Word inside another

[misk111]

What is the word for a word with another one inside it? e.g Abso-flippin-lutely + to-bleedin-morrow.

[Quizmonster]

A blend, an amalgam or a fusion are all names given to words which consist of two or more words telescoped in one way or another into a single word. You might also use the name created by Lewis Carroll for the kind of words he often made up...for example, 'slithy' seems to be a combination of 'slimy' and 'lithe'. He called these 'portmanteau' words, a portmanteau being a large type of suitcase; in the case of the words, obviously lots of meaning - rather than clothing - could be packed into just one word.

The examples you offer are not strictly identical in structure to 'slithy', but there is no reason why you couldn't call them 'blends' etc, too.

[jenstar]

It's called tmesis. Or, or if you prefer, tm-blimmin'-esis.

[Quizmonster]

The Oxford English Dictionary - the 'bible' in such matters - defines 'tmesis' as 'a cutting', from the same Greek root-word. In terms of language/rhetoric it goes on to say (quote): "the separation of the elements of a compound word by the interposition of another word or words. Though the constituent parts of compound words may be disjoined by tmesis, the elements of simple words never are."

Compound words are those created by joining two or more words that exist in their own right...words such as boyfriend, doorknob, bathroom and red-hot. It would be a perfect example of tmesis to say, after burning yourself: "Good grief! That handle's red-blinking-hot!"

The point here, though, is that 'absolutely' is not a compound word...there are no independent words 'abso' and 'lutely'. You might just about get away with saying 'absolute-blinkin-ly' is a tmesis, since 'ly' is a suffix, but you would be pushing the definition to its outer limits.

The suggestion of 'to-bleedin-morrow', on the other hand, is a tmesis, since there are elements consisting of 'to' and 'morrow'. Sadly - 'cos it's a clever idea - 'tm-blimmin'-esis' is not a tmesis!

Misk...you may care to ponder on the fact that tmesis is nothing more than one form of blend/amalgam/fusion!

[Janetex]

I'm confookinfoosed. I like these but am not good at them. Abosobloomin'lutely springs to mind, however, I always thought that they had to be sort of rhyming or some word syllable beginnings........(?)

[thewillow]

Dubliners are particularly fond of this construction. Some of my favourites are: Pass the marma-f*cking-lade. He had a heart a-f*cking-tack.