October 14 2010

Called These Are What

untitled Hannah is a palindrome, while her best friend Enid is an emordnilap: a word that spells a new word when read backwards.

So far, so good. We have words to categorise words that own certain properties. But a website regular called Shirley B (is that you SB?) has sent in her own conundrum.

She challenges any DAbbler to name the construction in which a sequence of sentences/phrases is read through with one meaning, then repeated in reverse with the opposite meaning.

One suggestion is an ambigram, but this a separate species, applying to those clever pieces of typography that enable a word to read the same when the page is flipped.

Can’t say I have a ready-made answer for the query, nor can I single out a succinct example of such a knickknack, not at hand at least. Making our challenge twofold:

(a) what are these marvels called?

And (b) can anyone find or devise a succinct example?

Comments

philth — 14 October at 07:11PM

i can't seem to think of any good examples, but if no word exists then my vote is for mynotnaotua.

question though, is the plural then mynotnaotuas or smynotnaotua?

robskee — 14 October at 11:06PM

You mean where the words remain the same, just read in reverse order?

e.g. "and but so" becomes "so but and"

sort of thing?

Or, rather, where you reverse it letter by letter

e.g. "snips DNA" becomes "and spins"

sort of thing?

robskee — 14 October at 11:14PM

HE AIN'T HEAVY <<>> HEAVY, AIN'T HE!

robskee — 14 October at 11:26PM

As for a name for such a thing, how about SEMANOWT?

DA — 15 October at 06:42AM

Perfect example, robskee. At least now we have a lucid specimen. See if we can add a few more, as well as name these elusive critters.

In fact didn't the Gruen Transfer feature an ad where the script was read forward, then back - the meaning of the first being subverted?

Mauve — 15 October at 08:47AM

There are plenty if you do equivalent subject/objects

eg. Julia bags Tony - Tony bags Julia

but I assume you're after cleverer examples

Mr X — 15 October at 09:42AM

A frequently copied example of a line by line, rather than word by word, reversible piece of writing is the "This is the Truth" political ad by the Argintinean political party Recrear. This is the one that was on The Gruen Transfer. A link to a modified version is at:

http://www.blabla.co.za/2010/02/22/this-is-the-truth-about-the-lost-generation-video/

JD — 15 October at 10:50AM

Some wishful thinking;
Magpies beat Saints, becomes
Saints beat Magpies.

JD — 15 October at 01:28PM

You could have the amorous baseballer;
Love to home run
Run home to love

Mr X — 15 October at 02:07PM

The people's response to dodgy election results in Iran, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Burma, Thailand etc:

Protest the defeat.

The Government's usual reaction in these countries:

Defeat the protest.

PRS — 15 October at 02:20PM

Shades of a few decades ago:

Why is it so? <=> So it is, why?

and more vernacularly:

How goes it? <=> It goes, how?

and the pacifists'

We mustn't start to fire

becomes the athletes'

Fire to start, mustn't we?

PRS — 15 October at 02:24PM

...and, having watched the Chilean mine rescue perhaps JD's Love to home run, could be Loves to home run <=> Run home to loves

PRS — 15 October at 10:59PM

For a name? ELBISREVER or, if you'll forgive a pun, BACKWORDS

Holiday makers: START THE BREAK, EARLY LEAVE
Athletes: LEAVE EARLY: BREAK THE START

You are who you are <=> Are you... Who are you?

JD — 18 October at 12:24PM

As anyone dealing with a two year old knows:
"Do not", will end in tears.
Any two year old with a strict parent, should learn:
Tears in end, will not do.

JD — 18 October at 01:07PM

Maybe these could be called 'palinphrases', although that sounds a bit like clangers from a certain vice-presidential candidate.

john morss "JPR" — 19 October at 05:11PM

"drominpal" JPR