09-25-2009
What Are Your Favorite Words?
From now until November 1, in preparation for NaNoWriMo, I will be in full research mode for my NaNoWriMo novel. (Here’s my NaNoWriMo profile – if you’re participating, let’s be Writing Buddies!)
My research? Words! Lots and lots of glorious, gorgeous words, with perhaps a handful of more desolate words for variety.
I will be in full word-collection mode over the next five weeks.
What types of words am I collecting?
Mainly modifiers: adjectives and adverbs. Verbs and interjections, too. I’m not as interested in nouns, unless they’re abstract nouns.
I’m not looking for unusual words, either, although unusual is fine, too. Mainly, I’m building a random list, filled with a variety of words suggested by lots of different people.
So, what are your favorite words? Words that you always stop to admire whenever you see them, whether in a book, on a billboard, in a magazine. Words that make you smile, or laugh, or perhaps even sniff back a small tear.
I’d love to know, if you’d like to share! Please let me know in a comment, or send me an email. Don’t hesitate to tell your friends, too – the more words I collect, the better!
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September 25th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
furry, complex, verboten, anathema, comfort, flavor, pagination (which I always think should mean something about imagination in books)
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September 25th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
deciduous, liquid, creamy, chocolate (as in chocolate colored), wobbled, mercurial are a few.
Have fun with NaNoWriMo, I know several writers who have had a great time, and accomplished a lot with it.
btw, I tried to comment on your interview with Joy Preble, but can’t get the page to load. What I wanted to say was, very insightful interview questions, and it sounds like an intriguing book.
Cathryn´s last blog ..So Lucky
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September 25th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Luscious, silky, scintillating, grandiose, mellow, spectacular, intriguing, flamboyant, absurd.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo! I can’t wait to see what you are doing with all of these words.
Janel´s last blog ..Jumblicious 9/25/09
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September 25th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Splendiferous, confuzzled, copasetic, nouns as verbs such as, “I’m gonna sandwich and then I’ll sofa,” powerdown (as to nap), grandiose, antideluvian, hinky (as in, “The haunted house was majorly hinky.”), glamor (of the magical variety), nefarious, benign, benevolent, and many others I can’t think of at the moment.
Words I can’t stand for no apparent reason: palpitate, pustule, slough.
Happy word hunting for NaNoWriMo!
Zombie Girrrl´s last blog ..My Take On The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
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September 25th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Oh yeah, and obtuse! :)
Zombie Girrrl´s last blog ..My Take On The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
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September 25th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
autumnal, crunchy, blowing a gale, rattle, mauve, lovely, disconsolate, hollow, splendid (said with a British accent), courageous, north-western, knobbly, wobbly, willowy, sallow, salacious
Zee´s last blog ..Booking Through Thursday: Books that make me sad
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September 25th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
wonky and gobbeldygook were the two that jumped into my head when I read your post.
Kristen´s last blog ..The Blue Star Giveaway
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September 25th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
OH – what a great assignment you have give yourself!
I think I might do the same — and even offer it as an assignment for my English 1 students :)
Anxious to hear all your glorious words.
Molly´s last blog ..Review: The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher
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September 25th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
I second “wonky”!
Zombie Girrrl´s last blog ..My Take On The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong
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September 25th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
As long as you have 50,000 of those wonderful words collected, you’ll be just fine. I did my own NaNoWriMo in the spring; not sure I can do it again so soon, though it’s tempting.
Malcolm
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September 26th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Thank you, everyone! These are fabulous, exactly what I’m looking for. Please, if anyone has more, keep them coming. I’m toying with the idea of making this a sticky post, because it’s the randomness that is really useful. I need words that leap out for other people, rather than words that leap out for me.
Malcolm, you are so funny!
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September 26th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Undulating. It’s especially fun if you actually undulate as you say it. :)
And I know it’s not really what you’re looking for, but I’m over the moon in love with “ain’t.” I love that it can stand in for so many different contractions.
(Also, it’s definitely not what you want, but “pickle” rarely fails to make me giggle. It’s such a cute little word).
Memory´s last blog ..131. The Dust of 100 Dogs by A.S. King, plus a giveaway!
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September 26th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Kerfuffle
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September 26th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
cerulean & chartreuse
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September 27th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Don’t know if I have fav words, and don’t know the parts of speech too well, but will try for a few off the top! Plus, I make words up pretty regularly!
yellowish
oozy/oozed etc
rasping
spidery
infiltrate/d
whirls
vile
flesh/ fleshy
watery
grievous
mangle
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September 27th, 2009 at 12:44 am
Such a great post idea. I’m a NaNo-er, too.
Some of my favorite words: snicker, sodapop (even though we only say “pop” in Chicago), finicky, weathered, and splendid. I’ll have to think on this and come back later though.
Katie´s last blog ..in my mailbox (15).
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September 27th, 2009 at 9:14 am
[...] And after you’re done checking out all these great giveaways, please hop on over here and let me know your favorite words! [...]
September 27th, 2009 at 10:38 am
A friend at school used equanimity in one of his homework pieces and it got him an A and a mention to the rest of the class. I’ve yet to find a legitimate use for it in my writing though!
Andy Bailey´s last blog ..Twitter Field in all comment forms
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September 27th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I love this post! I hope you’ll publish a list of all of them at the end of the month – there are some wonderful ones listed above!
rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Sunday Salon – Review of The Color of Water, by James McBride
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September 27th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
As much as I love words, I haven’t ever successfully made lists of them. As I came across your post again, tintinnabulation came to mind, though. That one stays close at hand, and has for more than a decade now. I remember learning it in Poe.
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September 28th, 2009 at 8:57 am
What a great idea! I hope that you’re getting lots of words that you like.
I know it’s pretty boring, but one of my favorite words is
maniacal.
i just love how it sounds.
I’ll think any maybe come back with more later.
Audrey´s last blog ..Return and About Books
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September 30th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
and– that’s one of my favorite words, and I probably overuse it. I especially like it when it flows in a Hemingway sentence.
and
d’oh!, the “f” word, misanthrope, craptastic, slobberknocker, johnny-deadline
Todd´s last blog ..Tongues Are Wagging
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September 30th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
What a fun idea. I love serendipity it sounds exactly like what it means. Other favourites include
suddenly
hope
crimson
swish
Alexa´s last blog ..Waiting on Wednesday for Restoring Harmony
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October 1st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
More great words! This is just perfect!
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October 3rd, 2009 at 11:56 am
Here’s a boatload of descriptive words for you.
http://www.msgarrettonline.com/descripwords.html
Have fun with NaNo. I’m gearing up for it as well
Robin of My two Blessings´s last blog ..Weekly Report # 2
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October 3rd, 2009 at 4:15 pm
oh how deliciously FUN! random favorite words, huh? slippy, slimey, gravely, luminescent, shy, groovy, grand, loopy, quiet, verisimilitude.
Good luck!
Care´s last blog ..Weekly Geeks 2009-37
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October 4th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Judging from my writing my favorite word is “great” – I seem to use it 100 times per blog post!
But I also like incandescent, luminous, and veiled.
Just Mom´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday, September 30th
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October 4th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
I just wanted to wish you luck with NaNoWriMo! :)
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October 5th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I’ve been collecting words lately, too…just because I love them! My current favs:
solopsistic
erudite
obfuscate
insouciant
quotidian
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October 6th, 2009 at 9:27 am
prolific, scooch, bajillion, defunct
I’ll have to give more thought to this fun endeavor. I have favorite words I love to say, but rarely write because I get a blank stare and a “Huh?” after saying it. I’ll have to start keeping track.
Good luck with NaNo~ cat
Cat Woods´s last blog ..Close to Heaven
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October 6th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
I’d like to add in “subterfuge” — such an awesome word, and so rarely appreciated for its awesomeness! :)
Best wishes as we prepare and begin NaNo! I’m a WriMo, too. So looking forward to this year — it’s going to be great! :)
Meg´s last blog ..the atlantic ocean makes a comeback
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October 18th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
snickerdoodle!!!
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October 23rd, 2009 at 12:23 am
inscrutable, dazzling, dizzying, superflous, dubious, blank, trippy, zealous, blazing, sparkly. Oh, and shenanigans. It’s a noun, but it’s cool.
judy´s last blog ..In 66 days, I’ll be (habitually) fabulous…
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