WHAT Portmanteau?

A portmanteau word (sometimes just

portmanteau) is used broadly to mean a blend of two (or more) words, and

narrowly in some linguistics fields to mean only a blend of two or more function words.

"Portmanteau word" is used to describe a linguistic blend, namely "a word formed by blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings".

The purpose for blending is not so much to combine the

meanings of the source words but "to suggest a resemblance

of one named person to the other" and the effect is often

derogatory.

- BENJAMIN ZIMMER

EXAMPLES

• BRUNCH (breakfast + lunch)• TANZANIA (Tanganyika and Zanzibar)• SYSOP (system + operator)• GERRYMANDERING (refers to the

scheme of Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry for politically contrived redistricting: one of the districts created had the semblance of a SALAMANDER in outline)

• BILLARY (Bill and Hillary Clinton)

• -HOLIC/HOLISM

• -GATE (in reference to the Watergate scandal)

• SPANGLISH/TAGLISH (bilingualism)

ACTIVITY

LIST DOWN PORMANTEAUS AND

USE THEM IN A POEM. PRESENT THIS IN

CLASS.

END OF LESSON