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A recent question is promisingly tagged single-word-requests, american-english, abbreviations and portmanteau-words.

Every one I spoke to seems to think it's about anything but portmanteau words.

One comment clearly states there is no such portmanteau as the OP there has asked, while one answer states that such a portmanteau would not be possible.

The extended commentary at the question and the couple of answers all discuss the same topic, which is not portmanteau words, not the English language and its usage, not something of peripheral interest to the English language.

I flagged the post for the attention of the mods: What's happening?

[EDIT]
The referred question has since been edited, title, body and tags. This meta question relates to the original version as at the time of posting.

  • As you say, most of the ensuing conversation had little to do with protmanteau words, Princetard being the one exception. Given that Princetard isn't in common use, though, what are you suggesting should happen next? Retagging? – J.R. Dec 13 '12 at 22:04
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    I don't understand your question. Yoichi's original question was not substantially different than its current form. I do not see any rational interpretation that would make his question off-topic, either in its original or its edited form. Comments are comments; they often veer off-topic, but that doesn't mean the question magically becomes off-topic as well. – Marthaª Dec 14 '12 at 16:53
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    This seems to be simply more evidence that the tag system is hopeless. Ontopicity, on the other hand, is worth a vote, hyphen-ated or not. – John Lawler Dec 15 '12 at 0:14
  • @JohnLawler Gratifying to note there are great souls around that see things, in the right perspective, for what they are, objective, free from emotion, free of prejudice. – Kris Dec 15 '12 at 14:00
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    * ... objectively, ... – Kris Dec 15 '12 at 14:07
  • What attention by the mods did you expect? Deleting the question? Deleting the answers? – Mitch Dec 18 '12 at 0:31
  • @Mitch If I were to say that, I would have been a mod? :) – Kris Dec 18 '12 at 5:49
  • Still at a loss. What would you expect a mod to do then? – Mitch Dec 18 '12 at 11:57
  • @Mitch That is meta even on meta. Hope that closes that; certainly not to be provoked, not to be drawn into prolonged debate. – Kris Dec 18 '12 at 12:02
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The extended commentary at the question and the couple of answers all discuss the same topic, which is not portmanteau words, not the English language and its usage, not something of peripheral interest to the English language.

Probably portmanteau is not the correct term to use in this case, but the answer proposes a phrase that could be used in American English instead of Oxbridge. That is about English language, and its usage. If the OP insisted to have a similar made-up word created from the names of two USA universities, the question could be seen as too localized.

  • I avoided saying that: "the question could be seen as too localized," so a camouflage is a perfect ruse? – Kris Dec 12 '12 at 12:48
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    It's not camouflage if the question is about an English word. The difference is insisting on getting a word that doesn't exist, and accepting a phrase even if it doesn't follow the pattern one would have expected. – kiamlaluno Dec 12 '12 at 12:56
  • Down voting both question and answer shows there's something both of us need to understand yet here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, all the same. – Kris Dec 14 '12 at 6:18
  • I wonder why the down vote here! – Kris Dec 15 '12 at 14:50
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As for me, this question sounds perfectly fit for this site. It boils down to

I have observed the following language phenomenon occurring in a few languages/dialects as in attached examples. Does this phenomenon exist in American English too?

The answer is

No, it does not, but we have something else to fulfill its role.

I don't see any reason this question or this answer would be wrong - does answer "no" to a "yes-or-no" question make the question invalid?

  • Is there an American counterpart of “Oxbridge”, “Sohkei” and “Todaihitotsubashi,” or does “Yale-Harvard” suffice? not Does this phenomenon exist in American English too? Read the post. – Kris Dec 17 '12 at 10:36
  • @Kris: Do we need to discuss the difference between a general and a specific case? "Is there an American counterpart to [the examples given]" is pretty much plain rephrasing of "does the rule that created these examples exist in American English" without changing the meaning. – SF. Dec 17 '12 at 10:48

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