Reminder

I'm debating tonight (Wed) whether "New Jersey is inferior to New York City." Of course it isn't. Debate starts at 8 p.m. at Lolita bar, 266 Broome St, New York, NY 10002-4509 (212) 966-7223.


The gig is up

Or is that jig? Anyway, Two people e-mailed me today to tell me that combonyms are "portmanteau words." Wikipedia says:

A portmanteau (plural: portmanteaux or portmanteaus) is a word that is formed by combining both sounds and meanings from two or more words. It can also be called a frankenword. The term used in linguistics is blend ... This word was coined by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, in which it is likened to a travelling case. He used the French word "porte-manteau" (coat hanger). Carroll has Humpty Dumpty say, "Well, slithy means lithe and slimy... You see it's like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word."

Interestingly, Wikipedia also notes that "Californication" is an example. Those guys sure have a sense of humor.

I still think combonym is a better term.