31
$\begingroup$

On Jeopardy, there are clues called "Before and After" which asks contestants to answer questions like

Period of rest in Genesis where working parents leave toddlers
SEVENTH DAY CARE CENTERS

However, I'm sure this form of wordplay has a name and existed before Jeopardy. I once stumbled across a list of examples of people chaining together 30+ words in this way, but I can't for the life of me find it. Does anybody have any references to what these are called, or where I can find impressively long chains?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
13
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Man, I love those Jeopardy questions. $\endgroup$
    – Goose
    Commented Jul 30, 2020 at 16:12
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ There's a very similar game on Richard Osman's House of Games (UK TV). It's called Answer Smash. uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/… - However the syllables of consecutive words can overlap. $\endgroup$
    – chasly - supports Monica
    Commented Jul 30, 2020 at 17:23
  • 10
    $\begingroup$ The Jeopardy ones were inspired by Wheel of Fortune, which runs a similar category! $\endgroup$
    – El-Guest
    Commented Jul 30, 2020 at 18:31
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I know this isn't the correct term, but I've heard people calling them portmanteaus. Typically, a portmanteau refers to a blending of sounds in one word, though, not an entire sentence or phrase. $\endgroup$
    – alondo
    Commented Jul 30, 2020 at 18:39
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ I don't think there's another name for these? $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Commented Jul 30, 2020 at 18:57

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
45
$\begingroup$

Found it! They are apparently called "Phrasal Overlap-Portmanteaus", although I suggest we find a better name (Word Play Dough?)

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • 34
    $\begingroup$ Word Play Dough sounds very fitting! $\endgroup$
    – justhalf
    Commented Jul 31, 2020 at 6:17
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ word-play-manteaus $\endgroup$
    – WestCoastProjects
    Commented Aug 1, 2020 at 1:58
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ Love the dough, but I might slightly prefer the more exciting sounding "wordplaying with fire" $\endgroup$
    – Bass
    Commented Aug 1, 2020 at 14:42
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Great answer! Although you faithfully reproduce your citation, I'd like to argue for 'portmanteaux' here (or else your awesome alternate suggestion). $\endgroup$
    – LSpice
    Commented Aug 2, 2020 at 22:25
6
$\begingroup$

Linguists use the term "garden path sentences". I would say it is somewhat broader than wnat your examples are aiming at, but it subsumes them. And obviously, the usage is not game-specific, they have been more studied in literature than in games, I believe.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
  • 14
    $\begingroup$ Garden path sentences are gramatically correct sentences, unlike what is being asked about here. Garden path sentences are sentences where the first half has two different grammatical interpretations (e.g. by words which can be both nouns and verbs) which only gets resolved in the second half of the sentence. They usually get resolved to the less obvious interpretation, so that you have to re-read and re-interpret the sentence from the start. See wiki. $\endgroup$
    – Jaap Scherphuis
    Commented Jul 31, 2020 at 11:30
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @JaapScherphuis yes, I know that about garden path sentences. The examples fulfill your definition. Take "The L, the W and the Wardrobe malfunction" - here, the first grammatical interpretation is that "wardrobe" is a third noun in a list of nouns, the second interpretation is that "wardrobe" is a modifier in the noun phrase "wardrobe malfunction", and the reader starts with the first interpretation until suddenly realizing that the second is the correct one. What the OP describes are not prototypical examples of garden path sentences, but it is still within the category. $\endgroup$
    – rumtscho
    Commented Jul 31, 2020 at 11:39
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ @rumtscho I think the category OP's trying to point to also might also include ungrammatical sentences. (Perhaps not.) Though, since these aren't prototypical examples, this feels like a non-central answer, like answering “these are phrases”. $\endgroup$
    – wizzwizz4
    Commented Jul 31, 2020 at 23:27
  • $\begingroup$ @wizzwizz4 I think I get where your feeling of "non-central" answer comes from, you are hoping for a more precise word that doesn't also cover other cases (it is something I certainly look for when I am looking for a term). I think it is still interesting to highlight this categorization, since it can lead people to find a lot of interesting research in that area - it of course doesn't reduce the value of a different, more precise answer, if it exists. $\endgroup$
    – rumtscho
    Commented Aug 1, 2020 at 10:25
5
$\begingroup$

In our trivia group we call them "banda"s. Obviously short for Before and After.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
$\begingroup$

Portmanteau can refer to a word or phrase like that. I hope that's what you're looking for.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
$\begingroup$

Wheel of Fortune calls these "Before & After". https://wheeloffortunehistory.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_categories

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.