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Tmesis ( Greek, "a cutting") is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is inserted into another word, often for humorous effect. The insertion may occur between the parts of a compound word, of an infinitive ( split infinitive), or between syllable boundaries ( dystmesis ).Also referred to as diacope , or tumbarumba; the latter due to the popularity of tmesis in Australian speech. Linguists sometimes describe tmesis as a form of infixing.
Examples:
- "what-place-soever"; note that "whatsoever" is itself an example of tmesis, being an insertion of "so" into "whatever"
- "I can't find it any-blooming-where" (see also expletive infixation)
- "how heinous e'er it be" ( Shakespeare's tmesis of "however" in Richard II)
- "any-old-how" (parallel to "any old thing")
