Portmanteaus

Ophie

Aspiring Trainer
Member
(Before you read this, if you don't know what a portmanteau is, it's a word made up of a combination of other words. The word "smog," for instance, is a portmanteau of "smoke" and "fog." I'm going to use this word a lot in this post, so bear with me.)

I'm very curious as to why all of the major decks, over the years, have always been portmanteaus of the Pokémon names. Blasticune. Ludicargo. Mario. Infernacatty. Why is this? Surely there are many other options to name a deck. Is it some sort of tradition that archetypes get this sort of name? Is it the best way to describe a deck to other experienced players using the least amount of syllables? Is it a derivative of a lack of linguistic creativity, which is reasonable given that playing the TCG is a left-brained activity? Is it not their official name at all and just jargon (in the anthropological sense)? Or is it something that I haven't thought of?

I'm not necessarily angry nor frustrated at the portmanteaus. It just strikes me as odd that giving decks portmanteaus for names is so very common, considering that Pokémon names are already portmanteaus to begin with. When I see the World Championship decks sold at places like Target, the names the winners give their decks are rarely portmanteaus.

(I tried to think of as recent an example I could, but unfortunately, the total absence of all things Pokémon and the nearly total absence of all things Nintendo at my university has cut me off from the TCG since the first Diamond/Pearl set. I've only attended prereleases and bought several trading figures for the artwork.)
 
They are named that way because if they didn't have a name like that, everyone would call it there own name. Lets say that I'm running Inferncatty, but decided to call it speed blitz. Now, that could mean anything that is fast in the TCG. Another person decided to call his Fire King. Now, that could mean anyone's opinion on what they think is the king of all fire pokemon (be it Infernape, Charizard, or Feebas DF). We would go around saying what we were playing, but no one would know 'what' we were playing. This means that if you go up to your friend and say "Hey. What are you running for states?" "I'm running Inferncatty," at this point, you know what cards he inteands to use. "What are you running?" Your friend asks. Your response: "Well, I'm running Marshal Flames." "What is that?" Your friend does not know that you are also running Inferncatty. You then must explain to him/her that you are actually running Infernape DP+Delcatty PK+Delcatty EX cg.
It would be much simpler to have an "official" name for certain decks.
Now, if you are running a secret deck, or a deck you don't want everyone to know about, you could make up a wacky name so that every doesn't know what your playing.
 
However, the word "Infernacatty" wouldn't be very descriptive either, as there is the possibility of multiple Infernape and Delcatty cards available, and it would be ambiguous as to which ones you're referring to. Rather, even if it's called something like "Speed Blitz" or "Fire King" by the people who made it, then everybody who uses it would be calling it that, and experienced TCG players should hear "Speed Blitz" or "Fire King" and think, "Oh, this is that deck that uses Infernape Level X from Diamond & Pearl 1 and Delcatty from EX Power Keepers!"

Case in point: One deck currently in popular usage that does NOT use a portmanteau is what I believe is called "G&G," which stands for "Gardevoir and Gallade." However, numerous Pokémon have been released in legal sets whose names start with a "G." "G&G" could just as easily stand for "Golduck and Groudon" or "Granbull and Gliscor." Yet saying "G&G" would allow experienced players to recognize it as a deck that stars Gallade and Gardevoir.
 
GG is one of the most popular things around. Almost everyone knows about this deck, except for beginers. Why you would be talking about GG to beginners, I don't know. But, even if this does come up, then it would be appropriate to explain this, as this player knows nothing about the TCG.
Now, if your talking to an experienced player, and this person does not know what GG stands for, you could then say a number of differnt things, such as Gardyllade, Gallavoir, or Gardy/Gallade, and still get the same point accross with out having to explain this.
Now, in Inferncatty, there is only one Infernape in leagal format (heck, in anyformat). So the "Infern" part should not be confused (the only confusion here that I can see is wether one runs Infernape Lv.X or not. Most experienced players should know that Infernape Lv.X is played). I could see some confusion as to the "catty" part, because there is a normal delcatty, and a delcatty EX. Now, if your playing with an experienced player, he/she will asume that both Delcatty's are used, because they tie into each other.
Even if there is some confusion as to what GG stands for, most players who don't know what it is will think about it for a minute. They think "Do Golduck and Goundon go together? Do Granbull and Gliscor go together?" They would be hypothosizing about different stratagies, and then they think of Gardevoir and Gallade, as they are the only things that go together that both start with a G and a G.
Something has happened in my area, where someone started calling Inferncatty "Fire Monkey". Now, there really is only 1 Fire Monkey line that I can think of, and that is Infernape. Everyone started calling Inferncatty "Fire Monkey". If everyone knows what that is, then one would know that Fire Monkey is Inferncatty.
Also, if someone doesn't know something, they can jsut ask.
 
hmm I know whatcha mean... I don't preferabbly like to name my decks with portemanues.
I called my Gastrodon deck muddy water, instead of gastras (Gastrodon and Lapras)
 
It's a lazy, uncreative and unexciting way to name the deck that also somewhat lets people know what's in the deck.
 
but abaxter94 has stated some really good reason why peole use "portmanteasus" but some decks like to use "wacky" names ,like me it makes the deck sound noobish and have the player get all cocky , and easy win!
 
Due to the increativity of people around us. And the names are easy to understand. It would be convenient that way.

Gatorade...lol. Does it really work?
 
Let's think of it this way..
Portmanteaus are used because let's say you ask help from someone.. He wouldnt be be confused when the deck name is some weird name.. But with a portmanteau once he hears the name it is easily known and he can fix it easier but on the other hand you allow yourself to be scouted by the opposition.. So in leagues portmanteaus are nice but when Natz/Worlds come.. You'd make up a weird name for it.. I bet the world's winners did this as well.. (giving weird deck names only during worlds)
 
I would rather do that everytime I play. So that my opponent doesn't know what I'm using thus not knowing how to counter it. Basic logic. Though most of us rarely change our decks{for me it's once in 8 months} so people already know what decks we're using if they care to remember.
 
To abaxter94: You see, that abbreviation caught on because it's used a lot, and people would be familiar with it. In the case of Infernacatty, what prevents people from calling it "ID" or "DI"? (In the case of "GG," I just came up with the first four fully-evolved Pokémon whose name starts with a G. There are probably combos in legal sets that involve two Pokémon with those initials other than Gallade and Gardevoir.)

I can understand the argument that it allows people to recognize the strategy of a deck quickly and know what to expect from it, but it doesn't hold water. That's because virtually anything can be made to become a name for a deck, and if it catches on, people will recognize it that way. If some deck, theoretically, that contains Slowking and Solrock and called "King Louis XIV" catches on, experienced players should be able to recognize the phrase "King Louis XIV" and know what kind of deck that is. And it's much more creative than "Slowrock" and definitely wouldn't have the negative connotation of "SS."

So it seems as though portmanteaus are used due to a lack of creativity, and the ones that form actual puns (most notably "Mario") are freak chances.

By the way, if anybody wants to know, I have never used a portmanteau. I've always used puns ever since I learned how to make decks; I've also purposely stayed away from all deck archetypes to see what works and what doesn't. As an example, one recent deck that I made that uses Ursaring and Typhlosion's Shady Move (though Cresselia Level X would work much better), I called "Bear the Punishment." I sometimes spend weeks coming up with a name I'm satisfied with.
 
Naming certain decks wacky names can be fun. I'm not against it at all. I'll sometimes make a deck just for the name. If you want to make an archetypes with certain twists, like I do, then you can make puns out of it. Instead of "Kingdra Swarm" I call my deck "God Save the King".

But, back on track. The reason Inferncatty isn't called "ID" is because someone in the world said "hey. This deck really works. I'll call it Inferncatty." His friend next to him says: "That sounds really cool." Everyone at the league eventually finds out about "Inferncatty". One boy gets a deck list, and posts it online. It then goes from a small, isolated league in the middle of nowhere, to the entire world. A kid in asia that night gets on the internet, and looks at this Inferncatty. He deicides to copy the deck list and play it. He tells all his friends at his league about the deck. It then spreads and spreads and spreads, creating a big net, as more and more people make the deck.
You see, when an archetype is first being born, no one knows if it will work, or if it will be widely played. That is why everyone is hesitant to name this prized deck of there's. First Empoleon was the big thing, and became an archetype. Then Infernape got the spotlight, and became an archetype. Everyone was then looking at Torterra, wondering if it would follow in the footsteps of it's compadres. That is why Torterra decks don't have a Worldwide "known" name. If some one says "I'm running Speed Empoleon", you know there playing Empoleon. If someone says they are running Inferncatty, there running Infernape. Now, there are dozens of names that could easily rename Speed Empoleon or Infernape, but everyone knows what Inferncatty is, so that is why it is easy to say "Inferncatty", rather than make up a name. Torterra has no "official" name, that everyone is familier with, because it is not good enough to have an "official" name.
The point I'm trying to make is that people in the world like to have something that everyone is familier with, so that if they ingage in conversation or play, they can use the "official" term, so that everyone knows what they mean.
 
You're just leading me around in circles. What you're saying is that people who play the TCG at the expert level have an affinity toward portmanteaus. I already know that; we wouldn't have so many portmanteaus for deck names otherwise. Your example with the Infernape-Delcatty deck would sound plausible--if it were the only portmanteau name. I still stand by my theory that these are simply lazily-created names by left-brained people who give their decks names out of necessity and nothing more.

Since it seems that applying examples won't work, I'll directly ask you a few questions:

1. What prevents people from doing what I do and give decks real names, even if they don't think it'll become an archetype? My goal in the TCG is to invent an archetype (hence my complete avoidance of all established decks), and though I never expect any of my ideas to catch on, I still at least give it a name. In fact, decks I use in tournaments that stand out to an experienced opponent are, on some occasions, referred to as portmanteaus. (I forget which I bring to tournaments and which I just use for the league, as I use a different deck each day I play.) Why do they automatically assume I'll give it a portmanteau name? Why do they not at least ask what it's called?

2. Why is the "GG" deck not named, say, "Gardelade" or "Gallevoir"? There is absolutely nothing to prevent that from happening, and the portmanteaus are more descriptive. And dont tell me that "GG" is immediately recognizable, because it was obscure before it became prominent. That a name as simple as "GG" is recognizable would mean that stuff like "Mickey Mouse" or "Ladykiller" or "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" could be recognizable if the player who created an archetype chose one of those names.

3. And finally, why portmanteaus? You can't say that it's something everyone can recognize, since psychology has taught us that a person will memorize anything, no matter how random or unrelated, once they hear it enough or if they regard it as important. There is no reason why decks need portmanteaus for names.
 
I agree, we are running around in circles with this argument.

Nothing prevents people. It's just a matter of opinion if you want to name your deck a pormanteaus or something totally fun, like Ladykiller. Most players like calling there deck prmanteaus's so that everyone will know what there talking about. Decks like DWD, GG, and DBW, are made because they don't sound right to whoever is making them. DWD stands for "Dark Wing Duck", and is an archetype. Tell me that doesn't sound fun to say and use. DBW stands for "Darkrai/Blissey/Weavile", because Because something like "Blisskraivle" doesn't sound very good to a lot of people. Then again, you can choose to call your deck anything. GG is one of the biggest decks this year. Thus it will be mentioned a alot. Some people like to save time and call it GG. Others prefer Gardellade, or Gallavoir. "Micky Mouse" wouldn't make sense, since then you would be refering to a deck that uses a rat pokemon (a Raticate deck would be appropriat for Micky Mouse though). Really, it all comes down to prefernce
 
However, should a really good Raticate card come out in the future--or Sandslash, or Pikachu/Raichu, or Plusle/Minun, or Bidoof/Bibarel, or whatever else is classified as a mouse in the Pokédex, then it would make sense. I wasn't thinking in terms of archetypes anyway, and I didn't care to either, as this issue of portmanteaus has spanned the entire history of the TCG and will most likely remain as long as the TCG exists. And you never know which Pokémon will rise to prominence next. It may very well be Raticate.

(Oh yeah, and there's the famous LBS deck.)

"Nothing prevents people." That's all I needed to know. Thank you.
 
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