Browsing page 1 of new words for May 14, 2010

interjection

• interjection conveying puzzlement.

  Hrm, I'm not sure how to solve this problem.

  Last edited on May 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on May 14 2010.

• interjection conveying thought.

  Person A: Can you come in on Friday?
  
  Person B: Hrm... Let me check my schedule.

  Last edited on May 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on May 14 2010.

noun

• Coined in XKCD web comic #739: "a portmanteau created by incorrectly combining a malapropism with a neologism."

  Last edited on May 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on May 13 2010.

notes

• Controversy erupted on Wikipedia when fans of the webcomic attempted to add a "malamanteau" article to the encyclopedia.
  
  Discussion on Wikipedia about the article can be seen here
  
  Discussion on Reddit.com about the controversy can be seen here

  Last edited on May 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on May 14 2010.

origin

• In addition to the XKCD origin, the term appears to have been used on the website MetaFilter as early as 2007:

  It's not spoonerism. More like a portmanteau combined with a malapropism. So I'd go with malamanteau or a portmanpropism.
  
  posted by ludwig_van at 3:31 PM on July 17, 2007 (link)

  Last edited on May 14 2010. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on May 14 2010.