Inflationary language

Comedian and entertainer Victor Borge used to do a bit where he’d muse about the application of economic inflation to language.

See, we have hidden numbers in the words like “wonderful,” “before,” “create,” “tenderly.” All these numbers can be inflated and meet the economy, you know, by rising to the occcassion. I suggest we add one to each of these numbers to be prepared. For example “wonderful” would be “two-derful.” Before would be Be-five. Create, cre-nine. Tenderly should be eleven-derly. A Leiutenant would be a Leiut-eleven-ant. A sentance like, “I ate a tenderloin with my fork” would be “I nine an elevenderloin with my five-k.”

Here’s the whole routine:

(via bobulate)

• economics
• language
• Victor Borge
• video