On December 30, 2012, I wrote a posting on this blog about a merging of two words to form a weird or unusual combination, a mixture that isn’t present in either word alone. I called them juxtapositions, partly because I couldn’t think of a better term, but partly to emphasize the fact that the two words sound unusual together. In some cases, I’ve noticed that the two words have merged to form what we now accept as one word, but the bizarre relationship between them continues. Over the past year I’ve collected a few more juxtapositions, and here they are:
Mechanical engineer – this sounds ominous. If these are engineers made of metal and mechanical parts and they start manufacturing more of themselves, look out! They could take over the world! And you thought computers were bad.
Nightmare – What is this? A female horse in the dark?
Ruthless – Someone (like Kim Jung Un) who is brutal, cold, and vicious is described as being “without ruth”? I don’t understand.
Flea collar – Did you ever try to put a collar on a flea? Mighty small collar.
Fruit punch – Now tell me, how is a fruit going to be able to punch you?
Home run – Most homes I know of are solidly rooted to the ground.
Shampoo – If I put something on my hair, I don’t want a sham poo, I want a true poo.
Weeping willow – All the willow trees I’ve ever encountered have been pretty quiet.