Reduplication is a word-formation process in which the base word is repeated exactly or with a partial change of a vowel or a consonant. These words are also called ‘echo words’. Reduplicative Words never go alone but hand in hand and appear always in pairs. In Reduplicative Words in English, the pair word or repeated word claims no meaning of its own but emphasizes the meaning of the base word. We majorly find four categories of Reduplicative Words in the English Language.
1. Exact Reduplication:
In this process, the word repeated is exactly the same as the first or base word. Baby words are also described as exact reduplications.
Ex., baa-baa, bang-bang, beriberi, blah blah etc.,
2. Rhyming Reduplication: ( with a change of consonant)
In this process of Reduplication, the second word rhymes with the base word by altering its consonant.
Ex., walky-talky, wheeler-dealer, mumbo-jumbo, Humpty Dumpty etc.,
3. Ablaut Reduplication: (with a change of vowel)
In this process of reduplication, the second words are formed by changing of a vowel in the base words.
Ex., bibble-babble, skimble-skamble, pitter-patter, jibber-jabber etc.,
4. Shm-Reduplication:
In this process of reduplication, we form a reduplicative by adding a ‘shm’ or ‘schm’to the base word just before a vowel sound in the first syllable. It is used to convey irony, sarcasm, skepticism, wit and poking fun. This process came into use in the U.S. with Yiddish speakers in the late 19th century.
Ex., syllable-shmyllable, baby-shmaby, fancy-schmancy etc.,
Exact Reduplications: |
RhymingReduplications:(with a change of consonant) |
AblautReduplications:(with a change of vowel ) |
Shm-Reduplications: |
| ack-ack | abracadabra | bibble-babble | apple – shmapple |
| aye-aye | airy-fairy | bric-a-brac | baby – shmaby |
| baa-baa | argy-bargy | chiff chaff | bagel – shmagel |
| bang-bang | arsy varsy | ching chong | breakfast – shmreakfast or
breakfast – shmeakfast |
| beriberi | artsy-fartsy | chit-chat | fancy – schmancy |
| blah blah | arty-farty | clip-clop | money-shmoney |
| bling-bling | barmy army | clippety-cloppety | sale – schmale |
| bonbon | beanie-weenies | crincum-crancum | syllable – shmyllable |
| boo-hoo | bees-knees | crinkle-crankle | union – shmyoonion or
union – shmoonion |
| bow-wow | blogger-flogger | criss-cross | |
| bye-bye | boo hoo | diddle-daddle | |
| cancan | boogie-woogie | dilly-dally | |
| cha cha | bow-wow | dimber damber | |
| chi-chi | boy-toy | ding-dong | |
| chop chop | brain drain | dingle-dangle | |
| froufrou | bunny wunny | fiddle-faddle | |
| gaga | chick-flick | fingle-fangle | |
| gee-gee | chunky monkey | flim-flam | |
| girly girly | clap-trap | flip-flap | |
| goody goody | creepy-peepy | flip-flop | |
| ha-ha | culture-vulture | flipperty-flopperty | |
| hush-hush | dingaling | gewgaw | |
| knock-knock | doggy woggy | gibble-gabble | |
| moo-moo | double-trouble | higgle-haggle | |
| muumuu | driver reviver | hip-hop | |
| neigh-neigh | easy peasy | jibber-jabber | |
| night-night | eensy-weensy | jig jog | |
| no-no | even-steven | jimjams | |
| papa | fam-bam | knick-knack | |
| pawpaw | fender-bender | mingle-mangle | |
| pee pee | fishy wishy | mishmash | |
| poo poo | flotsam-jetsam | mixty-maxty | |
| rah-rah | freaky-deaky | niddle-noddle | |
| rye-rye | fuddle-duddle | niddy-noddy | |
| so so | fuddy-duddy | ping pong | |
| ta-ta | fuzzy-wuzzy | pish posh | |
| tom-tom | gang bang | pit-a-pat | |
| tuk tuk | gender bender | pitter-patter | |
| tum-tum | ginger minger | pittle-pattle | |
| tutu | handy-dandy | plinky-plonky | |
| wee-wee | hanky-panky | popo | |
| yada-yada | happy-clappy | prittle-prattle | |
| yoyo | harum-scarum | ribble-rabble | |
| yum-yum | heebie-jeebies | riff-raff | |
| hee-haw | riprap | ||
| helter-skelter | scribble-scrabble | ||
| herky-jerky | see-saw | ||
| hi-fi | shilly-shally | ||
| higgledy-piggledy | ship-shape | ||
| hink pink | sing-song | ||
| hippie-dippie | skimble-skamble | ||
| hippy-dippy | slipslop | ||
| hity-tity | snipper-snapper | ||
| hob-nob | snip-snap | ||
| hobson-jobson | swish-swash | ||
| hocus-pocus | tick-tock | ||
| hodge-podge | ticky-tacky | ||
| hoity-toity | tic-tac | ||
| hokey-pokey | tip-top | ||
| holey-moley | tittle-tattle | ||
| hooly dooly | twittle-twattle | ||
| hootchie-kootchie | twit-twat | ||
| hotchpotch | whiff-whaff | ||
| hotspot | whim-wham | ||
| hotsy-totsy | wibble-wobble | ||
| hub bub | wibbly-wobbly | ||
| Hubble-bubble | wifty-wafty | ||
| hugger-mugger | wigwag | ||
| hullabaloo | wish-wash | ||
| humdrum | wishy-washy | ||
| Humpty Dumpty | wringle-wrangle | ||
| hurdy-gurdy | zig-zag | ||
| hurly-burly | |||
| hurry-scurry | |||
| Igglepiggle | |||
| incy wincy | |||
| ing-bing | |||
| itsy-bitsy | |||
| itty-bitty | |||
| Jeepers-creepers | |||
| jellybelly | |||
| kiddy widdy | |||
| kitty witty | |||
| laptop | |||
| lardy-dardy | |||
| loosey-goosey | |||
| lovey-dovey | |||
| mumbo-jumbo | |||
| namby-pamby | |||
| niminy-piminy | |||
| nitty-gritty | |||
| nit-wit | |||
| okey-dokey | |||
| ooey-gooey | |||
| pall-mall | |||
| palsy-walsy | |||
| party hardy | |||
| party hearty | |||
| pell-mell | |||
| phoney-baloney | |||
| piggy wiggy | |||
| pooper scooper | |||
| pow-wow | |||
| purple nurple | |||
| ragbag | |||
| raggle-taggle | |||
| ragtag | |||
| razzle-dazzle | |||
| razzmatazz | |||
| ring-a-ling | |||
| rocket docket | |||
| roly-poly | |||
| rugger bugger | |||
| rumpy-pumpy | |||
| silly billy | |||
| snailmail | |||
| super-duper | |||
| teensy-weensy | |||
| teeny-weeny | |||
| tootsy-wootsy | |||
| topsy-turvy | |||
| tozy-mozy | |||
| trolley dolly | |||
| voodoo | |||
| walkie-talkie | |||
| walky-talky | |||
| wheeler-dealer | |||
| wi-fi | |||
| willy-nilly | |||
| wingding | |||
| yummy mummy |
Also read:
How to read long words in English
One word substitutions in English
List of Common Phobias in English
Palindromes in the English Language
Pangrams in the English Language
Spoonerisms in the English Language
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