The 'contranym' post made me wonder if there is a named category for words that combine two word-elements with opposing meanings, eg. 'oxymoron' (itself!) comprised of/ derived from 'oxus'=sharp and 'moros'=dull/foolish and 'sophomore' from 'sophos'=wise and 'moros'=dull/foolish.
Pianoforte is another, and Hofstadter parodied it in his Godel/Escher/Bach dialogues with a computer he called a "smartstupid."
Which says nothing about the name of the class of words. Sorry.
pianoforte
It might be noted that pianoforte is not so much oxymoronic as it is a description of the range available to the instrument. It is capable of playing soft to loud in a way not previously available to instruments of its type.
Hi anchita!
if there is a named category for words that combine two word-elements with opposing meanings
But..but..but (scratching head e)isn't THAT what an oxymoron is!!!?? It appears you are referring to words that are not only oxymorons but are also derived from them? A sub-class, maybe?
hmmmm....I imagine oxymorons are mostly phrases concocted with INTENT, for effect; catch phrases designed to project contradiction. And funny though they sound, they ALWAYS mean something and manage to convey it effectively too.
What would be the purpose in creating a contradictory word that derives from similarly inconsistent roots? Take sophomore, for e.g., WHY was it constructed that way? For what purpose or to what end? Are we looking at these roots right, or are we seeing some dendritic mingling with other words over time?
> re. pianoforte
It seems the case with many one word 'oxymorons' that, depending on what sort of fuzzy logic a smart fool (or dimwit) uses, you could regard 'gateway' or 'seaport' as oxymorons or at least genuine imitations. I thought the idea of an oxymoron as a label for a truly oxymoronic state (highly ambivalent emotions) was always best exemplified by the 'bitter sweet' feelings of problematic romance which Shakespeare was fond of describing.
- wise fool
wise fool
What said Quinapalus? Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.
1. ". . . isn't THAT what an oxymoron is!!!??"
Well, oxymoron is used for a phrase and not a word, isn't it?
2. ". . . sophomore, for e.g., WHY was it constructed that way?"
I think it might mean a person who has some wisdom (hence 'sophos'), but is in quest of more, hence still 'foolish' in a some ways (hence 'moros')... like a second year college student.
AHD
suggests that the root was
sophumer from
sophum, sophism and the breakdown into
sophos, wise and
moros, dull is something of a folk etymology.
http://www.bartleby.com/61/66/S0566600.html