My daughter, a self-confessed word-lover like me, and I have a some word lists. One is for our favorite words: words that are beautiful to us in every way, meaning in the way they sound, in the emotions and mental pictures they conjure, just a group of completely marvelous words. Another list is those words that are just disgusting-words you don’t even like to think, much less utter, their sound is so grating. We also have a list of words that are just super fun to say. Here’s a peak…
From “The Awful Words”
ooze
squat
mulch
Bachmann (just say it-it’s revolting)
penis
munch
pus
ointment (Try to say “moist ointment” without triggering your gag reflex. It can’t be done.)
scab
sludge
From “The Fun Words”
You know you wanna say it…
Smock (Go on. Say it. You’ll smile. It’s just so much fun to say “smock”! “Smocksmocksmocksmock”)
Ratatouille
Gazpacho (Really, this word should mean “party.” “Party” isn’t nearly as fun to say as “gazpacho.” I know: let’s switch them! Who do I need to call?)
(I wanna have a Smock Gazpacho! I’ll serve ratatouille! )
From “The Beautiful Words”
Liberty
Serendipity
Lithe
Select (I’d name a baby girl Select-so beautiful.)
Umbrella
Literature
Eloquent
Allegedly (How about Allegedly Select for a girl’s name? It just rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?)
Labyrinth, and…
Hallelujah
Hallelujah (I love this word. It is my favorite word. The word sounds the same in nearly every language. It is composed of two Hebrew roots, the first, Halal, meaning either to shine or to give praise to, although it also means to be insane or irrational. The combination of these two meanings suggest a total abandon, a letting go of all inhibition combined with worship. When used as a noun, the masculine form, mahal, means literally “a container for praise.” The second Hebrew root, Jah, of course, changes “y” to the relatively new “j” and is the first portion of the Hebrew name of God, Yahweh. Hallelujah, then, means “insanely give praise to Yahweh.”
There is a lithe eloquence to that, isn’t there?)