I like words. Especially ones that are kind of odd and are satisfying to use. One of my all time favourite words is besmirch. I just love the sound of that word. I don't use it in its correct meaning most of the time. I find that it is a satisfying replacement for a curse word. I substitute it for the f-word a lot of the time. (As in "Besmirch! This stupid store does not have the Great Aunt Ida CD that I covet.")
(Aside: a few of my oddball friends and I use besmirch as an all-purpose word when we were in university. It was a substitute swear word. It also meant a gift - as in "I bought you a little besmirch".
Context was key a lot of the time. "Besmirch the music" could mean many things. It could mean turn the music on, turn it off, turn it up, or turn it down depending on the actual state of the music.
Oh, and you know that I learned the word besmirch from the Simpsons. Can any of you remember which character in which episode used it?)
Anyhow, today my love of obscure words made it hard for me to communicate today with one of my colleagues.
Me: There's quite the kerfuffle in the office right now.
Colleague: What? I don't know that word.
Me: Oh um... there's.... uh... quite the hubbub in the office.
Colleague: Huh?
Me: There's a melee in the office... Ummm, you know a lot of students in there for some reason.
Colleague: Oh.. I see. I don't know all of the cool slang.
Me: Oh, the slang I use is sooooo not cool. I'm a total word geek.
I don't know what the point of this story is. I just couldn't think of a plain word to describe the commotion in the office.
Sometimes when I get mad at my classes (usually for slacking off), I lecture them and I realize the words I'm using are most likely over their head. The more frustrated I get, the more verbose I get.
Anyway, what's your favourite word?
9 comments:
lol, I understood all of those words you used. :)
I had a favorite word, but it escapes me right now at this hour, but when I remember it, you will be the first to know. What I do like to do, is change words, and call things by a slightly different name. For instance:
For changing words, I like to say edumacation, and Saskamatoon. And I like to add Mc to the front of words for no reason. "I am going to use the Mcphone to call the Mcguy who is bringing over my Mccar. That's an exhateration, but you get the picture. Oh and for different name, Canadian Tire becomes Ukranian Tire, SuperStore becomes StupidStore, FutureShop becomes FuckedupShop, etc. I'm really quite lame. :)
Wow, I love to use unusual words, and have a habit of picking up stuff from the movies, music and TV I enjoy - words, phrases and whatnot.
I <3 both kerfuffle and besmirch!
Cxx
besmirch is an awesome word. as are kerfluffle, melee and hubbub.
gotta say though facetious is my fave. the way it rolls off the tongue, it's ability to be used in so many instances and the fact that it has all the vowels in the order in which they appear in the alphabet. a big apology to y though. oh well.
soixant is a close second, but it's french so it doesn't count for my english tongue. but i like the way it, too, rolls off the tongue.
:)
AM
ok, that was me. for some reason i can't do a real comment with my name and all.
c'est moi, AlieMalie. :)
This is definitely your silliest post.
And who the heck doesn't know kerfluffle, melle and hubbub?
I actually think kerfluffle is one of my favorite words!!
I do use Kerfuffle quite a lot. My new fave is cunundrum. It seems to get used alot in the office here, there are a lot of cunundrums with farmers these days!
As for replacing the swear words, frickin is a favorite, as is "nucking futs". In a sentence, "I think that is nucking futs, what a frickin cunundrum you have!"
wow, you woulda had me at 'kerfuffle' too hah.
I don't know that I'd say I have favourite words so much as the random silly ones to throw in somewhere....egads! humdinger. and the old childhood cursing scapegoat...horsefeathers!
as in, 'ahh horsefeathers, I gotta get to some paper writing'...
My new favourite word is "trousers'
as in, do these trousers make my package look obscene?
I say Frickin alot, as a substitute for fucking... what do you do. But I do enjoy besmirch, it's so versitile! Quaff is another fav you taught me
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