CLAS224 Word Elements. Monmouth College Monmouth, Illinois
Instructor: Thomas J. Sienkewicz (toms@monm.edu)
BLENDS
A blended word, or blend, is produced by combining two words so that only a part of each remains. Some blends
include:
brunch br(eakfast) + (l)unch
chunnel ch(annel) + (t)unnel
comsat com(munication) sat(ellite)
druther (woul)d + r(a)ther
electrocute electro- + (exe)cute
medfly Med(iterranean) + fly
moped mo(tor) + ped(al)
motel mo(tor) + (ho)tel
quaver qu(ake) + (w)aver
simulcast simul(taneous) + (broad)cast
smog sm(oke) + (f)og
taxicab taxi(meter) + cab(riolet)
transister trans(fer) + (re)sister
willco will + co(mply)
Some blends are based on analogy with common words or historical events:
alimony gives us:
palimony pal + (al)imony
alcoholic gives us:
chargaholic charge + a(lco)holic
chocoholic
gasaholic
sexaholic
shopaholic
workaholic
hamburger gives us:
cheeseburger cheese + (ham)burger
beefburger
veggieburger
Watergate gives us:
Contragate Contra + (Water)gate
Debategate
Irangate
Koreagate
Marathon gives us:
bikeathon bik(e) + (Mar)athon
danceathon
phonathon
swimathon
talkathon
telethon
walkathon