Have you ever been in the chunnel? What’s your opinion of flexitarians?
Would mansplaining annoy you if you are a woman?
You’ll learn some useful portmanteau vocabulary in this podcast.

Voice message from Pau from Spain
Oh my gosh! Pau’s English is rubbish!
If you don’t use it, you lose it!

PORTMANTEAU WORDS

A portmanteau word is a combination of two words to form another word.

IN COMMON USAGE
Podcast (iPod + broadcast)
blog (web + log): an online diary/recording of events
webinar (web + seminar): an online seminar
wifi (wireless + fidelity): IT adaptation of the older word “hifi” (high fidelity)
brunch (breakfast + lunch): A meal that is eaten after breakfast but before lunch.
motel (motor/hotel): Overnight accommodation designed for motorists.
shopaholic (shop/alcoholic): An individual who is addicted to shopping and buying products. (workoholic, alcoholic, chocoholic, AIRCoholic!)
smog (smoke + fog): A form of air pollution that has the qualities of both smoke and fog.
Spanglish (Spanish + English): A hybrid language that combines English and Spanish.
Chunnel (channel/tunnel): Word used to describe the Channel Tunnel that runs between the UK and France.
emoticon (emotion/icon): The use of keyboard characters to represent a facial expression.
nylon (NY + LON = New York +London): the man-made material was developed in those two cities.
denim (de + Nîmes = from Nîmes, in French language): Yes, the French, not Americans invented this cotton-based material!!
cyborg (cybernetic/organism): A human or fictional entity whose physiological functioning is enhanced by mechanical elements.
Oxbridge (Oxford/Cambridge): An inclusive term that is used to describe both Oxford and Cambridge universities.
Bollywood (Bombay/Hollywood): the Indian film industry
cosplay (costume + play): Dressing up in costumes that resemble characters from popular culture.
fanzine (fan + magazine): a magazine aimed at fans of a specific show
ginormous (giant/enormous): Large, huge.
metrosexual (metropolitan + heterosexual): a refined man from a metropolitan area who follows the latest fashion/beauty trends

NOT SO COMMON
chillax (chill/relax): Calm down, rest.
netiquette (internet/etiquette): correct/responsible behaviour on internet
edutainment (education/entertainment): Games or other forms of entertainment that have an educational aspect.
infotainment (information + entertainment): Forms of popular media that blend information and entertainment together. Similar to edutainment (education + entertainment).
infomercial (information/commercial): A television program that promotes a product in an informative and supposedly objective way.
spam (spiced + ham): tinned meat invented for WWII as a substitute product for fresh meat. The origins of “spam (email)” come from a 1970’s Monty Python sketch about this tinned meat.
guesstimate (guess + estimate): To estimate without solid facts or figures.
carjack (car/hijack): To take someone’s car by force.
cineplex (cinema/complex): A movie theatre with several screens.
knowledgebase (knowledge/database): Intellectual capital that is stored in a central area. Similar to wisdombase (wisdom/database).
frenemy (friend/enemy): Someone who is supposed to be a friend but whose actions are more characteristic of an enemy.
romcom (romantic/comedy): genre of TV series/film

Can you guess what they are?
bromance (brother/romance): A close relationship between two men.
affluenza (affluence/influenza): The guilt or lack of motivation experienced by people who have made or inherited large amounts of money.
screenager (screen/teenager): The typical adolescent who indulges excessively in screen entertainment.
mansplaining (man/explaining): Explaining something to a woman in a condescending manner.
glamping (glamour/camping): Luxury camping.
Nintendinitis (Nintendo/tendonitis): A condition caused by playing too many video games.
manwich (man/sandwich): A sandwich made from any of the ingredients that are available in the fridge.
flexitarian (vegetarian/flexible): A vegetarian who occasionally eats meat.
frankenfood (Frankenstein/food): Genetically modified food.

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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On next week’s episode: Living in Spain, New York and China.

The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’

Photo by Angelina Litvin on Unsplash