在英語里，合成詞指的是把兩個或多個單詞中的一部分混合后組成的新詞語，這種構詞方式在現代英語中尤為常見。比如，“vlog 視頻博客”來自單詞“video 視頻”和“blog 博客”；單詞 “brunch 早午餐”從“breakfast 早餐”和“lunch 午餐”演變而來。雖然這類詞語最早常出現在網絡平臺上，但現在許多受歡迎的合成詞也已經被納入辭典當中，成為正式詞匯。下面《英語小測驗》中列出的六個合成詞，你認識哪幾個呢？來試試吧。

1. Which portmanteau has been created from the combination of ‘jeans’ and ‘leggings’?

a) jeggings

b) jeanings

c) leans

d) leanings

2. Which portmanteau means ‘a close platonic relationship between two men’?

a) dudeship 

b) bromance

c) matemance

d) manloves

3. Which portmanteau means ‘irritated because of having an empty stomach’?

a) hungerage

b) hangry

c) rangry

d) irritatungry

4. ‘Netiquette’ is a portmanteau. What does it mean?

a) a type of herbal tea made from nettles

b) a type of net used to hold a number of courgettes

c) the correct way of using the internet according to good manners

d) being rude and acting according to bad manners

5. Which portmanteau means ‘a person you have a good relationship with despite not liking them much’?

a) palversary

b) matetagonist

c) oppanion

d) frenemy

6. Which portmanteau has recently been used to talk about Great Britain leaving the European Union?

a) Engleaving

b) UKQuit

c) Brexit

d) Britake-away

答案

1) a, 2) b, 3) b, 4) c, 5) d, 6) c.