Quiz Guy John Chaneski offers a puzzle about kangaroo words. They’re words that contain a synonym of themselves. For example, the word devilish contains what adjective that means the same thing? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Kangaroo Words Contain Synonyms of Themselves”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette. And joining us on the line from New York City is our quiz guy, John Chaneski. Hey, John.
Hey, Martha. Hi, Grant.
Hey, bud.
Hey. So, you know, we did a quiz on Aussie slang a little while ago, and it inspired me to look at kangaroos.
Specifically, that particular form of recreational linguistics known as a kangaroo word. Are you familiar with those?
Is it a word tucked in another word, like a kangaroo pouch?
Sort of, yeah, very much so.
A kangaroo word is a word that contains within it a synonym of itself.
Oh.
Right.
Now, the letters might be all together, such as in the word alone, which contains the word lone.
But that’s, you know, low-hanging mangoes for serious word players like us.
A better one is the word devilish, which contains the word…
Evil.
Evil, yes.
Very good.
Now, what I like even more is a kangaroo word in which the letters are in order, but they’re not together,
Such as the word curtail, which contains the word, anyone?
Cut.
Cut, yes, C-U-T right there.
So now you know how a kangaroo word works.
So we’re going to work with just those kangaroo words where the letters are in order, but they’re not together.
Let’s see if you can tell me the Joey words, that’s what they’re called, inside each of the following kangaroo words.
You might need a paper and pencil for this one.
It’ll help.
Ready?
Here we go.
The first word is respite.
Rest.
Rest.
Yeah, that was pretty good.
Next one is observe.
See.
See, yes, S-E-E.
Very good.
Let’s try honorable.
Able?
No.
No.
Honorable honorable what’s that oh oh right noble yes very good grant let’s try this one
Destruction destruction yeah
Ruin ruin is correct yes very good i keep trying to work with that c
This one might be a little challenging too it’s another three-letter word you’re looking for the
The kangaroo word is substandard.
Substandard.
Good gravy.
Bad.
Bad is right.
Oh, good.
I was just sitting here looking at the word,
And I just realized the word sad could also be substandard.
That’s pretty fine, too.
Yeah, those are called twin kangaroo words with two joeys.
Oh, how cute.
Yeah.
Let’s try the word strives.
Strives.
Tries.
Strives.
Strives.
Tries.
Tries, yes.
Very good.
I actually like this one very much.
The word prematurely.
Pre-ma-ture-ly.
Early.
Early is correct.
Oh, I didn’t think that.
Yes, very good.
That’s great.
Now, I have a lot of friends who collect different kinds of wordplay, and I encourage, that is,
Urge you to leave the real kangaroos alone and collect your own set of kangaroo words.
So hop to it, everyone.
Thanks.
John. We’ll talk to you next week.
Take care of yourself.
We are interested in bending your brain.
If you’ve got a question, we’ve got answers.
Or email words at
