Is that a word you’ve used before? As a chicken tender, I may have used it a time or two.

We’ve already established I’m a low-level rule breaker, but this particular topic is fun without even breaking anything! Just saying “expletive infixation” makes me laugh. ?

Keep reading to learn all about it and find out if a tmesis is in your vocabulary!

First, a quick refresher on “fixes.”

A prefix is a word part we attach to the beginning of a word to make a new word with a different meaning, e.g. pro-, dis-, anti-, un-.

Suffixes do the same thing, except they’re added to the end of a word, e.g. -er, -tion, -less, -ed.

But today, we’re adding a new “fix”—the infix. Infixes are inserted into the base form of a word—rather than at the beginning or end. You can create your own new word or intensify its meaning.

Well then, what the what is tmesis? And, more importantly, how do you pronounce it?!?

The pronunciation part is pretty easy, despite the way it looks… tuh-me-sis. Ok, now that we can say it; what is it?

You might not have known it had an official name, but you’ve likely had fun making up new words (most likely as a workaround for not using profanity!) at some point in your past.

According to Grammar Girl’s The Grammar Devotional: tmesis is when “the thing splitting [the original word] is a whole word instead of a prefix- or suffix-like element.”

Most of the time, a tmesis is used to express joy, frustration, or anger.

Joy – That’s un-clucking-believable! The playoff game was out-freakin’-standing!

Frustration – I’m wondering where that ref got edu-freaking-cated on the rules.

Anger – I guaran-bloody-tee that better not happen again.

This is a fun way to add nuances or emphasis to your writing, but use sparingly and consider your audience.

Fun fact: Tmesis is called “tumbarumba” in Australian English.

P.S. “La-dee-freakin’-da” was said by what comedian/motivational speaker?? Send me some of your own whoop-de-freakin’-do favorites!

Thanks for reading (and sharing!)

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