Definition of Portmanteau Words in English

Definition of Portmanteau Words in English A portmanteau word is a word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. More formally known as a blend. The term portmanteau word  was coined by English writer Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871). Later, in the preface to his nonsense poem  The Hunting of the Snark (1876), Carroll offered this explanation of Humpty-Dumptys theory of two meanings packed into one word like a portmanteau: [T]ake the two words fuming and furious. Make up your mind that you will say both words, but leave it unsettled which you will say first. Now open your mouth and speak. If your thoughts incline ever so little towards fuming, you will say fuming-furious; if they turn, by even a hairs breadth, towards furious, you will say furious-fuming; but if you have the rarest of gifts, a perfectly balanced mind, you will say frumious. Examples and Observations: Brangelina (Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie)bromance (brother romance)Cronutâ„ ¢ (croissant doughnut)dramedy (drama comedy)Frankenfood (Frankenstein food)infomercial (information commercial)motel (motor hotel)netiquette (net etiquette)Oxbridge (Oxford Cambridge)pixel (pic element)quasar (quasi-stellar star)sexpert (sex expert)sexting (sex texting)smog (smoke fog)splatter (splash spatter)statusphere (status atmosphere)Tanzania (Tanganyika Zanzibar)telethon (television marathon)Viagravation (Viagra aggravation)A word formed by fusing elements of two other words, such as Lewis Carrolls slithy from slimy and lithe. He called such forms portmanteau words, because they were like a two-part portmanteau bag. Blending is related to abbreviation, derivation, and compounding, but distinct from them all.(Tom McArthur, Blend. The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press, 1992) The Sound Bites of Modern English [D]ancercise, simulcast, Frappuccino  -   they wear their meanings on their shortened sleeves. Portmanteau words are the sound bites of modern English, calculated to catch on the first time people hear them.(Geoffrey Nunberg, The Way We Talk Now. Houghton Mifflin, 2001)Smirting happens when two people, smoking outside, fall to flirting, and discover that they have more in common than simply nicotine. In Ireland, where the term originated after the ban in 2004, there is even evidence of non-smokers joining the smoky throng outside because the atmosphere there is more flirtatious.Smirting is a portmanteau word, formed by packing parts of two words together to create another, combining the sense of each.(Ben Macintyre, Ben Macintyre Celebrates the Portmanteau. The Times, May 2, 2008) Portmanteau Survivors:Dumbfound, Flabbergasted, Gerrymander Portmanteau words are frequently more whimsical than useful and dont survive, but many exist. ...  Dumbfound, from dumb and confound, was put together in the 17th century. Flabbergasted, one of the more contrived, is apparently an 18th-century blend of flabby and aghast. Gerrymander combines the name of Governor Elbridge Gerry and salamander, referring to the shape of a redistricted Massachusetts county. Anecdotage, adding the implication of dotage to anecdote, and Clifton Fadimans hullabalunacy from hullabaloo and lunacy, are clever enough to deserve survival.(Robert Gorrell, Watch Your Language!: Mother Tongue and Her Wayward Children. University of Nevada Press, 1994) Portmanteau Games Two games can be played with portmanteau words. In the first game, one player thinks of a portmanteau word and asks the next player to say which words are blended to create it. In the second game, players try to make up new, humorous portmanteau words and give their definitions. Thus you might blend the words hen and endurance to make hendurance, meaning the patience of a hen trying to hatch out an egg. Or you could blend the name of the dog Rin-tin-tin (who starred in films) and the word tintinnabulation to get Rin-tin-tintinnabulation: a very loud ringing of bells.(Tony Augarde, The Oxford A to Z of Word Games. Oxford University Press,1994) The Lighter Side of Portmanteau Words So a blog is a web log? Is there an apostrophe, or do you guys not even have the strength for that? You’re just going to jam two words together?(Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report, Feb. 2006)In her first tweet, [Sarah] Palin didnt write speak out; she used another term  -   refudiate. A few minutes later, the Tweet was rewritten with refudiate  -   which is not actually a word -   removed,  replaced by refute. ...The word caught someones attention, because a few hours later Palin refused to refute refudiate, she tweeted that shes just following in Shakespeares footsteps.Refudiate, misunderestimate, wee-weed up. English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!(Carolyn Kellogg, Wherefore Art Thou, Refudiate? Sarah Palin as Shakespeare. Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2010) Pronunciation: port-MAN-tow Also Known As: blend

Ice Breaker for Classrooms - The Name Game

Ice Breaker for Classrooms - The Name Game This icebreaker is ideal for almost any setting because no materials are needed, your group can be divided into manageable sizes, and you want your participants to get to know each other anyway. Adults learn best when they know the people surrounding them. You may have people in your group who hate this icebreaker so much they’ll still remember everyone’s name two years from now! You can make it harder by requiring everyone to add an adjective to their name that starts with the same letter (e.g. Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob, Zesty Zelda). You get the gist. Ideal Size Up to 30. Larger groups have tackled this game, but it becomes increasingly harder unless you break into smaller groups. Application You can use this game to facilitate  introductions in the classroom or at a meeting. This is also a fabulous game for classes involving memory. Time Needed Depends entirely on the size of the group and how much trouble people have remembering. Materials Needed None. Instructions Instruct the first person to give his or her name with a descriptor: Cranky Carla. The second person gives the first person’s name and then his own name: Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob. The third person starts at the beginning, reciting each person before her and adding her own: Cranky Carla, Blue-eyed Bob, Zesty Zelda. Debriefing If you’re teaching a class that involves memory, debrief by talking about the effectiveness of this game as a memory technique. Were certain names easier to remember than others? Why? Was it the letter? The adjective? A combination? Additional Name Game Ice Breakers Introduce Another Person: Divide the class into partners. Have each person talk about himself to the other. You can offer a specific instruction, such as tell your colleague about your greatest accomplishment. After switching, the participants introduce each other to the class.What Have You Done Thats Unique: Request each person introduce himself by stating something hes done that he thinks no one else in the class has.  If someone else has done it, the person has to try again to find something unique!Find Your Match: Ask each person to write two or three statements on a card, such as an interest, goal or dream vacation. Distribute the cards so each person gets someone else’s. The group has to mingle until each person finds the one who matches their card.Describe Your Name: When people introduce themselves, ask them to talk about how they got their name (first or last name). Perhaps they were named after someone specific, or maybe their last name means something in an ancest ral language. Fact or Fiction: Ask each person to reveal one true thing and one false when introducing themselves. The participants have to guess which is which.The Interview: Pair up participants and have one interview the other for a few minutes and then switch. They can ask about interests, hobbies, favorite music, and more. When finished, have each person write three words to describe their partner and reveal them to the group. (example: My partner John is witty, irreverent, and motivated.)

Write a Critical Review paper on Students with disabilities enrolled Research

Write a Critical Review on Students with disabilities enrolled at educational institutions at all levels - Research Paper Example On top of that, the lawsuit also alleged that the state of New Jersey had violated its constitutional obligation to oversee the implementation of IDEA requirements at the grassroots; in defense, the state of New Jersey filed a motion to dismiss citing a constitutional challenge to the implementation of the IDEA. According to the state of New Jersey, it was immune to private lawsuits regarding enforcement of the IDEA under the provisions of the Eleventh Amendment but the section of parents were not convinced by this argument. In their earnest search for justice, the section went ahead to seek intervention in defending the constitutionality of IDEA, which was eventually granted to them; in their battle to defend the constitutionality of IDEA, the section fronted two strong arguments as the foundation of their case. In their first argument, the section proposed that the state of New Jersey had accepted the federal IDEA funds that were meant to meet the cost of educating students with disabilities consequently agreeing to act in accordance with the IDEA by relinquishing its sovereign immunity. In the second argument, the section contended that following the enactment of the Fourteenth Amendment, Congress had in fact genuinely repealed the state sovereign immunity, which the New Jersey was still claiming to have in its argument for a dismissal motion. In accordance with the Rules 12(b) (1) and (b)(6), of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the NJDOE and the State officials filed a motion of dismissal of the complaint by arguing that they were immune to the suit under the provisions of the Eleventh Amendment. They also held that the plaintiff’s complaint should be dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies and that given the state’s sovereign immunity, it was wrong for an injunctive relief to be entered against it, particularly because it was not the right subject of an order for the provision of free and appropriate public

E-Business Strategy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

E-Business Strategy - Term Paper Example The development of an e-business strategy for CitiBank is one of the areas of development which can provide more available options to those interested in the business. Introduction The development of Citibank is one which is providing for new opportunities and services to be available, all which will provide a stronger relationship to customers through the use of e-business. Citi Bank began in 1987 with a focus on providing banking solutions to customers through various financial segments. The company is organized into two main segments, one which is based on Citi Corp and the other on Citi Holdings. The Citicorp consists of the products and services with regional consumer banking first. This includes retail banking, citi – branded credit cards and Latin American asset management. There is also a segment for institutional clients, which offers services of securities and banking and transaction services. In this sector, an institution can take part in investment banking, debt a nd equity markets, lending, private equity, hedge funds, real estate, structure products, private banking and equity and fixed income research. The transaction services consist of cash management, trade services, custody and fund services, clearing services and agency / trust services. The Citi Holdings also carries two segments. The first is inclusive of brokerage and asset management and the second is based on local consumer lending as well as a special asset pool. The brands are divided by the services which individuals and institutions require, ranging from mortgages to microfinance opportunities. There are over 200 million accounts held at Citi with 160 countries and jurisdictions that are served by the corporation (Citi Bank, 2011). The different products and services which are offered by Citi Bank are further defined by the governance guidelines which work as a foundation for the bank services and products. The governance is held by a board of directors which creates a relati onship to the stakeholders, communities and managerial staff of Citi bank. The Board Members are elected by a confidential vote and are inclusive of 13-19 members that are responsible for the direction of the company. The driving force of the company is to create the ability for those who work with the bank to have access to responsible financing. This is based on the internal environment working with those in need, specifically so there is a return in responsibility for the financing. This also creates a response to value those who are using the financial services, specifically by creating relationships for specific needs and to provide services that offer alternatives for banking. The concept is followed by social responsibility, including giving to foundations, microfinancing and services that are used for asset building by individuals (Citi Bank, 2011). The approach which Citi Bank has toward financial services is one which has led it into being one of the top recognized banks g lobally. The first quarter earnings for 2011 led to a total of $3.0 billion, compared to $1.3 billion in the last quarter earnings of 2010. The earnings per share went up from $0.10 from $0.04 and the book value per share has risen by 15% from the prior year. The first quarter revenue of $19.7 billion was a profit from the last quarter by 7%. The credit losses also declined at an average of 25% from the first quarter of 2010. However, the assets have decreased,

Antony and Cleopatra :: William Shakespeare Plays Literature Essays

Antony and Cleopatra The legend of Cleopatra has percolated in the world consciousness for the past 2000 years. By the time Shakespeare wrote the tragedy Antony and Cleopatra the alluring reputation of the queen had existed primarily as a biased representation of a foreign female who insinuated herself into the Roman power structure. Shakespeare’s role in perpetuating the allure of the last of the Ptolemaic rulers was the result of synthesizing the existing biases and distilling the dichotomy between the woman and the queen. Consequently, Shakespeare portrayed her not only as an alluring woman who was thought of as a wanton corrupter of Roman ideals, but as a queen who tried to do what was best for her country, and a woman who tried to do what was best for herself. Shakespeare brought all of these aspects together and molded a character that Joseph Summers describes as the â€Å"transcendent image of beauty and nobility† (135), and firmly entrenched Cleopatra into the collect ive consciousness. As suggested in the introduction to Norton’s Antony and Cleopatra, the play â€Å"presupposes familiarity not only with events dramatized in that play [Julius Caesar] but also with earlier Roman conflicts† (Cohen 847) and, I would add, the reputation of various characters. Interestingly, there is no mention of Cleopatra in Julius Caesar even though she is the mother of Caesar’s son.[1] This relationship obviously infuriated the Roman leaders and as a consequence her role with Caesar is effectively diminished and her reputation is vilified. Cicero, the great Roman orator, described Cleopatra as â€Å"unacceptably regal and arrogant† (Higgs 229), while Octavian refers to her as â€Å"the wanton daughter of the Ptolomies† (Hamer 311). Northrop Frye contends that propaganda was necessary because â€Å"she was one person the Romans were really afraid of† (Frye 123). The propaganda, as Christopher Pelling alludes, was a result of â €Å"Octavian work[ing] seduously on Italian misogyny and xenophobia† (Pelling 294). Octavian’s promulgations evoked suspicion and hostility towards Cleopatra, and their main intent was to mitigate the idea that â€Å"Cleopatra [was becoming] a legend for Romans too† (Pelling 294). There is no way they would have described her as a woman who grieved the loss of Antony so passionately that â€Å"she beat her

Previous Research Experience Essay

Research can be said to be the systematic discovery of knowledge. According to Davitz (1985), â€Å"Research as an activity is vital in society because of the ever increasing problems, opportunities and challenges that people face in day to day life. † Also, the need to generate new knowledge, explore new opportunities and the general curiosity motivate people to carry out research. Research is basically a process whereby people carry out activities that are based on applying the intellect in investigation of particular phenomena. Scientific research is the application of empirical and verifiable methods to understand phenomena around the world in terms of matter and its properties. Research can be undertaken both at the undergraduate level and at the postgraduate level. Undergraduate research is done at the level of bachelor’s degree and it involves coming up with a dissertation on a particular subject. Students choose on a topic that has been studied by other people and try to analyze it by searching for shortages in knowledge in terms of the chosen topic. The concept of Post graduate research entails â€Å"embracing well versed and distinct proposal and includes more intense and systematic investigation based upon the work established by other people in a particular area† (William, 1996). I generally do not have first hand field experience, but I believe the learning that I have passed through has prepared me appropriately to carry out research. As an undergraduate student, I did various courses that I believe prepared me on the basic and fundamental aspects of carrying out research. As a researcher there are various skills that one should have for him or her to be able to effectively carry out the research. According to Eisenberg and Berkowitz (1994) â€Å"six effective skills of a good researcher include ability to define problem under study, seek variety of information, and make use of that information through presentation and evaluation† 1994). I was able to learn these skills through research methods courses that I undertook at the undergraduate level and which I think I can effectively apply in a practical research environment. Moreover, I believe in the importance of always applying ethical principles when it comes to research environment since it is only through them that a research work gains credibility. The need for credibility in research can be enhanced through appropriate application of ethical principles that I think I have been able to inculcate in my mind. I can therefore say that I fully understand the ethical requirements that are necessary when it comes to science research. Am also versed in the preparation of research proposals that serve as sources of research summaries. This is so because of the teachings I learnt and the experiences that I learnt in class during my undergraduate level. I also understand the challenges that researchers face when carrying out their research activities. These challenges consist of time constriction, deprived populace and sample assortment, limited resources in terms of funding and lack of objectivity on the part of the researchers†(Sutton, 2006). These are the challenges that are mostly constraining research activities in most academic institutions and the industry. My knowledge of these challenges is an added factor because am ready to carry out the research with the knowledge of the challenges that I expect to get in the research field. Therefore, am fully prepared to tackle research challenges that may occur on the research environment. In addition to the above, I have done other activities that I think are relevant and that they can come in handy during my research. I have participated in various social activities at the university during my undergraduate level and in the community in general. These forums include sports, leadership positions and community activities. Through these social activities, I have been able to develop the necessary communication skills and which will come in handy in research during stages like collection of data where I might be needed to interview people. Thus I believe the communication skills I learnt will come in handy during the research process itself. I have also done various short term assignments that included application of numerical skills in carrying out those assignments. Through these assignments, for example, by working as a stores clerk, I have been able to develop numerical competencies that I can comfortably apply to research areas like data analysis and interpretation. Am therefore in a position to comfortably engage in research activities at the graduate level. I also have the necessary competencies when it comes to writing of reports and general writing. I’m able to write reports coherently, concisely without missing the point or making citation mistakes. Report writing is part and parcel of research and therefore it is a valuable attribute when it comes to doing research. Therefore with the writing skills that I have gained am sure that I can be able to carry out research more effectively and also write high quality reports that can stand up in the professional, educational and social environment in general. I have been able to access a lot of information on the research process through various literatures that has sharpened my knowledge regarding the research process. These materials have been a valuable source of information as regarding access to various research samples that have been done by other researchers. With access to a large variety of research materials by other research scientists who have done research in diverse fields, through these I have been able to get the basic requirements of research that can serve as an important foundation for future intensive office or field research. The general information that I have been able to get from these sources has been valuable and that carrying out research will be just be a practical extension of the vast information that I possess when it comes to research. Conclusion Research is a very crucial aspect in the day to day life of citizens. Scientific research is the most appropriate because of credibility that can be associated with it. The changing world and the increasing complexity of social problems and coming up of new phenomena’s means that more than ever people have to engage in more and more research so as to come up with stand grounds to these issues. Application of scientific research is becoming more crucial in the economic, social, political and environmental spheres of mankind. Thus there is need for increased attention to scientific by policy makers, higher institutions of learning and even individuals, and this should be done with adherence to ethics that guide research. Therefore, as a person who has been exposed to various theoretical and practical applications in research, and then I think I have the necessary prerequisites to undertake research.

Wal Mart Is A Monopoly - 821 Words

Wal-Mart, the largest retail companies in the world (Farfan), plays a crucial role in American economics. No matter, I am at home or on campus, even when I was traveling in other states in America, there is always a Wal-Mart market nearby my location. Due to the super big market power Wal-Mart has, and people’s negative impression of large enterprises, there is always a debate about whether Wal-Mart is good for America or not. Some people believe Wal-Mart makes the small retailers fail, and its workers have low wages and benefits; while others argue that Wal-Mart creates more jobs to the local, provides lower prices to consumers, and encourage American economic growth. Inspired by an article about whether Wal-Mart is a monopoly I read in my economics class, I am curious about the economic impact of Wal-Mart. My exploration began with a word record of the debate ‘Is War-Mart good or bad for America’ from the Independent Institute.com. This debate was between Rich ard K. Vedder and Ken Jacobs. According to Vedder, on the one hand, Wal-Mart isn’t a job destroyer, conversely, every new War-Mart store employs typically 300 or 350 workers right by itself which is exclusive of any other synergies, or other stores that may open up at the same time when War-Mart opens up in the community (Jacobs and Vedder). On the other hand, War-Mart has enormously increased productivity in retail trade. Between 1987 and 2004, labor productivity in the War-Mart part of the retail tradeShow MoreRelatedBusiness Analysis : Wal Mart s Monopoly2148 Words   |  9 Pages Wal-Mart’s Monopoly in Business Joe Pacifico Cabrini College Abstract The purpose of this essay is to discuss monopolies in the world of business. In business a monopoly would involve a particular company that has the ability to consistently dominate as well as control a specific industry. 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The review will describe and evaluate the resources that will provide additional understanding of the corporate operations and its management strategies. A SWOT analysis will be provided which will identify specific areas that can impact the outcome of the organization’s success and potential hazards. Upon conclusion, recommendations will be presented that will help Wal-Mart continue its competitive advantage. This paper will utilizeRead MoreHello Walmart1027 Words   |  5 PagesHello, Wal-Mart? Ashford University BUS644 Operation Management Dr. Ronald Beach November 26, 2011 Hello, Wal-Mart? It is very common for everyone that lives in a small town to get all their groceries at Wal-Mart. During the last 50 years of creation, from a small town on Arkansas, Wal-Mart became the biggest retail company of the world. At this time, this company is one of the major employers of the world and has more than 4,000 stores just in America. It is very difficult for a small