What is the correct spelling of "X, schmX" to indicate dismissiveness (e.g., "evidence, schmevidence")?
--------------------------------------------------
Hire the world's top talent on demand or became one of them at Toptal: https://topt.al/25cXVn
and get $2,000 discount on your first invoice
--------------------------------------------------
Music by Eric Matyas
https://www.soundimage.org
Track title: Dreaming in Puzzles
--
Chapters
00:00 What Is The Correct Spelling Of &Quot;X, Schmx&Quot; To Indicate Dismissiveness (E.G., &Quot;Evidenc
00:42 Accepted Answer Score 15
01:23 Thank you
--
Full question
https://english.stackexchange.com/questi...
--
Content licensed under CC BY-SA
https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/lice...
--
Tags
#etymology #americanenglish #orthography #prefixes
#avk47
Hire the world's top talent on demand or became one of them at Toptal: https://topt.al/25cXVn
and get $2,000 discount on your first invoice
--------------------------------------------------
Music by Eric Matyas
https://www.soundimage.org
Track title: Dreaming in Puzzles
--
Chapters
00:00 What Is The Correct Spelling Of &Quot;X, Schmx&Quot; To Indicate Dismissiveness (E.G., &Quot;Evidenc
00:42 Accepted Answer Score 15
01:23 Thank you
--
Full question
https://english.stackexchange.com/questi...
--
Content licensed under CC BY-SA
https://meta.stackexchange.com/help/lice...
--
Tags
#etymology #americanenglish #orthography #prefixes
#avk47
ACCEPTED ANSWER
Score 15
This is called shm-reduplication:
Shm-reduplication is a form of reduplication in which the original word or its first syllable (the base) is repeated with the copy (the reduplicant) beginning with shm- (sometimes schm-), pronounced /ʃm/. The construction is generally used to indicate irony, derision or skepticism with respect to comments about the discussed object:
He's just a baby!
"Baby-shmaby". He's already 5 years old!
Per Wikipedia, both shm- and schm- constructions are acceptable. The TV Tropes entry is interesting as well.