She doth teach the torches to burn bright...
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name, would smell as sweet.”
– Romeo and Juliet, II, ii
Words are a funny thing to me. Not only do I love them for their meaning, I love them for their sound. Perhaps I am living proof of Nunberg’s theory of phonological association… or maybe it’s my inner Southern belle. Whatever the reason, I fervently love these words:
Undulate.
Uvula.
Eros.
Languorous.
Forlorn.
Maxfield Parrish's "Ecstasy"
Malleable.
Fecund.
Eloquent.
Passion.
Evocative.
Fungible.
Dalliance.
Denouement.
Apace.
Plethora.
Comely.
Fiery.
Demure.
Sumptuous.
Redolent.
Handmaiden.
Tender.
Ecstasy.
Scintillating.
Nightingale.
Titillate.
Pastiche.
Ethereal.
Seminal.
Mellifluous.
Opulent.
Lithe.
Waft.
Melancholy.
Bucolic.
Archaic.
Beatitude.
Chasm.
Architectural.
Leisure.
Diaphanous.
Chalice.
Oboe.
Ephemeral.
Fetching.
Virginal.
Versimilitude.
Soporific.
Oracle.
Talisman.
Woeful.
Salacious.
Adorn.
Wooded.
Fuck.
I suppose that, for the majority of these words, I love them for how they undulate in the glottis. There is something lush (oooh, add that one to the list) about their multisyllabic nature that reverberates within me.
And then, of course, there’s fuck. Oh, fuck. How do I love thee? Such a fine word. So much can be done with it – and has.
Now for a few words that I don’t like. There’s a harshness to them, something…. distasteful to me about their sound… and for some of them, their meaning:
Crass.
Nasty
Brassy.
Slut.
Nazi.
Ouroboros, anyone?
Brat.
Feces.
Whore.
Lurid.
Crucify.
Shut-up.
Stupid.
Dumb.
Hog.
Rip.
Bush.
Torture.
Mine.
Drill.
Clatter.
Treason.
Hate.
Crazy.
Shred.
Phlegmatic.
Phlegm.
Puke.
Shrapnel.
Freeloader.
Imbecile.
Ugly.
Tubercular.
Trash.
Trap.
And finally…. crap. I really can’t stand that word. Give me a good old fashioned fuck anytime.
What are your favorite – and least favorite – words?
Now, go write.
HRH, Princess Scribe
A Little Self Pimp: My Kickstarter campaign for my series “They Live Among Us” has begun! Consider joining in on this adventure – I’ll be blogging about it – by donating. To learn more about TLAU, visit my Project Site.
Princess Scribe's Blog 
I love flabbergasted. I dislike cunt (unless I’m using it wisely). I love discombobulated. I dislike hate.
And I love, love, love this blog post.
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Aww, thanks, Jamester!
Here’s an excellent article on the origins of cunt. I used it when I produced “The Vagina Monologues.”
http://www.vdaysouthbay.org/originsofcunt.htm
Always good to use words wisely. 😉
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“I really can’t stand that word. Give me a good old fashioned fuck anytime.”
I coached a 4th grade basketball team. I sat them down once and told them that I did not want to hear them calling anyone, their teammates or the opponents, “stupid”, “ugly”, “retard” or any other name that could be mean and hateful. I said they should go with “asshole”, “shithead”, or ‘mother fucker”.
Giving them permission to use such strong words (knowing their parents wouldn’t really allow them to) empowered them; made them feel like grown ups; and made them realize the names they were using were just as silly as the ones adults use.
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Aha! I think I’ve figured out who you are….. 😉
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Good, maybe you can clue me in as well. :C)
I also dislike “N-word”. It gives the word nigger more power than the word deserves. And this goes for “F-word” or even worse “F-bomb”.
Now I hear support groups for the mentally challenged group want to add “R-word” to the list.
And of course let’s give a shout out to all those wonderful posters who think that by simply substituting characters for letters they haven’t said anything $hitty… the a$$holes. #$&@#$%# ’em!!!!! :C)
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Preach it my brother.
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Is this how one plays Words with Friends? I’ve heard of that game but I thought it was something silly. I love this! Constantinople! I used to walk around saying it out loud in my front yard when I was a kid. Now I’ve been there. Of course they call it Istanbul not Constantinople … doesn’t that swing? Some of the words on your hate list are on my list to be used: crap. It has a good old app sound I like. I have a file on my desktop called “Crap I hate.” I also use puke, and stupid, because they have such hateful and forceful sounds. Oh wait, I use all these to come from the mouths of my characters. I don’t call people stupid. And I never puke, I throw up. TMI? This has been fun, but one has to work … ta!
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dehelen… So I’m guessing this is your favorite song now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeQ-wjDH4F4
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