Today you’ll learn some English portmanteaus!
Do you prefer to chillax with friends or frenemies?
There are new portmanteaus coming out all of the time.
Listen in on today’s episode and learn four up-to-date and brand-new ones that you can start using now.
Barbie vs. Oppenheimer
Aubrey asks Lindsay if she has seen the movies Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Lindsay answers that she did the Barbenheimer.
She watched one on Friday night and the next on Saturday morning.
Her friend had a wedding in Salt Lake City and instead of going to the events, she went to the movies.
Aubrey saw Barbie and she loved it.
She is hoping to watch Oppenheimer soon.
Box office drama
Both movies were debuted in the cinemas on the same week.
There was a massive opening weekend for both movies and it was the fourth largest box office weekend in history.
The Barbie Director, Greta Gerwig made history by having the largest premiere weekend ever for a female director.
Both Barbie and Oppenheimer are recommended by Lindsay and Aubrey.
As you heard, Lindsay used the term ‘Barbenheimer.’
This is a portmanteau of Barbie and Oppenheimer that’s been used a lot in the media.
In today’s episode, we will be discussing new portmanteaus.
Portmanteaus are words combined to create a new meaning.
Another episode you can look into that is related to today’s topic is AEE 1546: Staycation? Mocktail? How to Combine Two English Words.
Check out that episode for explanations of many portmanteaus.
New portmanteaus you can use
Today we’ll show a few more new portmanteaus.
These are up-to-date portmanteaus you can use in your conversations in English:
#1: Athleisure
This is combining the words athletic and leisure.
This means comfortable sports attire meant for leisure.
You will look like you’re going to work out but you’re just lounging at home.
Example:
I basically live in athleisure.
The best thing to wear on a flight is athleisure.
#2: Brainiac
This combines the words brain and maniac.
This is used to refer to a very smart person.
Example:
My brother is a total brainiac.
What do you think I am, a brainiac?
I’m no brainiac, but I know that __.
#3: Frenemy
This combines the words friend and enemy.
This means a friend with whom you don’t always get along.
It can also refer to enemies who don’t always fight with each other.
Example:
My daughter’s friends all seem like frenemies.
I found out he was saying cruel things behind my back and was more of a frenemy than a friend.
#4: Chillax
This is combining the words chill and relax.
You are either chilling and relaxing.
You can also use this as an admonition to tell someone to calm down.
You won’t use this in formal situations.
Example:
I just want to chillax tonight.
My friend was getting angry so I told him to chillax.
Roleplay
Here is a quick roleplay from Lindsay and Aubrey.
They will use all the portmanteau examples they shared in today’s episode.
This will help you better understand how to use these in a conversation.
Aubrey: What are you wearing to Jane’s house?
Lindsay: I think just athleisure. I want to be comfortable.
Aubrey: Smart. I hope Mike won’t be there. He’s kind of become a frenemy.
Lindsay: Oh no, what happened?
Aubrey: He never returns my texts and I’ve been told he’s said some unkind things about me. I’m no brainiac, but I think those aren’t the best signs.
Lindsay: Well if he’s there, we can just go catch a movie and chillax.
Aubrey: Perfect!
Takeaway
Throwing in language with color when writing or in conversations can work well to get your message across.
Using portmanteaus will definitely make communication more interesting and more native.
Be adventurous with the words you use and don’t be afraid to experiment with new words.
It’s best to use current words used by native English speakers to bring your English skills to a higher level.
What are other portmanteaus you’ve heard?
Share what it means in the comments below.
