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Can you give a citation for that definition? (had to dig out a dictionary :/) According to OED (oxford english dictionary) a portmanteau is: "A word formed by

by veyron 15y ago

Can you give a citation for that definition? (had to dig out a dictionary :/) According to OED (oxford english dictionary) a portmanteau is: "A word formed by blending sounds from two or more distinct words and combining their meanings. Also more generally: a term or phrase which encompasses two or more meanings." The key conditions here (each of which must be satisfied) are: - constituents must be words - blending sounds from the words - combining meanings of the words

pmjordan 15y ago
You answered your own question. From your quote: "blending sounds from two or more distinct words" (note emphasis) The word "brunch" is widely regarded to be a portmanteau, and does not consist of whole words.
- veyron 15y ago
  "brunch" is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch, and refers to a meal that occurs in the late morning in lieu of separate breakfast and lunch meals. This satisfies the 3 conditions: - constituents must be words "brunch" is a combination of "breakfast" and "lunch" - blending sounds from the words the beginning sounds like "breakfast" and the end sounds like "lunch" - combining meanings of the words described above.
  - chairface 15y ago
    The words in question for "cartelicious" are "cartel" and "delicious". I believe you can do the rest.
  - ericd 15y ago
    And cartelicious: -Constituents must be words "cartelicious" is a combination of "cartel" and "delicious" -Blending sounds from the words the beginning sounds like "cartel" and the end sounds like "delicious" -Combining meanings of the words It's delicious cartel action, for repugnant values of delicious. I don't think this one is a strict requirement, in any case. This is getting a bit too pedantic.
    - tptacek 15y ago
      This is a thread with all the charm of a Wikipedia Talk: page argument. Maybe we can just let it die.
      - veyron 15y ago
        Last remark on the issue: Let's all agree that, before saying something like "a portmanteau, if you want to get technical", you are 100% sure that it is correct. Maybe that should be in the HN guidelines ... I only brought up this issue because technically it's not a portmanteau (at least according to how OED and a bunch of other dictionaries define the word), and probably wouldn't have made a remark if the phrase "if you want to get technical" wasn't used ... I lay down my guns ... now
        tptacek 15y ago
        How about instead we agree that you are interesting and appreciated HN commenter (I particularly enjoy your contributions to financial tech threads), and Patrick is an interesting and appreciated HN commenter, and neither of you are likely to make comments that warrant whole threads simply to correct.
      - ericd 15y ago
        Haha yeah, I wasn't planning on adding any more to it. I just thought it was ridiculous that it had gotten as far as it had, so I was hoping to kill it with that.

by veyron 15y ago

pmjordan 15y ago

You answered your own question. From your quote: "blending sounds from two or more distinct words" (note emphasis) The word "brunch" is widely regarded to be a portmanteau, and does not consist of whole words.

veyron 15y ago
"brunch" is a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch, and refers to a meal that occurs in the late morning in lieu of separate breakfast and lunch meals. This satisfies the 3 conditions: - constituents must be words "brunch" is a combination of "breakfast" and "lunch" - blending sounds from the words the beginning sounds like "breakfast" and the end sounds like "lunch" - combining meanings of the words described above.
- chairface 15y ago
  The words in question for "cartelicious" are "cartel" and "delicious". I believe you can do the rest.
- ericd 15y ago
  And cartelicious: -Constituents must be words "cartelicious" is a combination of "cartel" and "delicious" -Blending sounds from the words the beginning sounds like "cartel" and the end sounds like "delicious" -Combining meanings of the words It's delicious cartel action, for repugnant values of delicious. I don't think this one is a strict requirement, in any case. This is getting a bit too pedantic.
  - tptacek 15y ago
    This is a thread with all the charm of a Wikipedia Talk: page argument. Maybe we can just let it die.
    - veyron 15y ago
      Last remark on the issue: Let's all agree that, before saying something like "a portmanteau, if you want to get technical", you are 100% sure that it is correct. Maybe that should be in the HN guidelines ... I only brought up this issue because technically it's not a portmanteau (at least according to how OED and a bunch of other dictionaries define the word), and probably wouldn't have made a remark if the phrase "if you want to get technical" wasn't used ... I lay down my guns ... now
      - tptacek 15y ago
        How about instead we agree that you are interesting and appreciated HN commenter (I particularly enjoy your contributions to financial tech threads), and Patrick is an interesting and appreciated HN commenter, and neither of you are likely to make comments that warrant whole threads simply to correct.
    - ericd 15y ago
      Haha yeah, I wasn't planning on adding any more to it. I just thought it was ridiculous that it had gotten as far as it had, so I was hoping to kill it with that.