Hi Sebastian, I learnt a few things regards reduplication via the ubiquitous web, and my dictionaries,. Duplication can take several forms, one being "yes-yes", "Rama-Rama", "raja-raja" (known as a "tautonym"). Reduplication: http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=19991019 >From Michael Quinion (a good person to get in touch with): http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-hig1.htm Reduplicated or Richochet words: http://www.bartleby.com/81/14185.html
Presumably hurdy-gurdy, helter-skelter would be a " "rhyming richochet word" or a "rhyming reduplicative compound"." Rhyming compounds where Rhyming types are explained: http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/rhyming_compounds01.html Also see Gitaigo (Japanese)/ Flip-flop words http://www.trussel.com/flipflop.htm Best. venantius j pinto