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#146895 08/27/05 10:39 AM
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There is a linguistic term for this, which I cannot recall.

I think it's called "shortening."


#146896 08/27/05 10:53 AM
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There is a linguistic term for this, which I cannot recall.

I think it's called "shortening."

You mean that stuff you use to make pie into pi?


#146897 08/27/05 12:24 PM
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>>pie => pi

Ha!


#146898 08/27/05 01:01 PM
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here's another, Quack, (as in a doctor, who's qualifications are not quite up to snuff) is a shortened form of Quacksalver.

(a quacksalver used to be a person who boasted or "quacked" about his salves and healing compounds.)


#146899 08/27/05 03:26 PM
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I think it's called "shortening."

Nah. Shortening is that white greasy substance which is an adequate substitute for neither lard nor butter.


#146900 08/27/05 05:14 PM
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There is a linguistic term for this, which I cannot recall.

Apocope:

http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-apo1.htm



Ceci n'est pas un seing.
#146901 08/27/05 05:24 PM
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Apocope!

zmjezhd and Michael Quinion to the rescue!

Hence, the familiar song:

Apocope
And get your hat.
Leave your worries on the doorstep
And direct your feet
To the shorter side of the street.


#146902 08/27/05 06:06 PM
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Oh, an i was thinking of

Shortnin', shortnin',
mama's little baby loves shortnin' bread!



#146903 08/27/05 07:20 PM
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Dear Helen ~

Be careful. This is getting perilously close to a food thread and you know that there are those who get grumpy when we slip like that.

Chef Steve



#146904 08/27/05 09:01 PM
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Oh, Father Steve, i am getting perilously close to being cited by the gutter police.. if you think shortin' bread is about food, you live a sheltered life!

(i chose blue textnot unintentionally!)
children's songs, (until Disney and PBS took over) where often about grown up subjects.


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