BEAUTIFUL (AND NOT-SO-BEAUTIFUL) WORDS
Jan. 16th, 2001 03:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scottobearWilfred Funk's list of the most beautiful words in English: ASPHODEL, FAWN, DAWN, CHALICE, ANEMONE, TRANQUIL, HUSH, GOLDEN, HALCYON, CAMELLIA, BOBOLINK, THRUSH, CHIMES, MURMURING, LULLABY, LUMINOUS, DAMASK, CERULEAN, MELODY, MARIGOLD, JONQUIL, ORIOLE, TENDRIL, MYRRH, MIGNONETTE, GOSSAMER, ALYSSEUM, MIST, OLEANDER, AMARYLLIS, ROSEMARY. [Alysseum may be a misspelling of alyssum, but this is how the word appears in Paul Dickson's Words.]
According to James Joyce, CUSPIDOR is the most beautiful word in English [Dickson].
In A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (page 86), Annie Dillard writes: "My friend Rosanne Coggeshall, the poet, says that 'sycamore' is the most intrinsically beautiful word in English" [Sarah Gossett].
The ten worst-sounding words in English, according to a poll by the National Association of Teachers of Speech in August, 1946: CACOPHONY, CRUNCH, FLATULENT, GRIPE, JAZZ, PHLEGMATIC, PLUMP, PLUTOCRAT, SAP, and TREACHERY.
According to Willard R. Espy, the ten ugliest-sounding words in English, excluding indecent words, are FRUCTIFY, KUMQUAT, QUAHOG, CREPUSCULAR, KAKKAK, GARGOYLE, CACOPHONOUS, AASVOGEL, BROBDINGNAGIAN, JUKEBOX [The Book of Lists: The '90s Edition].
VICTUALS (pronounced "viddles") is the ugliest word in the language according to Harry Golden [Dickson].
NYNEX was deemed to be the worst name of any company in America by the publisher of Advertising Age [Dickson].
According to James Joyce, CUSPIDOR is the most beautiful word in English [Dickson].
In A Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (page 86), Annie Dillard writes: "My friend Rosanne Coggeshall, the poet, says that 'sycamore' is the most intrinsically beautiful word in English" [Sarah Gossett].
The ten worst-sounding words in English, according to a poll by the National Association of Teachers of Speech in August, 1946: CACOPHONY, CRUNCH, FLATULENT, GRIPE, JAZZ, PHLEGMATIC, PLUMP, PLUTOCRAT, SAP, and TREACHERY.
According to Willard R. Espy, the ten ugliest-sounding words in English, excluding indecent words, are FRUCTIFY, KUMQUAT, QUAHOG, CREPUSCULAR, KAKKAK, GARGOYLE, CACOPHONOUS, AASVOGEL, BROBDINGNAGIAN, JUKEBOX [The Book of Lists: The '90s Edition].
VICTUALS (pronounced "viddles") is the ugliest word in the language according to Harry Golden [Dickson].
NYNEX was deemed to be the worst name of any company in America by the publisher of Advertising Age [Dickson].
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no subject
Date: 2001-01-16 12:23 am (UTC)Heh heh.
Although I must say, I rather like the way "plump" sounds...
no subject
Date: 2001-01-16 12:23 am (UTC)words
Date: 2001-01-16 01:28 am (UTC)bobolink?
Date: 2001-01-16 03:45 am (UTC)Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 06:21 am (UTC)Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 09:21 am (UTC)Re: bobolink?
Date: 2001-01-16 09:24 am (UTC)Re: words
Date: 2001-01-16 09:27 am (UTC)Well, keep saying them, then. :)
Deuterotomy was the name of a good friend's kitty. :)
Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 09:30 am (UTC)you don't mind that it's considered ugly? I think it's sorta neato. :)
Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 09:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2001-01-16 12:48 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:03 pm (UTC)welcome to my journal! Happy to see you!
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:05 pm (UTC)It was my great grandpa's first name, but he went by Ralph. He was my mom's favorite relative so she named me after him...and I'm sure Danielle Ralph would have caused me much trauma.
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:07 pm (UTC)Although... Danielle Ralph sounds cool to me, too.
Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:14 pm (UTC)Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:19 pm (UTC)My *brother's* middle name is Walter...he guards it like a government secret.
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:30 pm (UTC)Well, you know what Wally means in the Uk, right?
Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:34 pm (UTC)ooh! you know, somehow I knew that... maybe it's your username.
*d'ohs*
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:34 pm (UTC)Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:35 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:35 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:36 pm (UTC)*hug*
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:38 pm (UTC)Ah, sweet poetic justice.
Re:
Date: 2001-01-16 01:39 pm (UTC)*beam*
Re: Were your parents hippies?
Date: 2001-01-16 01:42 pm (UTC)What a nasty teenager thing for him to do!!