Word word

Word word

A Word word is a non-technical term for a particular colloquial tendency to "double" (repeat) a certain word, as if the first use is an adjective and the second is the modified noun. The first word of the repeated pair (adjective form) is usually stressed. For example, "do you mean an American Indian, or "Indian" Indian?" In examples in use and print, it usually attempts to disambiguate either nationalities or neologisms. The term was coined in 1982 by U.S. writer Paul Dickson.cite book
title = The Oxford Companion to the English Language
edition =
last =
first =
coauthors =
year = 1992
publisher = Oxford University Press
id = ISBN 0-19-214183-X
pages = p. 1127
]

Examples

* "American" English vs. "English" English. [http://esl.about.com/od/britishamerican/British_vs_American_English.htm British vs. American English] [http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/6174/us-uk-english.htm "Words that could be confusing and embarrassing in the UK & US", Word #13]
* "American" Indian vs. "Indian" Indian.cite book
title = The Oxford Companion to the English Language
edition =
last =
first =
coauthors =
year = 1992
publisher = Oxford University Press
id = ISBN 0-19-214183-X
pages = p. 1127
]
* "cable" television vs. "television" television.
* "e"-book vs. "book" book.
* Freelance work vs. "work" work.
* girl "friend" vs. "girlfriend" girlfriend
* "prescription" drugs vs. "drugs" drugs
* "rap" music vs. "music" music.

References


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