LUSCIOUS WORDS

A few months ago, while I was getting my daily dose of The Writer’s Almanac, I read this quote from author Roy Blount, Jr., who said "Language seems to me intrinsically comic - noises of the tongue, lips, larynx, and palate rendered in ink on paper with the deepest and airiest thoughts in mind and the harshest and tenderest feelings at heart."

I thought of the quote later that week when I was watching one of the many repeats of Keeping Up Appearances. The British comedy - you know: “The Boo-kay residence, the lady of the house speaking.”  They are always funny no matter how many times you’ve seen them, always good to fill in a half hour before you get to watch what you really wanted to see on PBS. In this episode, Daisy and Onslow were sitting in bed reading. Onslow, wearing his always stylish ‘vest’ (an “A-Shirt” to us these days), was consulting the tout sheets. Daisy, in her house coat, had one of her favorite romance novels, and read one line to Onslow. She thought this line lovely: “He looked into her limpid eyes.” Limpid was the word that ‘spoke’ to Daisy.

Limpid – the word is well, limpid. Just recite it to yourself a few times: limpid…limpid…limpid.  It is sort of limpid in a boiled noodle-y sort of way.

Some words have a way of almost being what they describe. Lewis Carroll coined a poemful of wonderful words: Jabberwocky. The poem is just brillig!

Herewith are a few of my favorite words. Think about the beauty, the aptness of the word, think about Just roll the words through your mouth and off your tongue:

scoundrel

dangle

louche

aplomb

festoon

ludicrous

What words would be on your list? Be sure they are luscious! 

TRIPPINGLY!