Newsgroups: sci.lang,alt.usage.english
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From: jcf@world.std.com (Joseph C Fineman)
Subject: Re: dystmesis (was Re: Tendency of Inflections to Disappear - Why?)
Message-ID: <Dv9vCn.8p7@world.std.com>
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
References: <4suk93$pob@carrera.intergate.bc.ca> <4sv017$2oa@seagoon.newcastle.edu.au> <4t5nj1$peo@netsrv2.spss.com> <4taeev$8cr@brachio.zrz.TU-Berlin.DE> <rdd-2607961317360001@dmn1-39.usa1.com> <4tblvo$fvs@news3.digex.net> <rdd-2707961910300001@dmn1-13.usa1.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 21:21:58 GMT
Lines: 9

The classical example, according to _MEU_ (which calls it plain
tmesis), is in Ennius: Saxo cere comminuit brum, "He smashed his brain
with a rock", where the verb is inserted into the middle of its
object.  The article also mentions the modern "hoo-bloody-ray", and I
myself have heard "ob-fucking-noxious".
-- 
        Joe Fineman             jcf@world.std.com
        495 Pleasant St., #1    (617) 324-6899
        Malden, MA 02148
