#67178
04/24/2002 2:00 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 30
newbie
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newbie
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Okay, here I go. As a new member of this delightful site, I have been thinking for a few days about which words are my absolute faves. I've come up with a list. I'll have to call it "Today's List" because the list changes fairly often.
1. Tintinnabulation - hands down my alltime best.
2. Terwilliger - I'm not sure that's anything besides a name, but I say it often when I can't think of a word - "You know, the actor who was in Boogie Nights, and also in that movie about the immigrants, you know, oh I'll just call him Terwilliger until I remember his real name."
3. Byzantine or Byzantium - such exotic overtones! When I see it I hear Middle Eastern music, see ancient tiled artwork and religious icons...
4. Propinquity - the first word my mother taught me outside of what primers and children's books offered. My first "grownup" word. I still like it.
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#67179
04/24/2002 2:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Propinquity is indeed a lovely word. I feel saline nostalgicating in my nostrils, remembering my loss of it.
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#67180
04/24/2002 2:48 AM
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Hey talltales, responses might seem a little slow to this post, for a number of reasons (mine being that it's hard to pin down one real fave) but another reason may be that some people have had this topic before. If you want to read about some of their 'old' favourite words, you can see them here: http://makeashorterlink.com/?D2A030FB In the meantime, those who were around back in them thar golden days, got any *new* faves since those ones were when tsuwm was a journeyman  ?
I've been thinking and my fave (right this minute) is "Yuck" and I know that doesn't sound very official or important or whatever, but I like it because it's onomatopoeic. About a minute after I post this, I'll think of something else! Ha ha 
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#67181
04/24/2002 11:50 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 30
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hev: I understand what you're saying, and it's perfectly all right if I don't get many responses. I realize most everyone's been here much longer than I have, and have seen many posters and their favorite words come and go. I just figured I'd do the customary "My favorite words" post and move on to other things... Thanks for the link!
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#67182
04/24/2002 12:19 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Plum pudding
Pumpkin
Savory
Fried oysters
Oyster dressing
Smokehouse
Slosh
Sleigh
Sienna
Triboluminescent
Polyphonic
Scaffold
Rill
Petiole
Doldrums
Tibouchina
Cryptomeria japonica (or vice versa--can't remember)
Enough for now,
Wordwind
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#67183
04/24/2002 1:45 PM
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 322
enthusiast
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enthusiast
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I am SO with you on tintinnabulation. I learned it in grade 8 English class, when we watched a programme called Wordsmith - how I loved it. The other word from those days that I've always liked is sesquipedalian. Oh, and preposterous (before + after).
My favourite word is the Dutch word for orange juice - not sure how to spell it, but it's something like sinnasappelsap. It rolls sooooooooo beautifully!!!
And... I was thrilled to learn that impeccable comes from the Latin for not sinning. And dismal comes from bad day. So cool!
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#67184
04/24/2002 3:02 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
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old hand
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Hiya tt - and welcome!
This thread is timely as I'd been preparing a post about one of my fave terms for several days. Much more than a word, it's a statement that (for me at least) conjures up vivid and emotive memories about traditional life in rural Australia. Check it out under "Circle Work" in Miscellany.
Thanks - stales.
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#67185
04/24/2002 4:48 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
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There are some really great proper nouns that I love:
(apologies for spelling errors...)
Saskatchawan
Monterey
Carlsbad
Nova Scotia
Tallahassee
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#67186
04/24/2002 5:18 PM
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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I've always loved visually descriptive words like resplendent, fulgent and verdant. One word that I like, and I'm not sure why, is obsequious. It's the first big word that I taught my little sister to say. She's four now and, if given some assistance, can almost write it.
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#67187
04/24/2002 8:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
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It's the first big word that I taught my little sister to say. She's four now Great work, Jazzo! Corrupt those young'uns into being wordies before they know what hit'em!
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#67188
04/24/2002 8:38 PM
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Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
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#67189
04/24/2002 8:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
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My daughter, when in high school no less, had the same experience when she described the sky as cerulean.
[cross-threading to Declining Standards in Education]
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#67190
04/24/2002 10:28 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
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Granddaughter
Granny
'nuff said
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#67191
04/24/2002 11:32 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Apr 2002
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When I was in second grade I was taught the word aborigines and I just love the way it sounds. Also:
papaya~I just love saying it
sketchy~thats a sketchy word
inconceivable~its funny when you say it out loud
pagoda~ I just opened the dictionary and got it
I just love saying some word and the way they sound, some words are just beautiful.
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#67192
04/25/2002 7:03 AM
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Posts: 618
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inconceivable
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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#67193
04/25/2002 3:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 3,439
Carpal Tunnel
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A couple of Hawaiian words come to mind ...
1st, naturally, is Aloha. Such lovely meanings and - said correctly- it flows from the tongue.
2nd, wicki-wicki - (fast or quick) The wicki-wicki bus makes fast trips between airlines at the airport and to the parking areas. Mother calls "wicki-wicki" to children to hurry them up!
3rd Pau (done, finished. i.e. "Pau hana" ... done work
or just "Pau" as when waitress asks "Are you pau?" meaning have you finished eating.
4th - Mahalo - thank you
5th - Kokua (ko-coo-ahh) co-operation but cooperation with a kind heart!
Not necessarily in that order except Aloha always first!
That's it! I'm pau.
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#67194
04/25/2002 3:36 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
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the grief of knowing too much too soon
I don't usually get into questions like this, "what is your favorite ________?" Too many words, too many contexts. A favorite here today might be a pet peeve there yesterday and just another word yonder tomorrow. But this knowing too much too soon reminded me of a situation I got into in grammar school, maybe 5th grade (age 10) when we had read a story from Australia that had the word kookaburra in it. The glossary at the end of the story gave as a definition for kookaburra "a laughing jackass". Many of y'all know that this is a phrase used instead of kookaburra in much the same way as we might refer to tuna as "chicken of the sea". I don't remember if I had correctly sussed from the story or whether I looked it up elsewhere, but when we were asked to define kookaburra on the quiz, I said that it was a bird. I was the only one, including the teacher, that had the right answer, so, of course, I was marked wrong. I didn't recognize it at the time but I think that was when I decided that sometimes people will be so stuck in their wrongness that there is no point in trying to correct them; the best thing is just quietly know that you are right.
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#67195
04/25/2002 3:58 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Eutectic Castolin (pronounced in French)
I don't know why but those words just rub me the right way. There is a company of that name near hear and it makes me smile every time I drive by. I've always thought that if I'd have had two children after having seen that sign they would have been called Eutectic and Castolin. Jonathan thinks it was a good thing he was born before I did.
Also Puffin. I like the name (it sounds cuddly and squeezable) and I like the bird (very cute).
There are plenty of other words that I like but these seem to be my "have always been on my fave list" words.
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#67196
04/25/2002 9:58 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
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those words just rub me the right waylol! that ranks with words that 'taste right' for me =) hi, Tonya!Puffins are the mascot of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, so here's a pic of one of my neighbours for you, belM. http://www.activitywales.com/pwildlif2.htm
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#67197
04/26/2002 12:14 AM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
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inconceivable
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Ah Doc, I knew there was a reason I liked ya! (Apart from the fact that you're an Aussie, of course.)
I can't see or hear that word without the lithp in it though... thus, incontheivable.  The Princess Bride references, for all those who are *totally confused!
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#67198
04/26/2002 12:17 AM
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Posts: 477
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Aah, I've got WELCOME on speed dial today! Glad to have you with us random Q! Geez, now we have Max Q and random Q, phew... how to keep up with all those Rs and Qs!
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#67199
04/26/2002 12:24 AM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 4,757
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to keep up with all those Rs and Qs!
it' s the one{s} that just take the P that concern me hev =)
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#67200
04/26/2002 1:20 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 30
newbie
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hev: "incontheivable" made me laugh out loud! My sibs and I must have watched The Princess Bride 20 times together - it's such a great movie!
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#67201
04/26/2002 1:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 477
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have watched The Princess Bride 20 times
Hey TT, I'm almost ashamed to admit that the first time I watched TPB, I just didn't get it. A few years later I begrudgingly watched it again, and found myself laughing all the way through. I quote from it regularly!
Have fun storming the castle!
Think it'll woik?
It'll take a miracle
Bye! Bye!
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#67202
04/26/2002 2:36 AM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
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to keep up with all those Rs and Qs!
it' s the one{s} that just take the P that concern me hev =)Let's just keep the P's, and mind our a-P's and a-Q's!
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#67203
04/26/2002 11:37 AM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
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Puffins are the mascot of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, so here's a pic of one of my neighbours for you, belM.Puffins are also Newfoundland's provincial bird. They've got colonies of them on these big offshore rocks/small islands. (I haven't been out to see them yet but I hear they're cool.) 
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#67204
04/27/2002 4:40 PM
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Posts: 475
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phantasmagorical, a word that is sadly overlooked in the presence of the all conquering weird. ps. Does anyone know what discombobulated means, and can you discombobulate something?
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#67205
04/27/2002 4:52 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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I think discombobulated means as confused as Bob is, whoever Bob is.
To discombobulate is to confuse someone as much as Bob is confused.
To discombobulate Bob is a cruel, abusive act 'cuz he's already confused.
Discombobulated regards,
Discomdudbulated
PS Edit: And this from Dictionary.com:
dis·com·bob·u·late (dskm-bby-lt)
tr.v. dis·com·bob·u·lat·ed, dis·com·bob·u·lat·ing, dis·com·bob·u·lates
To throw into a state of confusion. See Synonyms at confuse.
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#67206
04/28/2002 10:59 AM
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Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
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Byzantine or Byzantium - such exotic overtones!
Byzantine is so much more attractive than Byzantium, to me at least. Always conjures 'labyrinthine' overtones - not quite sure why unless it is some confused mental link via political intrigue and mysterious courts.
BTW the Vikings apparently called Constantinople Miklagard. That always added to the attraction. All those names for one city - how could it not be interesting? And I still haven't visited...
(maybe that multiplicity of names added to the labyrinthine overtones too?)
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#67207
04/28/2002 10:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,074 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
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I've always been fond of
Albuquerque (sounds quirky) and
Tucson (smooth, and so easily misspelled - like "Fuchsia")
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#67208
04/28/2002 11:05 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Well, when it comes to names of places, some of my favorites are:
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
Uuande, Cameroon
Gabarone, Botswana
Tegucigalpa (and that's got to be a poor spelling!)
Belmopan, Belize
Seychelles (because it looks like seashells even though it's not pronounced the same)
Madagascar (oh, that is one of the most evocatively romantic sounding places of all to my ear)
Kiribati (because it sounds so different from how it looks)
Celebes Sea
Banda Sea
Timor Sea
Bellinghausen Sea (hard to beat that)
Bellinghausen regards,
Worldwords
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#67209
04/29/2002 12:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,156
old hand
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old hand
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Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)Cool, WW, that's always been one of my faves, too! Another along the same lines would be Iquique (Chile?) I have a friend from high school with whom they were used as happy exclamations: OUAGADOUGOU? IQUIQUE!!!!
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#67210
04/29/2002 4:08 PM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,692
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2002
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Wordwind mentioned Kiribati. I have heard that this is pronounced "Kiribass". Is this true?
dxb
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#67211
04/29/2002 4:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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dxb:
We discussed this a while back on the board. The way I've heard it pronounced is similar to what you show:
KEER-ee--bahss
...that may be off a little, but that's what I've heard. Love the sound--and it's so cool that it looks, English-wise, as though it would be pronounced a different way.
Best regards,
WorldWind
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#67212
04/29/2002 6:14 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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The lead singer of the group Tarika, from Madagascar, is a young woman named Hanitra. Her name is pronounced Hahnch.
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#67213
04/29/2002 6:22 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
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>Hanitra... pronounced Hahnch.
what?? British influence in a former French colony?!
()
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#67214
04/29/2002 6:28 PM
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
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British influence in a former French colony?!
Dunno bout that. It seems a common thang for final vowels to be unpronounced. Fanafody pr, fanafood, e.g.
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#67215
04/29/2002 11:19 PM
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
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I've always liked the sound of Aruba, meself.
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#67216
04/30/2002 2:17 AM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 872
old hand
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old hand
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Let me say that I love all of the Good Lord's words equally. Once when I was young and a poetry snob I hated the word Tintinnabulation. I thought it contrived and Poe a mere writer of, ugh, -songs. Now I love Tintinnabulation. And when I was young and a petty manager I loved the word FUM. Two of the office girls in my charge, after one of my friendly suggestions as to how they could become better employees, would always mumble in a sing song as I walked away, - FUM,fumfum FUM. I thought they were referring to me as the fe-fi-foe-fum giant in Jack-in-the-beanstalk, but later I found out that FUM was a acronym for... F___K you Milo. Today I can take FUM or leave it. - -
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#67217
04/30/2002 3:18 AM
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Posts: 477
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Some of my favourite Proper Nouns are place names from Asia.
Kota Kinabalu (Ko-tah Kin-ah-BAH-loo)
Surabaya (Soo-rah-by-ah with a little bit of a roll on the 'r') Hi Bingley - correct me if I'm wrong!
Just to name one or two...
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