Sesquipedalian Portmanteaux

Joshua loves words. LOVES words like crazy, man. His two new favorites are:

sesquipedalian: [ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn]

–adjective 

1. given to using long words.

2. (of a word) containing many syllables.

–noun

3. a sesquipedalian word.

and portmanteau:

a blend of two (or more) words or morphemes and their meanings into one new word.



He has decided that he wants to be sesquipedalian at all times, and so instead of saying "yes," he says "indeed," because it's twice as long, syllable-wise, as "yes." Instead of "cool," he says things like "outrageous," "fantastic,"  and "spectacular."

It's so cute.

He also enjoys making up portamanteaux - even before he learned the proper word for the practice, he made them. They just seem to come to him naturally. He just informed me that Derek has a "grayver" Hot Wheels car. It's a mix of gray and silver (I'm guessing a dark metallic silver - sort of pewter?)

The other night at dinner, when we were discussing, yet again, how Daddy is a goober, and Mama is a genius, he informed us that he was a half-breed...half goober, half sesquipedalian.

Dr. SmartyPants asked him what you would call such a person.

"A gooberpedalian." he said with confident authority.

Indeed.