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For example, "rabbit rabbit" is a phrase to be uttered first thing in the morning on the first day of the month for good luck all month long. The origin of the phrase has to do with rabbits bringing good luck. Directors on set instruct extras to say "rhubarb rhubarb" to one another during a party scene because of its lack of distracting, sharp phonemes. The repetition of the same word creates a new, unexpected, and unrelated meaning.

Would it be related to the term used to describe repeating the same word twice to create a new word? Dancing the can-can (or cancan) has nothing to do with cans though it might be an abbreviated version of scandal-scandal.

Epizeuxis is more like repeating the same word over again for emphasis or vehemence, like 'location location location!' to imply that the success of a business depends on where the shop is located.

Are the above examples different enough to merit distinction and a term of their own or would they be considered examples of epizeuxis?

(Not interested in grammatical repetition of words although the sentence "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo," is really fascinating both grammatically and sensically.)

NVZ
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Rachel H
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    Repeating 'rhubarb' is merely producing a desired sound, rather like using thunder drums, not forming a new lexeme. It has no meaning. Saying 'Rabbit rabbit!' (I remember it as 'White rabbit!') is a meaningless incantation, rather like touching wood. No new lexemes are being created. – Edwin Ashworth Aug 01 '17 at 23:45
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because there is a misconception that new meanings are being created by repetition, whereas words are just being used as dramatic fillers or in a talismanic way. – Edwin Ashworth Aug 01 '17 at 23:47
  • You say the double words 'create a new meaning', but I can't decide if that is really true. The double words you describe certainly have a purpose, but does that equal meaning? eg with 'rhubarb', it is employed purely as a sound in a situation where sound must be devoid of meaning. "Rabbit rabbit" is a ritualised utterance used to assure luck, but essentially meaningless. So, I guess I'm just asking if the Q should say purpose rather than meaning; on the strength of your examples? – Spagirl Aug 01 '17 at 23:58
  • @EdwinAshworth Ha! It took me so long to work out how to phrase mine that you snuck in with a much more concise version in the meantime! – Spagirl Aug 02 '17 at 00:01
  • Besides, it's not "rhubarb, rhubarb", it's "rhubarb pie". – Hot Licks Aug 02 '17 at 00:44
  • I appreciate that the hair-splitting here is whether repeating words is creating a new purpose vs. creating new meaning and that having a purpose does not necessarily constitute meaning. I would say that the purpose contains meaning, but perhaps that is more philosophical than linguistic. Thanks for weighing in. – Rachel H Aug 02 '17 at 13:11
  • @EdwinAshworth I'd like to show you an answer on ELU that says that in some Englishes (Indian, for example) your assumption is incorrect. https://english.stackexchange.com/a/389778/50044 – NVZ Aug 04 '17 at 18:30
  • @NVZ Epizeuxis {Wikipedia article} was used by Shakespeare. OP's 'What is the term for repeating the same word twice or more to create a new meaning altogether?' is not asking for 'epizeuxis'. / There's also reduplication to signal the genuine article: 'I hate this instant muck; I want coffee coffee.' The other uses in the answer you cite are irrelevant here; as 'Indian English' etc are not tags, the non-standard usages are not germane here. – Edwin Ashworth Aug 04 '17 at 21:57
  • Palilogy is repetition for emphasis. – John K Oct 05 '18 at 10:05

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A type of Reduplication

This linguistic term for saying the same word twice in succession is "reduplication". (Alternative terms less commonly encountered include "duplication" or "doubling".)

You are correct that the term "epizeuxis" is used only for cases where repetition is used for emphasis or to intensify meaning ("Never never never give up!")

For the case where reduplication is used to form a new meaning, I am not aware of a specific word. We could describe it as neologistic reduplication.

Reduplication has many functions depending on which language you are speaking. In English, it is very often epizeuxis. Interestingly, in Malay, for example, it is how plurals are formed (orang = man, orang-orang = men).

In English it can be used to to cute effect in creating words that might be considered kidspeak: mama, dada, nana, boo-boo, wee-wee, tum-tum, etc.

It is also quite common in English to form reduplicatives where one vowel changes: riff-raff, sing-song, ding-dong, tip-top, wishy-washy, dilly-dally, chit-chat, mumbo-jumbo, namby-pamby, roly-poly, and so on. These are usually considered to be a type of reduplication.

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