…Which would have read better in that last panel, really. “Pentothal” is easily hastened through to counter its excess of syllables during intentionally stilted speech, much like the three disyllabic (and single trisyllabic) words used above. Whereas it is far more natural to split “thiopental” into two chunks (Thio. Pental.) as it is comprised of two trochees. Pentothal does not lend itself to this so easily, as it has its own independent rhythm as a dactyl. As a result there’s sort of an instinctual stumble on “thiopental” as a single chunk where there wouldn’t be on “pentothol” or with thiopental if it were to break the pattern and be represented as two sentences.But I digress.
…Which would have read better in that last panel, really. “Pentothal” is easily hastened through to counter its excess of syllables during intentionally stilted speech, much like the three disyllabic (and single trisyllabic) words used above. Whereas it is far more natural to split “thiopental” into two chunks (Thio. Pental.) as it is comprised of two trochees. Pentothal does not lend itself to this so easily, as it has its own independent rhythm as a dactyl. As a result there’s sort of an instinctual stumble on “thiopental” as a single chunk where there wouldn’t be on “pentothol” or with thiopental if it were to break the pattern and be represented as two sentences.But I digress.