beautiful words

[jenni_blog]

A friend and I were discussing writing and the use of beautiful words. Not in the sense of what they mean but how they sound, how they roll off the tongue and perhaps invoke some feeling that goes beyond their meaning. We were talking about the English language specifically. She mentioned a quote from JRR Tolkien in which he had stated that the word 'cellar door' (which is actually two words) was the most beautiful word in the English language. My first reaction was "Huh?"

First, I didn't know about this quote and because I tend to associate meaning with how beautiful I believe a word to be rather than the sound of the word, and maybe because I don't tend to read out loud, but in my mind only, I wouldn't even think about how a word sounded when I was writing. I wasn't feeling too partial to 'cellar door', which, of course, means 'basement door' and is actually two words, like front door, back door, side door, open door, closed door, etc., etc. All pretty mundane words as far as meaning goes. For me meaning is more important than sound.

However, since thinking about the beauty of the sound of words, I began to think of a few that I thought were beautiful in both sound and meaning. I went a bit farther than English, and included some Spanish, French, Basque and one German name in the mix. This is because I don't think English is a beautiful language at all. (I'm including meanings as well.) I'd really like to know how others in my flist view words. What are your favourite words in any languages? Is sound or meaning more important to you, or do you believe both are important?

My favourite English words (meanings in brackets):

allusion (reference)
illusion (dream)
crystalline (formed of crystal)
echoes (reverberating sounds)
glimmering (twinkling)
overdrive (an intense state of activity)
resonance (the sound of something left behind after it is finished making a sound, or vibration) (this also has many more meanings in chemistry, physics, electronics, etc.)
spellbound (enchanted)
wanderer (traveler)

And a favourite line from a poem:

'Fret of the chain-mail sea'

(From 'An Irish Monk on Lindisfarne, about 650 AD' by Gael Turnbull)

That line invokes something wonderfully ancient and far-seeing for me, with some menacing overtones which makes it all the more attractive.

Favourite Spanish words:

Libertad (freedom)
Merendero (cafe)
Mirame (look at me)
Paraiso (heaven)
Redondel (ring)

And a wonderful expression: Lo que viene (that which comes, or what comes--a most wonderful way to say 'up next' with reference to something coming up on TV for instance. 'Up next' is so abrupt, but 'lo que viene' just rolls off the tongue.)

Favourite French words:

Chemin de fer (railway)
Farine (flour)
Longchamps (this is a name, not a word, but I love it)
Soleil (sun)

And the title of a favourite opera: La Boheme

Favourite Basque words and expressions:

For me everything is beautiful when spoken in Basque. I came away with the following after being in Bilbao. They are names of places I adored, as well as the way they roll off the tongue. (Okay, some of them are Spanish, but the places are in Bilbao!)

Casco viejo (old town)
Museo de Bellas Artes (museum of beautiful art)
Puente Colgante (drawbridge)
Zubizurri (I know this one is Basque and means 'white bridge')
Txakoli y pintxos (white wine and little sandwiches)

(In Basque 'tx' is pronounced like 'ch' in Spanish.)

And a wonderful German name:

Fortuna Dusseldorf

It's the name of a football team that I was watching last night, and I thought "What a beautiful name." The name 'Dusseldorf' is beautiful by itself, but when combined with 'Fortuna' makes it all the more so.

Now please give me your words! :)

Comments

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

*smiles* you really did it!

'cellar door' is music for my ears!
*lol* @ you saying: (which is actually two words) - this shows perfectly how you are!
I would have to think about an English word. 'malicious' is one I like.
I don't like your words except 'illusion'.

Spanish: mariposa, llanero, mañana, en la noche del miércoles (more than ONE word) and I guess there are some more. Spanish sounds sometimes very good for my ears but I'm sure NOT always.

French is a language I never liked.

Basque I don't know. For me it sounds not good with all the 'tx'.

Russian: Я люблю тебя! - Ja ljubju tebja! There are much more good sounding words. (you can say I wrote THREE words)

*LOL* @ the German word, the 'u' should be an 'ü' - Düsseldorf

I think every language has some very well sounding words. Unfortunate I don't know them.

I guess I like more 'soft' sounding words. 'L' is one my fav letters.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Yes, I did it, but I did it quickly and did not give myself a lot of time to find lovely words. I get it about the sound now. If you disregard the meaning then some words sound great, but how could you possibly use 'cellar door' in a story or poem unless it meant exactly what it is? It does sound nice, but the meaning spoils it...

All the words I chose flow like liquid nectar off the lips, I think...

allusion and illusion have almost the exact same sound!

'chemin de fer' is a most beautiful way to say 'railway train' - much nicer than the English translation!

What about mispronunciation? What if the person who reads a word doesn't pronounce it properly? Then the sound is messed up!

Hahaha! I somehow thought that you would say you hated all the words I chose! I looked through a book of poetry and chose the most beautiful words I saw in it, but I spent only an hour or so...it's a good way to find words, though. :)

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

It was not about using a word or more it was ONLY about the sound!

All the words I chose flow like liquid nectar off the lips, I think... Again it shows many differences ;)

French isn't my language, it doesn't sound pretty for me! I know many people say French is a beautiful language. Again we all are very different.

What about mispronunciation? Very interesting question. I know there are differences between English English, American English and Canadian English and some words sound different.
Example: dance - English English a long a and American English a short a, not even an a. There are many other words.
Sometimes a user of a foreign language pronounces a word wrong and the person likes the word....

I didn't write I hate your words, I wrote I don't like them! That's a difference!


Millos just scored their second! VAMOS MILLOS!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Oh I forgot. I don't know ANY German at all (such a shame) or Russian - LOL. And you will have noticed that never type anything with accents. That's because in English we don't use them, in Spanish my teacher from Bogota said you don't need to use them, and so I felt a bit pretentious in doing it. So sorry about the 'Dusseldorf' thing but that's also how it showed up on my TV as well. No accent! We don't use them here at all, although the French do. Interesting.

And 'cellar door' IS two words, not one. But it's okay, because some of the ones I chose were also more than one word. But I guess I do tend to stick to the rules and try to work within their boundaries most of the time. ;)

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Düsseldorf has NO accent! ü ( the u with two point above) is a different letter not used in English. You can also write Duesseldorf but it is not really correct because it is a proper noun of a town.
I know in English nobody cares about different letters in other languages and that's very sad! It seems to be in common in Germany now too and that's sad too.
*lol* TV! Do you think they do everything in the right way???
Other languages have also other letter we don't use in German. Danish or Swedish are such languages.

I try to use the accent when I write a Spanish word. I feel comfortable with it and can use shortcuts.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Spanish has those 'extra' letters as well. I can't type them because I don't use the accents (as added by using certain keys on the computer, I guess, but I don't know where they are and don't care). The English alphabet has 26 letters, and the Spanish one 4 extra, for a total of 30. One of the 4 extra is the other 'n' with the accent tilde over it and is pronounced differently. Otherwise all Spanish accents are only to denote where the emphasis is to be on the word, according to my second Spanish teacher, the Peruvian guy.

Or so I was taught. But it seems everything one is taught will be disputed by somebody else anyway. So what the fuck.

That's not what I meant by on the TV. The TV in an English-speaking country will use the English alphabet and nobody gives a fuck about it. In a country speaking a different language they will use words in their own alphabet and ditto about nobody giving it a second thought.

This brings up an interesting point about the internet. Since people all over the world are using it there is bound to be complete disregard for the rules of a particular language. It's to be expected, I guess, and who gives a fuck anyway for rules anymore? There is incorrect spelling and grammar all over the place and disputes over what is right and what is wrong are rampant.

The problem with trying to write things in another language is that so many mistakes are made. But if nobody really gives a fuck about mistakes, then I suppose none of it matters one bit.

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

Who gives a fuck!

[nelyo-russandol.livejournal.com]

As a Spaniard I feel I have a right to disagree with your teacher. You do need to use accents. Ok, with computer spell checkers, SMS, etc. people are getting more sloppy. But if you want to write decently, you must use them.

I love your choice of favourite words. For me, some lovely words in Spanish are "maravilla", "cariñosa" and "murciélago".

The first three choices from your Basque list are Spanish, and you will find them in many other towns and cities.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Hola! Como esta usted? That teacher also told us to use the polite forms of greeting when we don't know someone very well. ;)

My second Spanish teacher, a man from Peru, told us that the accents were to denote where the emphasis on a word was to be placed. We only know what we are taught, right?

My knowledge of Spanish is limited. Unfortunately, I only get to use it when I travel. But I find it beautiful and I love your words.

Yes, I only visited the Basque Country once and I knew that those names were Spanish. I wish I knew more Basque, though. It was so interesting to see in the airport that all the signs were in Spanish, Basque and English, whereas here in Canada they are in English and French. And when I and my Basque friend went to watch the Athletic Bilbao football team practice and spoke to the players afterwards, most of the boys were speaking to the fans in Spanish, one or two knew a word of English, but my friend was talking to one particular player in Basque only.

[hhimring]

It's a bit unfortunate that when you leave out the diacritics on the *u* in Dusseldorf (as I just did) it actually means "idiot village" in German...

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. LOL. That's terrible. Unfortunately, I didn't know that and there lies the danger in trying to say something in another language. I guess one of the points I was making was that if someone doesn't understand another language then any mistakes they make in trying to use it don't really matter to that person, but of course they would matter to those native speakers.

Now if only I knew how to access those symbols on my English (and accent-free) keyboard...

[aglaiya.livejournal.com]

HERE (http://www.theasciicode.com.ar/) you can find all shortcuts!

The diacritics on the u are NO accents!

I guess you have accents on your keyboard. Look at the numbers above the letters. On the right side you should find a key with the accents. At least the one you need the most in Spanish words.

It is only a hint and you don't have to care.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I know the 'diacritics' are not accents, but the u on my keyboard is just plain like that, so if I have to add more I have to call it something--hence 'accents' because then ppl will know what I mean.

Sorry, no, there is nothing on my keyboard that would point to accents. Not all keyboards are the same between different countries. I do remember our Spanish teacher in second year giving us a sheet of paper that gave us the combination of keys to press to get the accents to go over the plain letters, but I lost it years ago. Like we would have to press two keys together to get the accented letter, but I have no idea what they are.

Thanks for the hint. I appreciate it. :)

[sunshinelucy.livejournal.com]

OOH! Yes! I love "allusion", too!
And I know what you mean about Basque :) I miss it dearly... so much that I actually just got a Basque tattoo, lol.
I'll have to remember to do this meme. I love words!

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

I love the sound of your Basque tattoo! El pais vasco is definitely a wonderful place. I was telling my daughter all about it and she wants to go too! Hopefully we can go soon. :)

Yes, I know you love words! Words are wonderful. I wish I had more time to spend finding more special ones. XD

[satismagic.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised that Tolkien approved of "cellar door", to be honest ... It's half Latin, after all, and he was something of a purist, wasn't he?

I think every language has beautiful words. I couldn't ever choose favourites. But I do like gentle, hodgepodge, and joy. And Weihrauch and Regenbogen and of course Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

[just-jenni.livejournal.com]

Yes, I agree about Tolkien and 'cellar door'. It didn't seem like his sort of choice at all, so was quite surprising to me.

I love your choice of beautiful words. I regret not learning German because those words are lovely. :)