Just as one has pieces of music, art or flavours that one loves, I have words that I love too. In a platonic way, of course. I love the sound of them, I love saying them. I heard two new ones today.
Lobtailing. Flippering. Mmmmmm…
Say them aloud, they’re absolutely luscious. Euphonious, even. I’ve been working them into conversations all day (and thus convincing my colleagues that I am about ten minutes away from a committal hearing).
What, outside of meaning, makes a word attractive? Do other Dopers have words they like?
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For the record, lobtailing and flippering are whale maneuvres. Lobtailing is when the whale lifts its tail out of the water and flops it back down again; flippering is when the whale rolls on its side and waves its flipper in the air.
I like the way first part of the word starts with a hiss but brings you into a gradual pucker, while the latter part has you gently exhaling and ending with a moan. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, let your head fall back, and let the word slowly escape your lips. Ah, suche sweete swyfen.
Breach. Scintillating! Vice. Wit. Spunk! Denouement!!
I love words. don’t care what they mean, it’s the way they roll off the tongue or stop sharply as soon as they leave the mouth. The sound of people talking is one of my favorite, regardless of what they say…
As a little sidebar/explaination thing, I’m a writer and I want to be a High School English teacher. I truly do love words, and would like very much to make them an even more prominent part of my life.