Various and Sundry

There’s a Name for That: Linguistics Edition

Though linguistics was one of my favorite parts of my anthro coursework, there was plenty I didn’t learn. I suppose that’s always the case: if someone invoked the “but you have a PhD!” to my anthro advisor, she would humbly say she knew a lot about a little (Narrator: she, in fact, knew and knows A LOT, much of it useful).

Anyway, this article by Ellen Gutoskey for Mental Floss goes over 15 linguistic terms that specify wordplay phenomena that may make you exclaim, “So that’s what you call it!”

Plus, if you’re like me, you may now have a name for linguistic habits that irk you. I’m looking at you, fans of epenthesis! Just say ATH-leet already, dangit! I don’t understand how that’s more com-for-UH-ta-bull, for you all.

Okay, I’m off to catch up on all the ancient hominids I don’t know enough about. Happy Friday!

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