Editor's Corner

I subscribe to Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day email; so, each morning, as I start my day by reading emails, I get the gift of a word. Sometimes I know the word well, sometimes I’ve heard the word but am unsure of the meaning, and sometimes, as with the one I’m about to share, I get exposed to a new word. And that’s the best gift.

Recently, they sent out the word tmesis (pronounced tuh-mee-sis), which is “the introduction of one or more words between the parts of a compound word. I do this all the time, but never knew there was a name for it. Let me share their example: the word superhero can be separated, and the syllable duper can be inserted to form super-duper-hero.

Here are some examples you might recognize:

• Abso-blooming-lutely (from George Shaw’s Pygmalion)
• La-dee-freakin-da (from Saturday Night Live – thank you, Chris Farley)
• Some-other-where (from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet)
• Well-diddly-elcome (from The Simpsons – thank you, Ned Flanders)

And here are some examples you’ve likely heard or used:

• Abso-friggin-lutely
• Any-old-where
• A-whole-nother
• Fan-freaking-tastic
• Un-freaking-believable
• What-the heck-ever

As you might have noticed, the words “freakin” and “friggin” (and the unmentionable word those words stand for) are often used to create tmesis. And then of course, and this is the fun part, we make up our own tmesis words and phrases all the time. For example, you might be thinking something like this right now:

In case you’re wondering, tmesis is not a new word. It was first recorded in the late 1500s. It comes from the Greek word tmêsis, which means “a cutting.” And I hope you enjoy playing with it as much as I do.

Donna Bradley Burcher |Technical Editor, Advisory | jack henry

Pronouns she/her/hers

9660 Granite Ridge Drive, San Diego CA 92123

Symitar Documentation Services

About Editor’s Corner

Editor’s Corner keeps your communication skills sharp by providing information on grammar, punctuation, JHA style, and all things English. As editors, we spend our days reading, researching, and revising other people’s writing. We love to spend a few extra minutes to share what we learn with you and keep it fun while we’re doing it.

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