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From: das@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: A whole nother story (contains F-words)
Message-ID: <4595@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 30-Mar-85 19:02:06 EST
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.4595
Posted: Sat Mar 30 19:02:06 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Apr-85 03:49:29 EST
References: <116@hocsm.UUCP>
Reply-To: das@ucla-cs.UUCP (David Smallberg)
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 18
Summary: 

The rhetorical term for the "infix" phenomenon is the wonderful (for word
games) word "tmesis" (tuh-MEE-sis), from a Greek root meaning "to cut"
(related to the medical suffix "-tomy").  The example Webster's gives is
the rather artificial "what person soever" for "whatsoever person".  Fowler's
Modern English Usage gives a few more examples.  I think (but don't have a
copy with me to check) Fowler says the term includes insertion of phrases,
not just words, as in "It was a -- shall we say -- revitalizing experience."

By far, most instances of tmesis in English involve the ever-popular "fucking"
or its variants:
	big fucking deal
	Jesus fucking Christ  (At Caltech we used "Jesus h-bar fucking Christ")
	whoopie-fucka-doo
	  etc.
I wonder why other "naughty" words aren't used this way.  Any subscribers to
Maledicta out there?

-- David Smallberg, das@ucla-cs.ARPA, {ihnp4,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!das