How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Proparalepsis

Techniques > Use of language > Figures of speech > Proparalepsis

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Proparalepsis is the addition of extra letters to the end of a word.

Example

Thanks muchly.

I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

Just call me happinessish!

Discussion

Adding letters to the end of a word stretches it, holding attention, perhaps deliberately for exaggeration or humorous effect. This form of distortion is often easiest to interpret as the person hears the main word first, and only has to figure out what the suffix means (if anything).

The word endings added are often endings found on other words, transposed to convert the word type, for example to make a noun an adjective ('horseish') or a verb an adverb ('bigly').

Classification: Distortion