new tourism marketing slogan. It probably paid a small fortune to a
marketing consultancy for coming up with that.
It will be interesting to see what sort of reaction it gets, especially
from non-native speakers.
Comments?

I don't know how it's used, maybe it's softened by context, but putting
"bloody" and "hell" together sounds very angry and impatient -- not
something I'd expect from a tourist bureau.

[the Omrud]

Post by Donna Richoux

Post by John Holmes
Where the bloody hell are you?
Not an enclitic, but that's what the Australian government has chosen as
a new tourism marketing slogan. It probably paid a small fortune to a
marketing consultancy for coming up with that.
It will be interesting to see what sort of reaction it gets, especially
from non-native speakers.
Comments?

I don't know how it's used, maybe it's softened by context, but putting
"bloody" and "hell" together sounds very angry and impatient -- not
something I'd expect from a tourist bureau.

It's less aggressive in Australian than it would be in UK English.

[Don Phillipson]

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking
it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word that describes the
practice of interrupting one word with another or, if not the practice, then
the object itself. I'm thinking of something like "a whole nother thing"
although it's more commonly used by people who can't bear to use four
syllables without swearing at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.

Consult a thesaurus (organized on Roget's oriinal lines.)
You start with one concept (e.g. Alternative for "a whole
other thing"), locate it (perhaps in more than one section),
then inspect the closely similar concepts to see which
better fits your particular need: and repeat the process
if not yet fully satisfied.

[Iskandar Baharuddin]

Post by Ris
I'm sure there is a word for it but I have no idea how to go about looking
it up in reference books or sites. I'm looking for a word that describes the
practice of interrupting one word with another or, if not the practice, then
the object itself. I'm thinking of something like "a whole nother thing"
although it's more commonly used by people who can't bear to use four
syllables without swearing at least once, as in, abso 'cking lutely.
Any ideas?

Infix.