Normcore: Just Your Average, Everyday Paradox
The impossible tension of an anti-fashion portmanteau
Like a suspenseful story or a taut tightrope, a good word can carry a sense of internal tension. This is most evident in a , where multiple words are smashed together to form a new word that combines their meanings (it’s named after the portmanteau suitcase, which, , A collision of two words yields a natural sense of drama. What’s going to come of the romance between these bros? What happens when you breed a Labrador and a poodle? How does a chameleon become a millionaire? Portmanteau words are like linguistic sitcoms—the more unlikely the pairing, the funnier they become. Which is why I always loved the word .
