"Malamanteau"

"Today's xkcd comic introduced an unusual word — malamanteau — by giving its supposed definition on Wikipedia. The only trouble is that the word (as well as its supposed wiki-page) did not in fact exist. Naturally, much ado ensued at the supposed wiki-page, which was swiftly created in response to the comic. BBC America has more on how the comic and the confusion it caused have put the Net in a tizzy. It turns out that a malamanteau is a portmanteau of portmanteau and malapropism, but also a malapropism of portmanteau. All this puts Wikipedia in the confusing position of not allowing a page for an undefined word whose meaning is defined via the Wikipedia page for that word — and now I have to lie down for a moment."

Original post, with links intact: http://news.slashdot.org/story/10/05/13/183221/Wikipedia-Is-Not-Amused-By-Entry-For-xkcd-Coined-Word?from=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Slashdot/slashdot+(Slashdot)&utm_content=Google+Reader

Brilliant! This is the kinda shit that makes my heart-cockles giggle.

Not only is it the sort of subversive use of a medium (forcing it to examine itself; define itself; defend itself) that the best underground newspapers or guerrilla artists challenge with, it's a perfect example of the magic & playfulness hidden within our bastard-child of a language.