Wordficiency: It's Just the Right Thing to Do

I love wordplay. More specifically, I am an admirer of the invention of new words. Shakespeare was probably the best at this. He has been credited with the creation and introduction of over 8000 words in the English language. It's likely that I don't even know that many words - neither did he it appears (hence the creation of 8000 new ones). One phenomenon of wordplay garnering some attention lately is the practice of combining two words or names to make one, dually-descriptive word. Brangelina, Beniffer and ginormous are just a few. We call this wordficiency* (word + efficiency). And it's been around for a long time. If you've ever been invited to brunch, you have reaped the rewards of this process. The rules are simple: (1) combine two words. Any more than that and you will just confuse the masses. (2) only one of the words can be in full form. For example, catastic (cat+fantastic) is funny - and a little depressing. However catfantastic is just as depressing, but also unimaginative.

That's it. Try it for yourself. But, beware. It's not as easy as you might think. Just ask linner, the embarrassed step-brother to brunch. He never could stack up. Instead, he's been relegated to sarcastic comments of hung-over college kids who have slept right past two meals. Here are a few of my submissions for your consideration...

1. Oilcean - We're closing in on two months of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. So far, estimates put the amount of oil leaked at about 30 million gallons. Given the "strategies" BP has put in place to slow/stop the leak - I think at one point they actually were going to use a huge ball of slop including golf balls, rubber and eye of newt - it's time we get used to the idea of taking a dip in the Atlantic Oilcean during our summer vacation. My friend Rush Limbaugh might disagree. But, I just don't put a lot of faith in his or BP's ecological training.

2. Republicrat or Demopublican - I am tired of politicians switching parties for votes. There should be a Scarlet Letter label put on these carpetbaggers. This makes about as much sense as a man born and raised in Boston who roots for the Yankees because he looks better in pinstripes. I say we force these cowards into a new party. I haven't decided on which of these two I like so far - I'll just wait to see what the majority goes with.

3. Brinner - Just because linner never got his day in the sun, doesn't mean we give up on combining one meal name with another. The truth is that I love to eat cereal at dinner and I have nothing to call it. Some people may want to call this brupper, but that's just odd.

*Much thanks to Kamber for their assistance with this entry. I always value your inputelligence.