Are you trying to be funny?

I think my favourite new entry to the Open Dictionary this week has to be sarchasm. It’s such a perfect word, combining both of the key ideas behind its meaning – sarcasm and chasm – in a very  simple, tidy way. I did have difficulty when I first saw it though, trying to decide how to pronounce it. It’s one of those that, until you know the meaning, you’re not quite sure how to say. Should it be sar-chasm as in chair, or sar-chasm as in, well, sarcasm? Of course, the fact that it’s actually a homonym for sarcasm is part of the appeal; you can say the word, and leave others to decide which meaning you intended …