What are the most beautiful words in the English language?

[Rybka]

What are the most beautiful words in the English language? Recently the British Council (Whatever that is) conducted a survey of non-native English speakers. They have published a list of the top 70 words. Here are the top 10:

1. Mother
2. Passion
3. Smile
4. Love
5. Eternity
6. Fantastic
7. Destiny
8. Freedom
9. Liberty
10. Tranquillity

The rest of the list can be seen on the British Council website.
Do you agree with the choices? What word do you think the most beautiful in the English Language? What word or phrase do you like best?

I, for instance, have always wanted to write a book titled:

“A Veritable Plethora of Pudenda”​

(“plethora” to be prounced as it was before it became popular – “ple – thora” not “pleth – ora”)

 

[SeattleRain]

cellar door

 

[Guest]

<snip>I, for instance, have always wanted to write a book titled:

“A Veritable Plethora of Pudenda”​

(“plethora” to be prounced as it was before it became popular – “ple – thora” not “pleth – ora”)

I'd buy a copy.

 

[WickedEve]

1. Mother
2. Passion
3. Smile
4. Love
5. Eternity
6. Fantastic
7. Destiny
8. Freedom
9. Liberty
10. Tranquillity

I hope I don't have to read a poem with those 10 words in it.

 

[Guest]

I hope I don't have to read a poem with those 10 words in it.

I was thinking challenge.

 

[WickedEve]

I was thinking challenge.

I was thinking that you need to stop thinking.

 

[Liar]

If we talk phonetically...

sustenance
apogee (I wrote my latest poem just because I like that word)
resusitate
mono

yeah, I really dig the word mono. Gotta write a poem with it one of these days.

 

[Liar]

That top 10 is about what the words mean. Try to listen to them...

1. Mother
take away the connotations, and it's pretty gluttural

2. Passion
a harsh, sharp sound

3. Smile
like an annoyed guinea pig

4. Love
ok, this works. well rounded and nice

5. Eternity
nice inner consisteny, but could come out brutal

6. Fantastic
quite brutal with a spittle warning on the middle syllable

7. Destiny
rolls nicely off the tongue

8. Freedom
likeable softness and contrast between the syllables

9. Liberty
no, too abrupt..."liberation" is better

10. Tranquillity
a bit of a tongue-twister, but quite ok

 

[flyguy69]

.......

“A Veritable Plethora of Pudenda”​

(“plethora” to be prounced as it was before it became popular – “ple – thora” not “pleth – ora”)

Is there such a thing; "plethora" connoting overabundance?

 

[Rybka]

If we talk phonetically...

sustenance
apogee (I wrote my latest poem just because I like that word)
resusitate
mono

yeah, I really dig the word mono. Gotta write a poem with it one of these days.

If you like 'sustenance' and 'resusitate', how about susurrus, sussurance, sussurate, sussuration? Another of the same ilk that I like is 'sonorous'.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

cellar door

That was what I thought before I even opened the thread.

 

[impressive]

What word do you think the most beautiful in the English Language?

Friend.

 

[annaswirls]

some of my favorite words are mens names, the long version...

Alexander
Jonathan
Matthew


The ugliest word:

Slacks

and I am not fond of cunt
(the word that is)
and not because of the sexual meaning or demeaning
it is just an ugly word.

 

[annaswirls]

That was what I thought before I even opened the thread.

did you see Donny Darko?

if not, rent it now....






what are you still doing here, go rent it.


heavenly is nice too

 

[4degrees]

insertion, frothy, deviation, phallus, liaison, nocturne, transmutate.

oh yeah, and fuck.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

did you see Donny Darko?

I have the DVD.

 

[wildsweetone]

billow

serenity

peace

Liar - 2. Passion
a harsh, sharp sound

I don't say 'passion' in a harsh sharp sound. I say it 'pashon' - soft 'p' and gentle 'shhhh'.

 

[flyguy69]

billow

serenity

peace



I don't say 'passion' in a harsh sharp sound. I say it 'pashon' - soft 'p' and gentle 'shhhh'.

Ooh; lean a little closer and say that, WSO!

 

[wildsweetone]

Just for you dear...

*whispering*

pashhhhhhhhhhhon​

 

[Maria2394]

That top 10 is about what the words mean. Try to listen to them...

1. Mother
take away the connotations, and it's pretty gluttural

2. Passion
a harsh, sharp sound

3. Smile
like an annoyed guinea pig

4. Love
ok, this works. well rounded and nice

5. Eternity
nice inner consisteny, but could come out brutal

6. Fantastic
quite brutal with a spittle warning on the middle syllable

7. Destiny
rolls nicely off the tongue

8. Freedom
likeable softness and contrast between the syllables

9. Liberty
no, too abrupt..."liberation" is better

10. Tranquillity
a bit of a tongue-twister, but quite ok

hey Liar, Im with you on the sounding quality of words. Fisrt ones that popped in my head were;

assonance

syzygy

eloquent

alabaster ( ireally really love this word)

ephemeral

 

[Liar]

Just for you dear...

*whispering*

pashhhhhhhhhhhon​

Ok, I'm convinced.

purrr