I’m Portmanteau Mad Me!

Following the success of my amazing anagram article I’ve decided to post another article demonstrating the fun that can be had with words of the English Language. Today we shall be covering Portmanteaus.

A Portmanteau is a word that is created by combining two existing words. Popular examples include:

• Insania – Combination of Insane and Mania: popularised by mid 90s pop-sensation Peter Andre
• Enginuity – Combination of Engine and Ingenuity: It’s the name of the Design museum in Ironbridge
• Feminazis – Combination of Feminist and Nazi: Famous Femiazis include Germaine Greer and uuumm… I couldn’t actually find any others I’d heard of (even using Google!)

Portmanteaus can also be used to give people great nicknames here are a few:

• Phevans – Combination of Phil and Evans: Loud, fat-faced wally from Tamworth
• Bevans – Combination of Ben and Evans: Grumpy para character from Wenners
• Degans – Combination of Dog and Evans: The Evans Family Pet
• Nence – Combination of Ell and Nonce: Nickname given to Elliott Russell in the Early Naughties

Portmanteaus are very common in the fascinating world of Hybrid animals, here are some of my favourites:

• Zorse – Combination of Zebra and a horse
• Zonkey– Combination of a Zebra and a Donkey
• Cama – Combination of a Camel and a Lama
• Liger – You should know what this one is by now
• Wolphin – If you don’t know this one you need to read the blog more often

Try making your own up and using them in conversation to confuse people. Post your best ones as comments, there will be an ace prize!

Pete Graham xXx