English Modal Verbs, Part 1

Confusing English Pronunciation: Overview of American English Vowels

Why do learners have such a hard time with English sounds? Blame it on the Normans!
 

Portmanteau Words

You probably also know that a motel (an inexpensive place to sleep) is a blend of the words motor + hotel .  Likewise, smog (the dirty air in a large city) comes from smoke + fog.

motel in Norway (source: Wikipedia)

These are called portmanteau words, a combination of two words to create a new meaning. Another common word is brunch (the meal eaten at 10 or 11 AM). It comes from breakfast + lunch.

Technology has added many portmanteau words to English. Perhaps the most famous of these are e-mail (electronic + mail) and blog (a periodically published online column) from web + log.

The word portmanteau comes from British author Louis Carroll, who invented many words in his own writing.  The word portmanteau itself is a combination of two French words: porter (to carry) + manteau (a coat or cloak).

Here are a few portmanteau words that most English speakers would know:

• netiquette (Internet + etiquette) = rules of behavior for the World Wide Web

• infomercial (information + commercial) = a long, story-like video on tv that advertises a product or service

• humongous (huge + enormous) = very large [emphatic expression]

• spork (spoon + fork) = a utensil that can either scoop or stab your food

Below are additional portmanteau words to help you be more fluent in English:

• podcast (iPod + broadcast) = programming that can be downloading to an MP3 player
• webinar (web + seminar) = taking a class on your computer
  
• breathalyzer (breath + analyzer) = breath test to see if you are too drunk to drive
• e-zine (electronic + magazine) = a magazine that arrives via email
• wi-fi (wireless + fidelity) = system allowing internet browsing without cables
• carjack = (car + hijack) = taking someone’s car away from them (under threat)
• Ebonics (ebony + phonics) = the spoken dialect of black U.S. Americans
• gaydar (gay + radar) = the social sensitivity to guess if someone is gay
• dumbfound (dumb + confounded) = to be so surprised as to be speechless
• guesstimate (guess + estimate) = an approximation, an imprecise estimate
• emoticon (emotion + icon) = keyboard symbols showing how a writer feels

emoticon for regret (source: Fotolia.com)

• glitzy (glitter + ritzy) = fancy, showy, flashy
  
• flounder (founder + blunder) = to be clumsy and confused
• glitzy (glitter + ritzy) = fancy, showy, flashy
• hassle (harass + tussle) = to bother, struggle with, or cause someone trouble
• snarky (snide + remark) = making critical or arrogant comments
• murse (man + purse) = a leather bag carried by a man
• murse (male + nurse) = a man in a nursing position
• sexting (sex + texting) = sending sexual messages or images via text messages
• televangelist (television + evangelist) = religious person who recruits you on TV
• gerrymander (Gerry + salamander) = revising boundaries of voting districts for the advantage of one political party
• sitcom (situation + comedy) = a humorous serial TV show based on everyday life

televangelist Joel Osteen (source: Wikipedia)

If you like playing with portmanteau words, here are many more for you to enjoy.