I've often discussed how much I love and value language. The sheer beauty of words, their ability to convey thoughts, ideas, values, images is a never-ending source of delight to me.
There are some words that by their very sound convey their meaning. The term "onomatopoeia" was coined to describe words that derive from the sound of their meaning. Smack, boom, buzz, and murmur are all examples. My favorite is the word Edgar Allen Poe invented to describe the ringing of bells, "tintinnabulation."
But there are some words that grate on me. They seem to almost contradict their very meaning. For example, why is "abbreviate" such a long word?
That's not the worse offender, though. The term for a very fine rain, barely more than droplets, is "drizzle." The harsh "z" sounds strike me as a singularly inappropriate form of expression for such a soft phenomenon.
That's why yesterday morning I described the weather as "misting."
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Comments (14)
I think the most awkward wo... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Jimmie | June 7, 2005 11:39 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I think the most awkward word in the English language is "utilize".
The word "use" is so much better in so many other ways.
1. Posted by Jimmie | June 7, 2005 11:39 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 7, 2005 11:39
2. Posted by Jinx McHue | June 7, 2005 12:16 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
What I love is when people are offended by the word "niggardly."
2. Posted by Jinx McHue | June 7, 2005 12:16 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 12:16
3. Posted by FloridaOyster | June 7, 2005 12:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
And why is it that monosyllabic - isn't?
3. Posted by FloridaOyster | June 7, 2005 12:17 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 12:17
4. Posted by BlogDog | June 7, 2005 12:41 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
To answer Florida Oyster: 'Cause.
Which brings to mind: Why did the crow divorce his wife?
For caws.
And for sheer onomatopoeia: "susurrus."
Ah! Silk sliding down a bare leg....
4. Posted by BlogDog | June 7, 2005 12:41 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 12:41
5. Posted by Faith+1 | June 7, 2005 12:58 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Phonetic" ....isn't spelled that way.
5. Posted by Faith+1 | June 7, 2005 12:58 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 12:58
6. Posted by David | June 7, 2005 2:15 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Why doesn't "onomatopoeia" sound like what it is?
:-)
6. Posted by David | June 7, 2005 2:15 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 7, 2005 14:15
7. Posted by KBiel | June 7, 2005 5:07 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
My personal favorite is cleave which is an antonym to itself.
7. Posted by KBiel | June 7, 2005 5:07 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 17:07
8. Posted by nyuser | June 7, 2005 5:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Many words in the English language have two opposite meanings. Some examples:
temper: to harden / to soften
and also: calmness of mind / heat of mind, passion
hacker: tyro / expert
fearful: causing fear / afraid, apprehensive
rocky: firmly held / unstable, wobbly
drum: to summon / to expel
ravel: to entangle / to disentangle
oversight: watchful and responsible care / indavertent omission or error
and on and on . . . A very rich language, indeed!
I collect these and would be interested to hear from anyone who has more.
8. Posted by nyuser | June 7, 2005 5:59 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 17:59
9. Posted by fooltomery | June 7, 2005 6:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"The term 'onomatopoeia' was coined to describe words that derive from the sound of their meaning."
Huh?
9. Posted by fooltomery | June 7, 2005 6:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 7, 2005 18:02
10. Posted by fatman | June 7, 2005 7:35 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I've always wondered what a "ped" was. You know, as in "Yield to Peds in Crosswalks".
1) Do they have two legs or four or more? Or do they have no legs and just slither along like snakes or worms? (bleeech)
2) If they have two legs, do they walk upright or hunched over, dragging their knuckles like my brother?
3) Are they furry or hairless or somewhere in between, like me :-( ?
4) Do they have tails? If they do, are their tails prehensile, and can you swing one by its tail?
5) And finally, if I catch one of these creatures outside of a crosswalk, are they fair game? Do I get points for nailing one, ala "Death Race 2000"?
Any help answering these burning questions is greatly appreciated!
10. Posted by fatman | June 7, 2005 7:35 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 19:35
11. Posted by triticale | June 7, 2005 8:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
And then there are words which seem to mean the same thing and don't, like player and gamer.
11. Posted by triticale | June 7, 2005 8:47 PM |
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Posted on June 7, 2005 20:47
12. Posted by Lokki | June 8, 2005 1:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You are assuming that these words sprung full-blown into the world in modern American pronunication... they didn't. Each word has a history of its own,.
Drizzle ETYMOLOGY:
Perhaps from Middle English drisning, fall of dew, from Old English -drysnian, in gedrysnian, to pass away, vanish; see dhreu- in Indo-European roots
Abbreviate ETYMOLOGY: Middle English abbreviaten, from Late Latin abbrevire , abbrevit- : ad-, ad- + brevire, to shorten (from brevis, short; see mregh-u- in Indo-European roots)
12. Posted by Lokki | June 8, 2005 1:36 PM |
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Posted on June 8, 2005 13:36
13. Posted by Zsa Zsa | June 8, 2005 6:47 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I have a bit of a problem when people say irregardless!... Regardless is the word not irregardless...It drives me crazy!
13. Posted by Zsa Zsa | June 8, 2005 6:47 PM |
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Posted on June 8, 2005 18:47
14. Posted by jonny z | June 9, 2005 3:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The more popular expression of drizzle is the delicious form, especially so when the act involves creamy lemon sauce over succelent shrimp.
14. Posted by jonny z | June 9, 2005 3:14 PM |
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Posted on June 9, 2005 15:14