TGIF: 5 Words To Know + A Bit Of Wordsmithery Fun + A Simple Question

/ Ally Bean

Although I keep an ongoing list of words or definitions that are new to me, I haven’t done a wordy post in a while. It’s Friday, so why not?

• • ❤️ • •

WORDS TO KNOW

WHUZZLE WAFFLING is the sound made by a loom as you weave something on it

PROLIXITY means using or containing too many words as in tediously lengthy

TARNATION is an exclamation used to express incredulity; it is a minced oath of the word “damnation”

SOPHISTRY is using false arguments with the intention of deceiving

CONFABULATE in psychiatry means to create imaginary experiences to compensate for the loss of memory; in everyday usage it means to engage in conversation

As always, anyone who can write one sentence using all the words gets a gold star.

• ❤️ •

A BIT OF WORDSMITHERY FUN

The above paragraph is my attempt at using THE UP-GOER FIVE TEXT EDITOR.

The editor challenges you to explain something using only the ten hundred most used words in the English language. This is more difficult to do than you may think.

At least it was for me a wordy girl who loves to vary my words, relying on nuance to get my point across, fearlessly using polysyllabic words.

Follow the link shared above and see for yourself, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about how The Up-Goer Five Text Editor will stop you lickety-split if you use a word that is not one of the top ten hundred.

If you choose to mess around with this editor, let me know how it goes for you. Just curious…

• ❤️ •

A SIMPLE QUESTION

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “It has been estimated that the vocabulary of English includes roughly 1 million words.” [Read more here.]

Of all the words in the English vocabulary which ONE is your favorite?

I shared mine in the comments below.

• • ❤️ • •

175 thoughts on “TGIF: 5 Words To Know + A Bit Of Wordsmithery Fun + A Simple Question”

  2. I have so many favorite words–clearly “favorite” does not mean what I think it means–how can I choose just one?

    The ones I use most often these days are usually the ones that describe my contrary, combative child: truculent, intractable, trenchant, and obdurate. Just to name a few.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Love those words! I don’t think I have any one favourite, in English. My favourite in the Dutch language is not a word, but a diminutive added to words: “tje” or “je”. In such a tiny country, this is added to everyday words to indicate even more tiny-ness, or “wee-ness”. For instance “Klein” is the word for small but a “kleintje” is an endearing term for a small child. It’s like calling a child a wee tiny. I just love it.

    Deb

    Liked by 1 person

    • Suz, that up-goer editor drove me bonkers. I just wanted to write a few sentences, but it was not taking my words.

      Plethora is an excellent word. I use it, maybe not often enough. Yes, by all means add whuzzle waffling to your daily lexicon. 😉

      Like

  6. I enjoy archaic words and will toss them into a conversation just to see how others react. I suspect no one listens to much of what I say anyway so very likely they never notice. Here’s a few: asunder, profess, exsanguination. I am especially partial to behoof and yonder.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deb, oh your word choices are wonderful! I like them all and applaud you for using them liberally. Seeing people react to what you say is half the fun of knowing archaic words.

      [I often say this blog is filled with flapdoodle and twaddle which are two archaic words, now that I think about it.]

      Liked by 1 person

  7. Lotsa fav words…but instead, I decided to go for that ‘gold star’.
    Here’s my sentence: (if you’re literal, then just eliminate the exclamation point and replace it with a comma or semi colon)
    ‘Tarnation! That debator on that there TV confabulates a web of sophistry with prolixity and sounds like a whuzzle waffling!
    Do I get that gold star????

    Liked by 6 people

  8. That’s a wonderful collection of words for the day. I don’t think I’ll bang my head in that editor box – had frustration enough with my HP printer software this week. Sometimes, my favorite English word is just sh*t!!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Eilene, yes, do not try the up-goer editor unless you’re in a mellow mood. It’s infuriating. Your favorite English word, and your reasoning for liking it this week, make perfect sense to me. 😊

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I love words! I’m going with guffaw. My friend used it a few weeks ago, and it’s a word that perfectly describes a certain exchAnge/situation so that’s my word this week

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Oh Ms. Bean you must know how much this post delights my heart. Words! Words! Words! I will definitely be trying the editor, although I may well hold you responsible if it drives me over the edge. Still, if you give me a gold star I’ll call it all good. “Tarnation – the prolixity of your sophistry as you confabulate is far more annoying than the whuzzle-waffling background noise that is giving me a migraine.”

    For the record, I’d never be able to pick a single favorite word, but in this exact moment, I’ll go with alveary. And I’ll be enough of a tease to make you look it up if you don’t know it. Wordies know the dictionary is our best friend.

    Liked by 4 people

  11. Fun post! I love your new words! Hmmm… favorite word, it probably changes from day to day, but I do have Pennsylvania Dutch in me so I do get a lot of fun out of using the word Dummkopf! Can’t forget Supercalifragilisticexpialidoces! I have used that since the first time I watched Mary Poppins! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  12. I’m still loving gobsmacked. I discovered it about 3 years ago and use it as much as I can because well, especially this year, everything gobsmacks me! I need to use whuzzle waffling even if I change the meaning a tad. Sounds more like something that comes out of the government.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Oh Kate, that’s a great word. Gobsmacked is useful in everyday conversations. I like your idea of enhancing the meaning of whuzzle waffling because you’re right, it sounds like something that describes the government.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Fun stuff, Ally. Here’s my box:

    It’s funny that people would try to explain a hard idea in a simple way, using only words that everyone knows.

    I guess it’s a way of reaching out to people with little or no idea of less used words.

    Maybe it’s why someone (I won’t name names) says things like, “he’s a very bad person,” instead of sharing a more pointed thought.

    Liked by 4 people

  15. Fun list of words! I’d never heard of Wuzzle waffling. Sounds like some game in a Harry Potter novel.

    I don’t have a favorite word I can say…type without going into the rated R category. It’s a swear word. Starts with F ends with K and isn’t Firetruck. There’s just no other word that feels so good saying for so many situations.

    My favorite French word is cacahuète. It means peanut. It’s fun to say.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Deborah, I agree that whuzzle waffling could be a game in a Harry Potter book. I also like your choice of favorite word that isn’t firetruck. I’ve said it almost daily this year and agree it is applicable in many a situation.

      I don’t know French but I do like knowing how to say peanut so thanks for that. Never know when I’ll be able to throw that into a conversation.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Hi Ally, For some reason I gravitate to “palpable.” It seems to fit in many situations. I am familiar with Tarnation and Confabulate although auto-correct wants to correct me. Lots of Wordsmithery Fun in this post.🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Erica/Erika, palpable is a good word that I don’t use often. I can see why it’s one you gravitate toward. Smiling here because I’ve had nothing be trouble with auto-correct while writing and replying to comments on this post. It doesn’t like new words, I guess.

      Liked by 1 person

  19. I love to learn new words. I had heard the terms sophistry and tarnation before. I think my favorite of the bunch is whuzzle waffling. Snazzy is a great word! I think I’d have a hard time picking out my favorite word. It may change based on the day. Today I’ll go with pragmatic since I’ve used that recently in discussing my husband’s approach to things. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Amy, I’d heard of tarnation but didn’t know its derivation. The rest of the words are ones I stumbled over in my reading. I like your choice of the word pragmatic; I’m often told that I am pragmatic, sometimes too pragmatic they say. 🙄

      Liked by 1 person

  20. This was fun, and enlightening – what more can you ask for?

    Well, I’d ask for a whuzzle waffle, but that’s an intangible, not something you can hold in box, or on a fox. Dr. Seuss would have approved, though. Either way, it’s my new favourite.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Maggie, whuzzle waffling has a certain Dr. Seuss-ness to it. I hadn’t thought of that, but you’re right. It’s a fine word, but being a person who is rarely near a loom I don’t think I’ll be using it often.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. I didn’t know your first two words, but did the other three. I could spend a long time playing around with that editor. I was fascinated by how you got the box on your post. I have no clue how to do that! I have many favorite words but “discombobulated” comes to mind. I seem to spend many days in that state currently.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Margaret, my mother used to say discombobulated often. Funny I hadn’t thought of that in years. It’s a great word.

      I got the box on my post by taking a screenshot of it over there, then adding that image to my blog post in the same way that I add photos. [I’m on iMac so I can’t help you with how you take a screenshot on your computer.]

      Liked by 1 person

  22. Oh, I like discombobulated too! What a fun post, Ally! You are indeed a wordsmith!
    Another favorite of mine is obfuscation: it sounds like what it means and I always have to say it slowly to say it right. My least favorite word (although you didn’t ask) is plethora. I’ve been reading/hearing that word much too much lately and it sounds just awful, like someone starting to get sick.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Marie, this has been great fun to see which words people like– and don’t like. I like discombobulate and I use obfuscation more often this year than in earlier ones. I like plethora, but if you don’t then by all means don’t use it. That’s what is great about words, there are so many!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Zoewiezoe, made me laugh. That editor is annoying, I agree. I use a variety of words and that doesn’t help me when goofing around in the up-goer text editor. I don’t think it likes anyone!

      Like

  24. Had some good laughs here Ally Bean. I was thinking inter alia of discombobulate. I’m reminded of the word plethora which no one seems to pronounce correctly. Emphasis is on the first not second syllable, like formidable. I like words that begin with f and end in k – so descriptive. Have a great weekend 😃

    Like

    • Susan, commenters have made this post a delight. I’m glad that discombobulate has been mentioned. It reminds of my mother who used to say that, so a nice flashback for me. I’ve never heard anyone say plethora except the right way that you describe. That’s fascinating. And yes, words that begin with f and end in k is a hilariously polite way to mention your favorite word. Gotta love it.

      Liked by 1 person

  27. I’m still avoiding that editor like the plague – mask and face shield on and more than 6′ of distance. 🙂 I didn’t know there was a MW FB so I went right over and liked so thank you. I love words, but when I really like something it seems like I’m hardwired and a really old word comes rolling out – cool. I need to get over that. 🙂 I also remember high school and college when I carried around a small MW Dictionary so I could make sure I spelled everything correctly. Kind of funny to even think about that these days when my expensive iPhone is my dictionary, and I’m still carrying it around. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Lots of great words here! My favorite changes from time to time, but one that I’m using more and more as I get older really isn’t an official word at all: Destinesia. A combination of destination and amnesia, it’s what happens when you walk into another room and forget what it was you were going there for.

    Liked by 5 people

  29. “Tarnation”? I’ve only heard “Darnation” – and we all knew what it meant. The use of “tarnation” probably would all have been discouraged as it would be interpreted as a form of “retarded” – which wasn’t considered a bad word, just a rude one. (Flame retardant was OK..it was used as description in advertising for cloth)
    Words are fun. People should get back to better and bigger vocabularies…and unless working with fiction/fun, maybe use the right word in the right place again.
    Fun post

    Liked by 1 person

    • philmouse, apparently tarnation is one of those minced oaths that uptight people say when they don’t want to swear. I’d heard the word used before, but not the rest of the story about it.

      I like people with big vocabularies, just because talking with them can be a learning experience– as long as they’re not snobby about their word choices. That would never do!

      Liked by 1 person

      • Those who read generally have broader vocabularies …and are usually interesting instead of snobby.
        Teachers used to always say they knew which 6th graders got a thesaurus for Christmas (and it was a common gift then – one useful all the way through college years)- suddenly they were writing with very new vocabulary.
        Wit and intelligence used to be cultivated HAHA

        Liked by 1 person

        • philmouse, ain’t that the truth! Wit and intelligence were the cornerstones of my parents’ idea about how a child should grow intellectually. Probably how I got started down the road to wordsmithery.

          Liked by 1 person

  30. I love this so very much. My good friend and I used to have this app where it was a word of the day and we would have to use it in a sentence with each other. Then the pandemic happened and we stopped doing that. What in tarnation happened? I feel like we need to confabulate again! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  32. I confabulate daily because memory refuses to stick around, darn it! Read this earlier and kept trying to remember a brand new word that I learned this week. It’s the current favorite, except it’s been entirely forgotten. Was going to ask significant other before replying to your post but forgot even that!! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    • Kathy, you make me laugh out loud. Thank you. Whatever word it is I’m sure it is a good one that will float into your mind once you stop trying to remember it. That’s how it works for me.

      Liked by 1 person

  33. Words! I love words!! Glancing through some of the comments, I saw several I really like including plethora and gobsmacked. I knew some but not all those words and I agree that wuzzle waffling is very Seussian. 🙂 Being a word lover, you must read “Anguished English” and “More Anguished English” and whatever other Richard Lederer books you can get your hands on. I’ve literally (there’s an abused word!!) laughed until I cried when reading it. Aside: I love how people will say things such as “I literally died.” Really? Then we would NOT be having this conversation. I’m so happy to met another world lover. Oh, I like “bibliophile” because I am one. My least favorite word (or one)is one listed several times above as a favorite, starting with F. 🙂

    TTFN,

    janet

    Liked by 1 person

    • Janet, I don’t know about the books you mention but they sound like my cup of tea. Thanks for sharing. The misuse of the word literal is enough to send a word lover over the edge. I’m glad you mentioned that. As for the word that starts with F and ends in K, ’tis very popular with my commenters.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. 11 hours later and 94 comments! Holy smokes! Which actually is one of my fav written words and I use it verbally as well. Honeys is apparently a new one that I use so regularly that my little 3 year old granddaughter has started walking around calling everything honeys!

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Lately my favorite word is glacial erratic. It sounds so scientific and sophisticated and I use it every chance I get to describe the uniquitous boulders I find carpeting our landscape.

    When I was a little girl my grandmother used the word snazzy to compliment my clothing choices all the time. 🙂

    Like

  37. I can only assume that “thousand” is not one of the top ten hundred words? I read that over several times to make sure I wasn’t missing something.
    Yeah, I think I’ll pass on an editor that can’t do math.
    My favourite word is GOBSMACKED. Love it.

    Like

    • Arlene, yes “thousand” is not one of the approved words on the up-goer editor, hence the goofy description. That editor thing is annoying from the git-go. Another commenter mentioned gobsmacked as her favorite word. It’s a good one that seems to fit many a situation.

      Liked by 1 person

  38. I’m late to the party, but I can say that you gave me six words (or phrases) as I had to look up, “minced oath.” Thanks for the lesson. As for only using a subset of words, I think most Twitter and facebook users could do that, but probably not words on the list., I hope they don’t start mining those platforms for allowed words.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Dan, once you realize what a minced oath is you know that you knew about them all along, but had no way to describe them. You raise a good point about the limited vocabulary of some people over on Twitter & FB. I’d fail miserably if I had to restrict which words I use. Where would be the fun in that?

      Liked by 1 person

  39. I cannot possibly name a favourite word! I have so many, and for so many different reasons. Some, like JELLY, I love because of the way they look and how kids say them.

    Others, like PREPOSTEROUS, I love because they sound just the way they should because of what they mean.

    See what I mean? I do have a couple of pet words, however, that I use often. One is WORKY, and another is SNARKY. They’re such great words that really do a huge job describing things that are too complicated or require too much effort or fiddling (the former), or someone who is snotty and sarcastic.

    I love, love, love words.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Nance, I like all four of your words, for the reasons you mention. Preposterous does have an authentic ring to it. I’d not thought of that before.

      I’m fond of snarky, having discovered that it describes what is being said whilst appearing to rise above the situation with my precise word choice. Plus it’s fun to say out loud, perhaps with a raised eyebrow.

      Like

  41. Dear Ally Bean

    I do like your post. Words are just incredible. I simply love playing with them and this year they are tumbling out of me.

    And what a wonderful collection you have. I have tried scanning through the list and reading clips. I had hoped to get to the bottom of the list to find your first post, but gave up somewhere in 2016 think. I felt I might never get there and my tea is getting cold!

    You put lovely photos up for each post. I decided not to use photos although I have taken oodles (a word for you perhaps?) over the years. I wanted to concentrate on the words. The one photo on my home page isn’t mine of course, just the one which came with the template, but as it suited my theme I ran with it.

    I agree with others that there is no real favorite word of mine. But I do like fahrting.

    That is from the German of course. So I wrote a little bit about it on my site. I have a sneaking suspicion others might like it to. My site that is, not just fahrting.

    If you are interested you will find it under World menu, then scroll down for ingredients, where you will find various word described as some people do not fully understand their meanings. You might try the Wine list too.

    I also wrote S is for…..States of the U.S.A under desserts with the good people of America in mind to help them through the Covid crisis. This explains the real etymology of the various states names. Possibly.

    Anyway, I must try and look in on your posts again, they are well worth the effort.

    Kind regards

    Baldmichael Theresoluteprotector’sson

    P.S. I like your privacy policy, short and sweet – makes a change from the waffle, waffle, yawn , yawn boring ones you usually find.

    Like

    • Baldmicheal, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. It’s been amazing to see who in the blogosphere is drawn into reading/talking about words. I’m learning new words thanks to this post, yours included. It sounds like you have it going on with your blog. Glad that you liked the privacy policy. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it has to be tedious.

      Like

  42. I love the word obsequious – just love the way it rolls off the tongue. Oh and I like persiflage too, because I seem to do a lot of that. And I agree – plethora is a great word as well.

    Liked by 1 person

  43. WHUZZLE WAFFLING is a delightful pair of words. Too bad we don’t use a loom very often.

    During twenty years abroad, living in an international community, I taught myself to speak simply and pronounce my words carefully. Not the best preparation for becoming a writer.

    Like

    • Nicki, I thought the same thing about not using a loom! To know such a great word then not have the occasion to use it often is sad. I’ve no doubt that when living abroad you’d need to choose your words with care wanting to be understood, not insulting. Funny how you ended up being a writer. Maybe those years of speaking simply primed the pump so that you could share your thoughts in books with *big* words!

      Like

    • Markus + Micah, they can! I didn’t think of that when I saved them, but you’re onto something with that idea. Of course right about now everything is related to the election. 🙄

      Like

  45. For a few years, I used to be a weaver and hail from weaving ancestors that never ever heard of, ‘whuzzle waffling’, so this idiom might be ‘waffle’, in itself. It must be parochial vernacular : two of my favourite words. Along with a Norwegian expression that means, ‘pointed elbows.’

    Like

  47. Oh, man, I love this post. I don’t think I could choose a favorite word any more than I could choose a favorite child. (But, as with my children, they are definitely some that are favorites for different types of occasions.)

    I am wondering how many of your readers have been vocabulary-shamed. As in: “Why do you have to use words like that? Why can’t you just talk normal?” (asking for a friend)

    Some words I really like (that haven’t been mentioned): snickerdoodle, alacrity, metamorphosis, cerulean, crustacean. I like words that have a sort of onomatopoetic quality to them. (Oh, I like onomatopoeia, too! Even though I have to check the spelling every single time I write it, and–sort of ironically–it is not onomatopoetic.)

    Liked by 1 person

    • Rita, it’s a challenge to pick a favorite word. I get that. I like snickerdoodle because cookie, but I also like cerulean. I’d put it in my top ten. Excellent point about onomatopoeia, a word I, too, cannot spell correctly without looking it up.

      Good question about being shamed for your vocabulary. I was as a child among my classmates, but as an adult not often. Most of the people I talk with read more than I do, have more college degrees than I do, work in narrow industries, so they outshine me with the words they use.

      Like

  48. My favorite word is serendipity. It’s kind of fun to say. Loblolly is second in line for the same reason. I did try The Up-Goer Five Text Editor. It did not like me very much. lol! “Difficult” and “familiar” didn’t make the list of the ten hundred most used words (neither did language, silly, or nonsensical but I was not expecting nonsensical to make it) . I ended up writing several words in place of one. Apparently brevity is not the idea (or I don’t know how to do brevity in small words?). Thanks for the fun. I could get addicted to playing around with the box.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Robin, another commenter said that serendipity was his favorite word. I like it and would put it in my top ten.

      That editing thing is annoying. I felt the same way as you: it didn’t like me. I agree that it forces you to use way too many words when one big would do the job. But no… must. use. little. words.

      Like

  49. I’ve always liked “mellifluous” myself. Alternately, any French word. Those guys are pros at making something like “long stick of crusty bread” sound beautiful. I love the way baguette just rolls off the tongue.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Swinged Cat, mellifluous is a great word. Good choice for a favorite. I agree about French words and phrases. French words are delightful to say, although spelling them usually sends me to the dictionary.

      Like

  50. I can’t believe “box” is one of the 1,000 most used words in the English language. Hmmm….I could go for a long time without using that word. Now I have to try it. My favorite word (right now) is pumpernickel.

    Like

    • Laurie, so you have qualms about the up-goer editor, do you? It limits your word choices more than I like. I found it incredibly frustrating, so [of course] I had to share it here. I like pumpernickel, as in bread, like the kind I ordered for us this week. Yum!

      Liked by 1 person

  51. I had heard of confabulate and tarnation – I didn’t know the latter was associated with damnation. The others were new to me. My fun/favorite word is kerfuffle and its description. I like the way it sounds and it kind of sums up the year. As a person who likes alliteration, wuzzle waffling is fun but we might never get to use it.

    Liked by 1 person

  52. Linda, like you I’d heard of confabulate and tarnation, but didn’t know much about their meanings, derivations. Kerfluffle is a great word. Definitely on my top ten list. I need to find reasons to use it more often. I know what you mean about using whuzzle waffling. It is rare for me to have a convo about looms.

    Like

  53. I tried the box. I could only write three sentences before I started to get frustrated. (Frustrated was one of the words I wasn’t allowed to use and that was frustrating!) It certainly lends one to writing simply. Helpful when writing is full of prolixity. Hemingway would probably love it.

    What a fun post!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Katie, just about every word I wanted to use to express an emotion was not allowed in that stupid text editor. It made me irritable, but worthy of being shared here, so not too irritable. You’re right, for Hemingway it would be perfection.

      Like

  54. Prolixity! That’s a keeper.
    My favorite word is “penultimate.”
    That experience you had in the box? That’s how I feel when I’m trying to speak French. I have something I want to say but I’m limited by the insubstantial amount of vocabulary I have mastered. Frustrating!

    Like

    • The Travel Architect, oh I like your favorite word. That needs to be on my top ten list. I like your summation of the way in which the text editor and learning a new language are similar. So true, so very [sadly] true.

      Liked by 1 person

  57. Pingback: Rubber boat: Laughing into the next four years | Somerton Smith

  58. I used a loom once, but I don’t remember a whuzzle waffling sound. Probably because I was going too slow. 😁 I like “precarious” because of the way it sounds. I thought it was a very common word until I started using it in public and no one seemed to know what it meant. 🧐

    Liked by 1 person

    • FanTC, I’ve never used a loom so I have to go with what I read. I like the words ‘whuzzle waffling’ so even if they don’t prove to be accurate, they’re fun to say.

      I’d think that people would know what “precarious” meant, too. Sadly interesting that they don’t.

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.