| 词组 | syntactic blend |
| 释义 | syntactic blend A syntactic blend is an unconscious combination of two (or perhaps more) phrases to produce a new one, such as equally as good from just as good and equally good (example from Bolinger 1980). A few syntactic blends recur often enough to become the subject of discussion in usage books (including the present one)—equally as, accused with, hardly ... than, scarcely ... than, for instance—and some may eventually become well enough established to be counted as idioms. A few are probably conscious combinations used as slang. But most syntactic blends are accidents of speech and are probably not repeated except by chance. Gerald Cohen, who produces the journal Comments on Etymology, has been presenting lists of syntactic blends on a regular basis since 1975; his number 3-4 of 1981 contains almost a hundred of them, a great many taken from people talking on television. The bulk of these— several are rather humorous—would be more accurately described as malapropisms. Some of Cohen's examples include bet your bottom boots, from bet your boots and bet your bottom dollar; couldn't give a damn less, from couldn't care less and don't give a damn; and out of skelter, from out of kilter and helter-skelter. Once in a while such blends will crop up in print. Here are a few we have found: • Just wait to you hear Shlomo Mintz This is probably wait till you hear and can't wait to hear. • ... though perhaps not quite to the degree as was believed at the time This seems to be to the degree that and to such a degree as. Quite a lot of more falling bodies This must be from quite a lot of and a lot more of. • ... probably alongside with the legends which the author has tried to destroy This seems to be from along with and alongside (of). He induced Georgia Tech guard Bruce Dalrymple into picking up two quick fouls This is likely a blend of induce to and entice into. Part of Gerald Cohen's interest in syntactic blends stems from the fact that current theories of language do not account for them very well. So keep an ear and eye open for syntactic blends. They can show you how the language works when it is not hitting on all cylinders. See also malapropism; mixed metaphor. |
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