https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=UncleDaleexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-05-04T00:35:21ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1290:_Syllable_Planning&diff=526621290: Syllable Planning2013-11-13T14:29:14Z<p>UncleDale: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1290<br />
| date = November 13, 2013<br />
| title = Syllable Planning<br />
| image = syllable_planning.png<br />
| titletext = You absolute-fucking-... shit.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete}}<br />
[[Cueball]] wants to say ''ri-fucking-diculous'', but he inserts the ''fucking'' too late in the word. Now, he has to say ''ridicu-fucking-lous'', which sounds ridiculous.<br />
<br />
Alternate interpretation: He has inserted the ''fucking'' too late. Now what he hears himself about to say (with the "l" sound ambiguous) is ''ridicul-fucking-us''; but ''"fucking us"'' seems a bit awkward to drop into the conversation.<br />
<br />
This is an example of {{w|tmesis}}, the breaking up of a word to include another within it, and more specifically of {{w|expletive infixation}}. Normally, for rhythmic reasons the included word is inserted before the {{w|Stress (linguistics)|stressed}} syllable (''ri'''dic'''ulous'' becoming ''ri-fucking-'''dic'''ulous'') which is what Cueball messed up. (However in some cases it is also possible to break the word after a prefix instead, so for some words there are two ways to do it e.g. {{w|wikt:unbefuckinglievable|''unbe-fucking-lievable''}} or {{w|wikt:unfuckingbelievable|''un-fucking-believable''}}; this is probably because ''unbelievable'' is {{w|commons:File:En-us-unbelievable.ogg|pretty much pronounced flatly}}, even when said in a heated tone, unlike words like ''ridiculous'', where the stressed syllable is quite evident when the word is said angrily.)<br />
<br />
The [[title text]] introduces a further example, with speaker inserting the ''fucking'' too late into the word ''absolutely''&mdash;which would have resulted in ''absolute-fucking-ly''&mdash;but leaving the word unfinished when they realise their mistake. The more usual tmesis here would be {{w|wikt:absofuckinglutely|''abso-fucking-lutely''}}.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Cueball: Man, that is '''''RIDICU'''''—fucking—... ...Hang on, I inserted "fucking" too late and now there's just one awkward syllable left. Can I back up?<br />
:[Cueball is standing next to Megan.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>UncleDalehttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1290:_Syllable_Planning&diff=526611290: Syllable Planning2013-11-13T14:28:16Z<p>UncleDale: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1290<br />
| date = November 13, 2013<br />
| title = Syllable Planning<br />
| image = syllable_planning.png<br />
| titletext = You absolute-fucking-... shit.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete}}<br />
[[Cueball]] wants to say ''ri-fucking-diculous'', but he inserts the ''fucking'' too late in the word. Now, he has to say ''ridicu-fucking-lous'', which sounds ridiculous.<br />
<br />
Alternate interpretation: He has inserted the ''fucking'' too late. Now what he hears himself about to say (with the "l" sound ambiguous) is ''ridicul-fucking-us''; but ''fucking us" seems a bit awkward to drop into the conversation.<br />
<br />
This is an example of {{w|tmesis}}, the breaking up of a word to include another within it, and more specifically of {{w|expletive infixation}}. Normally, for rhythmic reasons the included word is inserted before the {{w|Stress (linguistics)|stressed}} syllable (''ri'''dic'''ulous'' becoming ''ri-fucking-'''dic'''ulous'') which is what Cueball messed up. (However in some cases it is also possible to break the word after a prefix instead, so for some words there are two ways to do it e.g. {{w|wikt:unbefuckinglievable|''unbe-fucking-lievable''}} or {{w|wikt:unfuckingbelievable|''un-fucking-believable''}}; this is probably because ''unbelievable'' is {{w|commons:File:En-us-unbelievable.ogg|pretty much pronounced flatly}}, even when said in a heated tone, unlike words like ''ridiculous'', where the stressed syllable is quite evident when the word is said angrily.)<br />
<br />
The [[title text]] introduces a further example, with speaker inserting the ''fucking'' too late into the word ''absolutely''&mdash;which would have resulted in ''absolute-fucking-ly''&mdash;but leaving the word unfinished when they realise their mistake. The more usual tmesis here would be {{w|wikt:absofuckinglutely|''abso-fucking-lutely''}}.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Cueball: Man, that is '''''RIDICU'''''—fucking—... ...Hang on, I inserted "fucking" too late and now there's just one awkward syllable left. Can I back up?<br />
:[Cueball is standing next to Megan.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>UncleDale