A Thread of Words

[Jenny]

Inspired by Dhanaraj and Gill's suggestion, here it is: a thread to discuss words. The ones you love, the ones you dislike with a passion and the ones you just roll around in your mouth with interest.

[Amber]

Awesome is a great word! I'm always saying it when something impresses me. When I get mad about something, I say dag gum. I also like the word cool too.

[[deleted user]]

I also say Awesome a lot. Top Knotch is another one I use when something impresses me.

When I get mad, I say 'You're an idiot!' Cool is a great word, so is Everlast and Rebel.

Awesomesauce...another one!

[Amber]

I don't think we are supposed to curse on here, aaron.

[Tracey]

one of my favorite words is Sagacious it rolls off the tongue. It is a word that once you know it , it crops up a lot.

[Bionic Jean]

Scrumptious. Flabbergasted. Antidisestablishmentarianism. Solipsistic.

[Charbel]

Awesomesauce, lol!

I use the word brilliant a lot, as I'm sure you've all noticed.

[Jenny]

Well I guess technically that wasn't swearing ;)

Without trying to open pandora's box here: I wonder how much the social acceptance of swear words differs from country to country? Most of my Northern Irish/Irish friends find swearing very acceptable I think, though their way of swearing would be more likely to involve a 'bloody' rather then...see and now I wonder how one is supposed to refer to the f...word. Just F...word I guess? Personally I find the Irish approach quite charming, yet in some cultures it seems to be regarded as a sign of lack of education or very offensive. I have to admit: among people I am at ease with I rather often utter a hearty swearword (not towards them of course but at the world in general occasionally) My personal advantage here: since there's hardly any Germans here I could swear to my heart's delight without being understood or offending anyone ;)

But here's a few words I really like off the top of my head, and obviously it is slightly different for me since English isn't my mothertongue, so some words I fell in love with before I even knew what they meant.

For reason's unknown to myself I love the words:

Oblivion

the sound of the month
November in English
(though I could happily live without it's wheather)

and I truly have a crush on:

Abominable

again: a lot of it for me is just phonetics. I am much more concerned with meaning in my own language obviously.

[Alannah]

Ballyhoo.

[Jenny]

Tracey wrote: "one of my favorite words is Sagacious it rolls off the tongue. It is a word that once you know it , it crops up a lot."

Oh wow, I just looked it up but could you please just as an educational service to me give me an example of how it would be used?

[Charbel]

Fiddle-faddle.

[Dhanaraj]

Came across a new word (at least to me) as I was reading a play: Chiropodist.

[Bionic Jean]

Hey Charbel I thought of fiddle-faddle too! (Just been watching "The Big Bang Theory") but when I looked it up it seems to be a sweet food in the US, which wouldn't have been the way I'd use it. I would use it to mean nonsense.

I like onomatopoeic words - ones which sound like their meaning. For example "whizz-bang" (we still have fireworks outside!) or "murmur" or "growl"

[Charbel]

Jean wrote: "Hey Charbel I thought of fiddle-faddle too! (Just been watching "The Big Bang Theory") but when I looked it up it seems to be a sweet food in the US, which wouldn't have been the way I'd use it. I ..."

I thought it meant nonsense too. There's no reason why it couldn't stand for both.

[Bionic Jean]

True, true. Is it a trade name in the US anybody?

[[deleted user]]

Amber wrote: "I don't think we are supposed to curse on here, aaron."

Sorry. I edited it.

[[deleted user]]

Gee whiz! Fuddle Duddle (our P.M. used that one).

Cripes: a favorite of my fathers.

Fiddle Dee Dee:)

[Amber]

That's okay. :)

[Shirley]

I like the word skulduggery!

[Tracey]

Jenny wrote: "Tracey wrote: "one of my favorite words is Sagacious it rolls off the tongue. It is a word that once you know it , it crops up a lot."

Oh wow, I just looked it up but could you please just as an e..."

Hi Jenny
Sagacious is used to describe a wise person like a mentor or someone admired for their discernment, judgement,farsightedness etc. I was trying to find it in my Great Expectations so I could do a direct example but it's like looking for a needle in a haystack I am afraid.
I recall Pip was speaking about Joe his sisters husband blacksmith and friend. He said words to the effect of that Joe smoked his pipe in a most 'sagacious' way.
I am rambling now Jenny sorry. :)

[[deleted user]]

I am from England and I personally have no problem with cursing words. I maybe shouldn't be in my private life I often swear and am quite happy to use even the worst English swear words. I just can't get offended by a group of sounds put together although I appreciate others do so I am careful with my language.

I like the words 'puffin' and 'pistachio'. I like the sounds of a lot of animal names in English.

[Bionic Jean]

Is this it Tracey?

“Yet he would smoke his pipe at the Battery with a far more sagacious air then anywhere else - even with a learned air - as if he considered himself to be advancing immensely. Dear fellow, I hope he did.”

― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

[Tracey]

Jean wrote: "Is this it Tracey?

“Yet he would smoke his pipe at the Battery with a far more sagacious air then anywhere else - even with a learned air - as if he considered himself to be advancing immensely. D..."

Thats the one Jean thank you :)

[Jenny]

Thanks guys, love the word!

[Pink]

Heather wrote: "I am from England and I personally have no problem with cursing words. I maybe shouldn't be in my private life I often swear and am quite happy to use even the worst English swear words. I just can..."

Heather, I'm exactly the same regarding swearing!

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "Scrumptious. Flabbergasted. Antidisestablishmentarianism. Solipsistic."

LOL!!! Antidisestablishmentarianism just makes me think of Mary Poppins and superfragelisticexpialidocious!

[Leslie]

Heather wrote: "I am from England and I personally have no problem with cursing words. I maybe shouldn't be in my private life I often swear and am quite happy to use even the worst English swear words. I just can..."

Before I started teaching secondary school, I used to swear frequently. However, it was frowned upon in the school so I learned to substitute. I do find it interesting that UK swearing is so different that US swearing - I could probably have used "bloody" without any problems as it isn't perceived as a swearword here.

I love words, sometimes for the sound as Jenny mentions, but sometimes for the etymology, or just because I didn't know it before. I often look up the 'word of the day' on my dictionary app :)

[Gill]

Serendipity! Both its sound and its meaning.

[Shirley]

Leslie wrote: "Heather wrote: "I am from England and I personally have no problem with cursing words. I maybe shouldn't be in my private life I often swear and am quite happy to use even the worst English swear w..."

I think you're right, Leslie - I can remember about thirty years ago, when I was still living with my parents, a Canadian lady, in her mid fifties, quite well-to-do, came to live next door. She and my mum became friends, but I remember my mum was shocked as she kept using the word sh*t in everyday speech. Even I was shocked back then as it wasn't a word you would have expected her to say, but she said where she came from, it was quite normal...

[Bionic Jean]

It's all context isn't it? And what's accepted by the community. I'm from a religious background, so even words like "God" were not used in this way. Nor "Damn" or "Bloody" as that is short for "God's blood". The strongest word my mum (a lovely woman!!) would ever use was "Dash!" and then you knew she was really cross.

I am more lax, but I suppose that if I'm asked, I feel that if you swear regularly it loses all its potency. If I swear, then people really know I'm angry!

When I first worked in London, particularly the East End, I was surprised to hear that every other word was an "f" word. It was just part of their vernacular. Here's an example, "I went dahn the *ing market to get the *ing potatoes innit?" There's no aggression intended.

But of course in schools regular adult swearers learned a different "code". I do remember an hilarious episode during an exciting game, when a teacher inadvertently shouted, "Get the bloody ball!" and immediately clapped her hands over her mouth in horror. But everyone (including the children) just collapsed with laughter and nobody could play for a couple of minutes!

Leslie - Good one, and it's even better than that. It's "SuperCALIfragelisticexpialidocious!" Go on - I dare you to sing it right now!

[Chatterjak]

Dhanaraj wrote: "Came across a new word (at least to me) as I was reading a play: Chiropodist."

Was it an Alan Bennett play? I feel i should own up to being a Chiropodist seeing as it has cropped up in the conversation! Although, the term is gradually being replaces by 'Podiatrist', as most of the world uses some version of it. If you have any questions I'm happy to answer them!

As this thread is about words, I'll bore you all just a little more - the term 'chiropodist' is derived from the Greek 'chiro' meaning hand, and 'pod' meaning foot. Podiatry is a more accurate term, as we only treat feet (and disorders of gait etc - basically anything from the hips downwards mechanically) - although I think it was supposed to mean hands-to-feet or something along those lines.

One more thing, most people mis-pronounce 'chiropodist' & 'chiropody' - it should be said with a hard 'k' sound at the beginning like chemist or chiropractor, there is no 'sh' sound at the beginning!

And now, with apologies for boring you all to tears ... Zzzzzzzzzz... I'll move on!

[Chatterjak]

To make up for that I'll share with you my new (only recently discovered it!) favourite word - pandiculate - which means to yawn and stretch at the same time. Great isnt it?

I also came across a new word just a day or so ago - callipygian - which made me laugh when I googled it, so I'll leave the joy of discovering its meaning to you!

[Bionic Jean]

LOL Jackie - and I really did! I'm definitely going to add "callipygian" to my vocabulary.

Flimflam. Pompous. Oojamaflip. Thingummyjig.

And another for you all to google - "mallemaroking"!

[Chatterjak]

Wow - now that's niche! Fantastic word though - glad you enjoyed callipygian - too good not to share! I texted my wife at work to tell her I thought she is callipygian, knowing she wouldn't google it (she had a really hectic day) but most likely get our mate at work to - which is exactly what happened, she was so embarrassed - I'm so naughty, she's so easy to embarrass that I do it deliberately - and our mate was howling laughing - she shares my twisted sense of humour!

[Chatterjak]

I'd be lost without the hoo-jar, whatcha-callit, what-sit & thingymabobby too!

[Chatterjak]

Verisimilitude, Quixotism, risible, posit, rapacious, sinecure - all words that have recently been added to my 'special' list! Did I mention that I'm a word-nerd & proud to be?!!! ;)

[Leslie]

@Jackie - callipygian was a fun word! thanks :)

Today's 'word of the day' on my dictionary app is "conurbation", first used in 1915.

Tintinnabulation is a great word!

[Tracey]

Another lovely word 'Inspiration' :)

[Gill]

To go back to the word 'solecism', which is where Dhanarah started, is it a word anyone here has actually used?

[Gill]

I also wonder about the word 'eponymous'. I've seen it in writing and heard it used on TV/ radio, but would feel really self conscious using it.

[Amber]

:) great one tracey.

[Jenny]

I LOVE 'pandiculate'. Never heard it before but since I am pandiculating frequently it is a highly welcome new member of my active English vocabulary.

And Jean, callipygian would be too, if only I could pronounce it!

You guys are fully aware that I just set up this thread in order to shamelessly exploit you all in order to expand my English-language horizon, aren't you? ;)

[Bionic Jean]

Hahaha Jenny - good one! "call" as in "shall", "i" as in "in", "pyg" as in "fridge" ian.

As for Jackie's wonderful word, I gleefully asked Chris whether he knew what it meant, and he promptly told me!! Burst my little balloon somewhat there.

Apparently he came across it years ago in a poem by John Cotton and said he's been waiting all his life for someone to ask him that...

Oh the perils of being married to an author!

[Bionic Jean]

Gill - I think I might have used "eponymous" in a book review! It didn't feel particularly pretentious written down for some reason.

[Amber]

I didn't know that Jenny. Interesting that you used this thread to learn some new words. :)

[Chatterjak]

I'm enjoying the shared enjoyment of callipygian! Glad you were all similarly amused! Oh Jean, your poor little burst balloon! It's rubbish when someone does that!! My mate Jon would probably have done the same, maybe it's the name! On the upside, at least it's handy to have someone around with a good vocabulary when you need it!

Vocabulary is a pretty good word actually isn't it?! My over use of 'actually' annoys me!!!

@Jenny - exploit away, it's more fun to share these things, thanks for setting up such a fab thread!

@Gill & Dhanarah - no I've never used the word solecism, it's a great word though - that's made my list! I may have used eponymous a few times - although the band R.E.M. called one of their albums 'eponymous' so that was mostly why - some clever soul was bound to do it at some point I suppose! Ice heard it used in the context of 'the eponymous hero'.

[Jenny]

@Jean, thank you! You would have burst into whole-hearted laughter hearing my phonetic experiments before reading your explaination!

@Amber, I was half joking, but the other half is definitely going to come here with a little notebook once in a while

[Amber]

Oh okay cool. ^_^

[Dhanaraj]

Gill wrote: "To go back to the word 'solecism', which is where Dhanarah started, is it a word anyone here has actually used?"

I saw that word in a book review. A book was negatively criticized for being filled with many solecisms. Lol..

[LauraT]

Jean wrote: "Scrumptious. Flabbergasted. Antidisestablishmentarianism. Solipsistic."

I LOVE flabbergasted!!!

And what about Supercalifragilistichelspiralidoso? That's the italian for it!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThBhL-...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNezlE...

I've grown up looking - and loving - this film