Portmanteau Words

Step 1 – Introduction

• Learners are welcomed, the educator provides a brief introduction to the activity, explaining its purpose and outlining what participants will do.

Step 2 – Discussion starter

• Learners are asked questions such as:
  • “What can you see around you?”
  • “What’s in the room?”

• Together, the group defines the difference between still objects (all elements in the room, such as furniture, walls, lights, windows, etc.) and people.

Step 3 – Naming what you see

• Each learner receives five small papers, a marker, and some adhesive paste or tape.
• Learners move around the room and write the names of five physical objects they observe, in their own language, and attach the notes next to the corresponding objects.

Step 4 – Language exchange

• Sitting in a circle, learners and the educator translate the written words into the target language. The educator adds the translations below the original notes, using papers of a different color.
• Learners can then compare how the same word appears in different languages. During this phase, participants may also discover similarities between words across languages.

Step 5 – Connecting words

• Learners choose two words displayed on the wall and written in the target language and use a red thread to connect them across the room.
• Together, the threads create a visible web of new meanings, connecting thoughts and languages, and transforming the room into a playful, creative installation.

Step 6 – Creating “portmanteau words”

• The educator introduces the idea of “portmanteau words” (from Lewis Carroll)—words made by blending two existing words—and gives some examples (e.g., Carroll’s SNARK = Snake + Shark, or more common words such as SMOG = Smoke + Fog, and BRUNCH = Breakfast + Lunch).
• Learners then create portmanteau words using the two words they have chosen: They fold the two sheets so that only a portion of each word remains visible—for example, the first syllable of one word and the last syllable of the other. The sheets are then joined together to make the newly invented word readable.
• Learners are invited to assign a new meaning to each word. The educator assists in confirming whether the new word sounds natural or humorous in the target language.
• The newly invented words are written on papers of a different color, then attached to a large sheet alongside the original words, displayed on the wall, and examined collectively by the group.

Step 7 – Storytelling and sharing (if time allows)

• Learners can recall the newly invented words and explain their meanings, or use them to create short stories, dialogues, or mini-scenarios incorporating the invented vocabulary.