So many kids, I don't know what to do.



Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Wordophile

This summer I had the opportunity to hang out with some English teachers. It was nice. I miss English teachers.
Apparently they have an ongoing list of words they hate. They refuse to say these words and cringe when others do.
Here are the words at the top of their lists.
~ panties
~ tender
~ moist

I really thought I was strange for hating certain words, but I realize now my strangeness has company.

I hate the following words because they sound like what they are:
~puss
~clot
YUCK.

Here are some of my favorite words.
~son ambulate - It doesn't get much play in everyday use, but I like it because it is easily deciphered by the root words.

~ masticate - I made the mistake of teaching this to Tanner last week. It is now his favorite word, but only to see how many sentences he can use it in place of another m word. For example, "Last night I went to my room and masticated..........my sandwich.

~ macabre - I also taught Tanner this word. He then protested and said it was summer and he didn't want to hear any new words. He did later point out to me though that a song we were listening to was macabre.

Basically I love hearing all uncommon words in conversation. Also I get excited if I see a word I do not know in a book. At that point I have to put down the book and go look it up in a huge red dictionary my parents got me while I was in college.


***While I was working I also had the opportunity to blog a little before school and during lunch. It was quiet and no one interrupted me to ask me to wipe their butt. Now that summer school is over I can only blog with kids climbing all over me. This may make a difference in the cohesiveness of my posts. I apologize.

9 comments:

  1. I like the word, pontificate. I feel it makes me sound exceptionally intelligent when I say I am pontificating. LOL!!

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  2. This completely makes me giggle! Tender, I have no problem with, but moist and panties....no good.

    I like the word macabre too! I have favorite words but now that I want to think of them, they're escaping me. Dang it!

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  3. Your blog is adorable and your little one's are super cute!! What a busy, crazy fun life you lead!!!

    I look forward to more stories ahead and now I can read you from my blog roll! :)

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  4. I like the word verbiage : )

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  5. One of my new favorite words is "swagger". I like to try and work it into a sentence each day! :)

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  6. I have always liked plethora and inevitable... macabre is good too. I hear ya with the blogging. Now that school is out it is virtually impossible to be coherent.

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  7. Dh hates the word "panties." So, I like to say it just to annoy him.

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  8. Haha! Tanner is pretty funny.

    I hate those words too - all the ones listed under the hated words. Yuck!

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  9. I am an English teacher, and I love this post! Actually - macabre and masticate are two of our vocab/spelling words. They never get the pronunciation of macabre - and there are always giggles when the word 'masticate' comes up (they are 11th graders). I just pretend I don't hear the snickers and ignore it.

    I definitely hate the word 'moist' too! Sounds so gross! lol

    One of my favorite words (and not favorite kinds of people): - pretentious.

    I also love analyzing words w/ prefixes and roots to figure out definitions. Like 'comfort' - com: with; fort: strength. Definition of comfort - to help give someone strength.

    I am totally dorky like that. Sorry to inflict that on you!

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I always like to know someone is listening!