Our Abounding English Language

The Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature (SPELL) ^ | Unknown | Richard Lederer

[jimtorr]

I found this essay by Richard Lederer on the SPELL web site. I thought it, and the SPELL web site itself, might be of use to all Freepers interested in the proper use of the English language.

To reach the home page of The Society for the Preservation of English Language and Literature (SPELL), click through to the aricle on the link at the top of this post, and click on the "HOME" link at the bottom of the page.

[Huck]

Nifty, neat, cool, groovy, nice, sweeeeeet.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Surely you mean,
pleasurable, pleasant, nice, good pleasure-giving, amusing pleasing, agreeable, grateful, gratifying, flattering acceptable, welcome, welcome as the flowers in May well-liked, to one's taste, to one's liking, just what the doctor ordered wonderful, marvelous, fabulous, splendid, excellent frictionless, painless, comfortable easeful, refreshing, reposeful peaceful, quiet, tranquil bowery, luxurious, voluptuous, sensuous genial, warm, sunny, cheering delightful, delectable, delicious, exquisite, choice luscious, juicy, pulpy delicate, tasty, savory sugary, sweet dulcet, musical, harmonious, melodious picturesque, scenic, lovely, beautiful amiable, dear, winning, disarming, endearing, lovable attractive, cute, fetching, appealing, alluring, interesting, attracting seductive, enticing, inviting, captivating,melliferous ambrosial, nectareous, luscious, delicious

[cripplecreek]

Fo shizzle.

[Maceman]

Thus, a sign in our San Diego Zoo reads: "Please do not annoy, torment, pester, plague, molest, worry, badger, harry, harass, heckle, persecute, irk, bully, rag, vex, disquiet, goad, beset, bother, tease, nettle, tantalize, or ruffle the animals."

I guess that means that it's still OK to irritate, upset, put out, cheese off, frustrate, provoke, and rile them.

[Lawgvr1955]

Article reminds me when Hillary is interviewed. She hardly sounds like "the world's smartest woman". She has the habit of saying "you know" repeatedly. Very grating.

[Borges]

Many a time I sit and ponder the fine distinctions between spunk, gumption, moxie and wherewithal.

[KarlInOhio]

"Please do not annoy, torment, pester, plague, molest, worry, badger, harry, harass, heckle, persecute, irk, bully, rag, vex, disquiet, goad, beset, bother, tease, nettle, tantalize, or ruffle the animals."

Can I confuse, amaze, stun, puzzle, startle, bewilder or distract the cats, voles, stoats, pumas, Thompson's Gazelles, wildebeests and bees?

Can I really not badger a Taxidea taxus?

[lafroste]

It's interesting that the bulk of the article dealt with synonyms, but the last list, euphamisms for dieing were, for the most part, quiloquial (sp? -ARGH!) expressions. When I speak to foreign born individuals that know English as a second language, I am often surprised that they don't have the slightest idea of what I am talking about when I use such expressions, expressions that have a distinct meaning in and of themselves wholly unrelated to the actual words used (see "pushing up daisies").

[lafroste]

Wherewithal is not even close to spunk, gumption, and moxie. No wonder you get ponderiferous.

[proxy_user]

'Bought the farm'
'Kicked the bucket'


[BTW, the spellings you are looking for are 'dying' and 'colloquial']

[Balding_Eagle]

I read this to Mrs. B_E.

She laughed. In womens Bible Study, they are told that it is the Greek and Hebrew (two dead languages) that have the most descriptive words. English, language of the pagans.

[zeugma]

I've been in love with the english language for years. Look up my handle - it's a rather obscure grammar term. One of the great strengths of english is that we have no pride about particular words. If we find a word in another language that better describes what it is that we want to say, we happily steal it and incorporate it into our own. This is why you can say almost anything in english with great precision. This isn't nearly as true of other languages such as french, where there are "guardians" of the language that attempt to keep it "pure".

While it is true that some other languages can be extraordinarily descriptive about certain things, such as the hundred or so variations Eskimos have for "snow", or the similar number of words the Japanese have for various types of apologies, in most languages, there are things that cannot really be said with ease or precision.

One of my favorite sites on the internet is the Oxford English Dictionary's Word of the Day. For those not familiar with the OED, they provide a full etymology for a word, as well as usage, and examples as seen in literature. Some of the examples are great. I've seen excerpts from as far back as the 800s AD.

Some days are much more interesting than others. I particularly like when they feature older mono-syllabic words because of the history they tend to have.

Of course, no comment on an article so loaded with synonyms would be complete without an excerpt from Monty Python's Dead Parrot Sketch

Mr. Praline: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the perch 'e'd be pushing up the daisies! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

The final line of the above, is, of course the second funniest thing ever said on television.

[AmericanChef]

-Can I really not badger a Taxidea taxus?-

You could say badger a badger, if only you'd rather.

[sionnsar]

WFTD ping

[Ditter]

Yup! Yup! Agreed! Assent Acquiescence Affirmation Accord, Avowal, Concurrence Unanimity and most especially YES! That is funniest sketch ever!

[IronJack]

It's nice, pleasant, encouraging, salubrious, to see that there are still craftsmen out there who appreciate, value, cherish, prize this rainbow palette of expression we call a language.

[nothingnew]

Fo shizzle.

BWAHAHAHAHA!!! Truly LOL!!

FMCDH(BITS)

[nothingnew]

Over here!

FMCDH(BITS)