Being the Class A windbag that I am, there are few things more attractive to me than the multi-syllable word.
Who says the art of conversation is moribund (dying)? Not I.
There are so many interesting choices to make - why go the terse route?
Yesterday, one of the charming words in the NY Times Crossword was "osculate", a synonym for 'kiss'. How can anyone not love 'osculate' (or osculating, for that matter)? It sounds complicated, vaguely scientific, and slightly naughty all rolled into one. Just like what a kiss is all about.
By strewing words (talking) hither and thither (much better than here and there), I am doing my small part to keep the atmosphere (i/o air) glutted (full) of marvelous (good) vowels and consonants (words). And while I become the good, the bad, and/or the irksome myself - well, it does my soul good.
So, when hunting down this week's TT, it was not so much the quote itself - which is quite lovely by itself - but the author's moniker.
Why go by the name Couch, when you can be Chesterfield?
Who says the art of conversation is moribund (dying)? Not I.
There are so many interesting choices to make - why go the terse route?
Yesterday, one of the charming words in the NY Times Crossword was "osculate", a synonym for 'kiss'. How can anyone not love 'osculate' (or osculating, for that matter)? It sounds complicated, vaguely scientific, and slightly naughty all rolled into one. Just like what a kiss is all about.
By strewing words (talking) hither and thither (much better than here and there), I am doing my small part to keep the atmosphere (i/o air) glutted (full) of marvelous (good) vowels and consonants (words). And while I become the good, the bad, and/or the irksome myself - well, it does my soul good.
So, when hunting down this week's TT, it was not so much the quote itself - which is quite lovely by itself - but the author's moniker.
Why go by the name Couch, when you can be Chesterfield?
"While I can crawl upon this planet I think myself obliged to d0 what good I can, in my narrow domestic spheres, to my fellow creatures, and to wish them all the good I cannot do."
Lord Chesterfield
9 comments:
You're my vocabulary* hero (heroine)!
*plural vo·cab·u·lar·ies
Etymology: Middle French vocabulaire, probably from Medieval Latin vocabularium, from neuter of vocabularius verbal, from Latin vocabulum
Date: 1532
Ps- no charge for the extra words!
And don't forget davenport!
I've been disparaged before for using too many big words and trying to sound "hoity toity". But that's really the way I talk. Why use boring commonplace words when there are so many WONDERFUL words to choose from? Words that roll off the tongue and please the ear? I love words.
Countess AG: Vocabularium? Yowza.
I want to go to that place.
Countess MPM: Yet another stylish replacement for boring old couch.
Settee?
Countess BA: Exactly WHO is disparaging you? I'm ready to kick ass and take names.
These are no doubt people who wouldn't have a clue what to do with a serviette or a mire-poix.
Heathens.
Some of my favorite multi-syllable words . . .
Somnambulism
Absquatulate
Love 'em . . .
Count T-Daddy: I abscond with your word 'absquatulate' - love it!
I love big words. Many people say you are not suppossed to use big ones when small ones will do but to me it's the difference between having a red, yellow, green and blue crayon versus the big crayola box of 96. Some words are just more descriptive or lyrical, they are rarely for me, an expression of my intelligence more just a manifestation of my love affair with words.
Countess FF: I love the way you color with your 96 crayons!
Don't sell yourself short, there, sweetie-pie; your apt usage is the sign of a true literati. The fact the words amuse you is just icing on the cake.
Countess FF: I LOVE the way you color with those crayons, girl!
And don't sell yourself short in the intelligence department, sweetness - your fine usage is the true sign of a literati. That the words tickle your fancy is just icing on the cake.
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