gerrymandering
UK[ˈdʒer.iˌmæn.dər.ɪŋ]US[ˈdʒer.iˌmæn.dər.ɪŋ]
n
the practice of dividing a voting area in an unfair way to give an advantage to one political party in elections.
Morpheme Breakdown
gerry
mander
ing
gerry
mander
ing
Etymology
the term is a political portmanteau, a blend of the name 'elbridge gerry' and 'salamander'. in 1812, governor gerry of massachusetts signed a bill creating a partisan electoral district so oddly shaped that a critic said it resembled a mythological salamander. the boston gazette cartoonist combined the two elements, coining 'gerrymander' to label the map. the '-ing' suffix was then added to form the noun describing the ongoing process of manipulating electoral boundaries for political gain, a practice now central to discussions of democratic representation.
Analysis
Structure: gerry + mander + ing
gerry: from the name 'elbridge gerry', a u.s. politician. serves as the proper noun base.
mander: from 'salamander', the shape of a redistricted map was likened to this creature. serves as the metaphorical core.
ing: from old english '-ung', a suffix forming verbal nouns indicating an action or process.
Examples
the state legislature was accused of gerrymandering to secure a majority for the incumbent party.
activists are challenging the gerrymandering of congressional districts in court.
sophisticated software has made partisan gerrymandering more precise and effective.