Skip to main content

Cool Words. Because Why Not?




- Jo -

This should come as no surprise to you: I like words. They're useful things on the whole and almost all of them have or have had huge value. However, I am of the opinion that all words are not created equal. Some of them are useful and boring, while others are more fun than a dozen more combined. Now, I don't know if you do this, but I find myself often interrupting myself to remark on my admiration for a particular word that had come up in conversation. Unfortunately, the reasons for this love are as varied as they are arbitrary, so there's no telling which word will next catch my fancy. And you never know, some of these might actually come in handy to you, too. Still, it's important to note that this is by no means a comprehensive list.

Gelatinous - I was in the car on the way to church some weeks back and I had a question sloshing around in my head: "Are there words in English that have all five vowels? Surely, right? So, how many of them are there?" I asked my mum if she knew and she said no, so together we got to thinking about it. After sifting through countless words, I finally came upon gelatinous. I was quite happy with this finding and resolved that it would be my first entry here.

Facetious - The more observant of you may notice that this word meets the criterion of the thinking exercise from the last point, which is precisely why it comes next. It's almost better, because it's one of the few words in which not only are all five vowels present, but they also appear in order! How cool is that? (Disclaimer: I got this one from Oxford Dictionaries rather than thinking of it myself, sadly.)

Coward - It's a wonderful insult and it sounds just perfect in a Northern Irish accent.

Regardless and Nevertheless - These are on the list by the same token as each other: they sound fantastic and are very helpful replacements when I begin to say anyway too much. I do this a lot. Also very useful in writing.

Purfle - Definition: an ornamental border. I came across this while reading Sir Thomas Mallory's Le Morte d'Arthur, in which it was used in a threatening letter. I love it. (The word, not the book. The book made me hate Arthur and for that I will never forgive it.)

Quiz - It won me a game of Scrabble when I got it onto a triple word tile.

Archaic, Dilapidated, Antiquated, of a Bygone Age, Time-Worn, Decaying - Some of the very many better words than 'old' that actually mean something. Don't get me wrong, sometimes 'old' is a perfectly reasonable word to use, but why not use one of these beauties instead sometimes?

Puggle - THIS IS THE ACTUAL WORD YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO USE WHEN DISCUSSING A BABY ECHIDNA AND IT'S THE BEST THING! It's like a puppy, but cuter. See? It's a little adorable alien!



(And yes, I know that Puggle is also what people call a Pug and Beagle cross, but really, which do you prefer? A mutt puppy or that sweet thing? ... Ahem. Maybe don't answer that.)

Vraisemblablement - I'm learning French and this is my favourite word so far. I mean, look at it. It's glorious. Definition: in all likelihood. We use three words to say what they say in one, but I'm pretty certain both take the same amount of time to say.

Exchequer - Definition: treasury, particularly in a kingdom. This gets into my love for etymology. The word comes from the fact that the people who used to deal with the accounts (presumably in France) would do it on a tablecloth that had a checked pattern because it was easy to keep organised. Thus, 'exchequer', 'cheque' ('check' if you're American) and the game of Checkers all have the same roots! English is fascinating!

Irksome, Irritating, Vexing, Infuriating, Provoking - Very good substitutes for 'annoying', just in case you or your characters have younger siblings you ever need to describe.

Conundrum - It sounds cool. Also, characters in books often encounter conundrums (should be conundra, really, but apparently it's not anymore) and never name them as such. I think this is a shame. We as the Writing Mafia should do our part to rectify it.

What are some of your favourite words? Do you like mine? Do you agree that puggles are adorable aliens?


-Jo
Soli Deo Gloria

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Palaces and Purposes - A Short Story

I wrote this for school when I was almost 16 and I think the fact that I still like it speaks to some degree of quality. I hope you enjoy it, too. It's got a very different feel to my novel, so it was nice to have some variation while writing it. Palaces and Purposes With shallow breaths and bare feet unmoving on the marble floor, I gazed at the dais. What were they? Strange contraptions, some made of wood, with strings running parallel down the middle, across large holes. Others were all of metal and seemed to be twisted into knots. Still others seemed to be nothing more than smooth sticks with evenly placed holes down their lengths. All were relatively small and looked lightweight. What kind of crazy country had I come to that a platform in such a vast, opulent hall, beautiful beyond any of my imaginings, was home to simple wooden chairs and these objects of no conceivable use? All my instincts, trained and honed by months of unnoticed thievery and silent spying, scr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ostrich short story

She holds her elegant neck high above the masses which she saunters through. Like a diva at a show she flaunts her plumes, casts a wary eye about for rivals, and turns up her nose at her drab brown and cream comrades.  Behold, an animal of distinction and refinement. Here is the ostrich, queen of the winged kingdom. Around her, antelope bow their heads in shame, cringing at their inferiority. Where she steps the grass seems to wither in embarrassment. Even the sun seems reluctant to disgrace her chestnut and ivory feathers. Stop. Look around. Sour musk lines the brisk breeze. She lowers the foot which was held aloft a moment ago, her previously serene expression now one of incandescent disapproval. The antelope prick up their ears. A glimpse of golden pelt in the grass and an explosion of hooves signifies the beginning of the chase. She runs like a demon, head pointed forward and wings outstretched. Long legs kick up turf, spraying it into the streak of gold fur b...
Post a Comment
Read more

Write Whatever You Want

This is probably the most obvious thing you've ever heard/read about writing: write whatever you want. This is it. You've finally motivated yourself, and a startling burst of courage makes you place your fingers on the keyboard (or pick up your writing instrument). The white blankness of the page awaits you. And then suddenly, you're doubting yourself. Thoughts like these begin to bombard you: Can I really write this? Is it worth publishing? What do I even write?  I'm just going to straight up say: Write. Write whatever you want to write. Your thoughts, a random story, a poem about the tedious job of staring at blank pages all the time. It doesn't matter. Just write. Write about anything you're passionate about. What motivates you? What do you want to say to the world? Write about anything you like. Even if the topic isn't in demand. Even if no one's interested in it. Keep those words flowing. If you think your words can help hum...
Post a Comment
Read more