Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled
Despite their increasing use, little is known about the purpose of word blends, e.g. chillax, which have near-synonymous composite words (relax and chill). Potential explanations for their existence and persistence include: use in different sentence constructions, to provide unique meaning, and to c...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sciendo
2015-05-01
|
| Series: | Psychology of Language and Communication |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2015-0002 |
| _version_ | 1830193245063217152 |
|---|---|
| author | Rhys Evans Thomas Steptoe-Warren Gail |
| author_facet | Rhys Evans Thomas Steptoe-Warren Gail |
| author_sort | Rhys Evans Thomas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite their increasing use, little is known about the purpose of word blends, e.g. chillax, which have near-synonymous composite words (relax and chill). Potential explanations for their existence and persistence include: use in different sentence constructions, to provide unique meaning, and to create interest/identity. Th e current study used a vignette methodology with two-hundred and forty-one students to explore the relevance of such hypotheses for ‘guesstimate’, ‘chillax’, ‘ginormous’, and ‘confuzzled’. Our inconsistent results suggest that the semantics of the word blends may diff er from their composites in very subtle ways. However further work is needed to acknowledge and determine the impact of context upon the use and consequences of these word blends. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:09:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c2c47f2d4c74e6c8bd5d4194a5549fa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2083-8506 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T00:09:27Z |
| publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
| publisher | Sciendo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Psychology of Language and Communication |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c2c47f2d4c74e6c8bd5d4194a5549fa2022-12-21T21:27:42ZengSciendoPsychology of Language and Communication2083-85062015-05-01191192810.1515/plc-2015-0002Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and ConfuzzledRhys Evans Thomas0Steptoe-Warren Gail1Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 5FB, EnglandCoventry UniversityDespite their increasing use, little is known about the purpose of word blends, e.g. chillax, which have near-synonymous composite words (relax and chill). Potential explanations for their existence and persistence include: use in different sentence constructions, to provide unique meaning, and to create interest/identity. Th e current study used a vignette methodology with two-hundred and forty-one students to explore the relevance of such hypotheses for ‘guesstimate’, ‘chillax’, ‘ginormous’, and ‘confuzzled’. Our inconsistent results suggest that the semantics of the word blends may diff er from their composites in very subtle ways. However further work is needed to acknowledge and determine the impact of context upon the use and consequences of these word blends.https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2015-0002word blendssynonymsportmanteaublendswordslanguage |
| spellingShingle | Rhys Evans Thomas Steptoe-Warren Gail Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled Psychology of Language and Communication word blends synonyms portmanteau blends words language |
| title | Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled |
| title_full | Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled |
| title_fullStr | Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled |
| title_full_unstemmed | Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled |
| title_short | Why Do Word Blends with Near-Synonymous Composites Exist and Persist? The Case of Guesstimate, Chillax, Ginormous and Confuzzled |
| title_sort | why do word blends with near synonymous composites exist and persist the case of guesstimate chillax ginormous and confuzzled |
| topic | word blends synonyms portmanteau blends words language |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/plc-2015-0002 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rhysevansthomas whydowordblendswithnearsynonymouscompositesexistandpersistthecaseofguesstimatechillaxginormousandconfuzzled AT steptoewarrengail whydowordblendswithnearsynonymouscompositesexistandpersistthecaseofguesstimatechillaxginormousandconfuzzled |