By MonkeyMyshkin, April 11, 2007. "Moist". https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode Because I'm a nerd, I'm writing another one of these "Word Focus" articles. I think words are so amazing that one could write an entire book about them, without even having to worry about plot. In fact, Dr Suess seemed to do it quite often. One doesn't even have to go hundreds of years back to a word's origins to find the word itself interesting. Sometimes simply the configuration of letters or the sounds it makes - or the way it feels when you roll it around in your mouth - is enough to fascinate a person. Today, I've picked two words that interest me. On a purely layman level, I'm just going to waffle about them for a while. Bear with me.
The Word "Moist"
I wonder if you've ever stopped to consider how disgusting the word "moist" is. In some ways, it's a form of onomatopoeia. (Wow. I spelt that right the first time. I feel incredible.) Anyway, the word "moist" honestly sounds like some kind of revolting puddle one might step in. When I think of moist things, they are seldom ever pleasant - a poorly rinsed sponge, a mouldy muffin, a rotting apple, a cat's vomit... these are the things that come to mind. Therefore, the word "moist" appears to be appropriate when one is describing something that is undiluted awful. For instance: some sort of nasty creature in a fantasy world or something horrid that someone might see in a villain's lab in a sci-fi book.
Moist. Just say it a few times. Gross yourself out.
And now let's move on, before I put you off your dinner.
The Word "Hapless"
I just think this word is gorgeous. It has a very pleasing sound, a wonderful "a" vowel as in the word "cat". This word is from Middle English, in which "hap" refers to good fortune. Hence, being "happy" is to reside in a state of good fortune. Being "hapless" is to have absolutely no luck or fortune at all. "Hapless" has a sort of condescending pity about it, as if it was invented simply to describe "some poor fool". I personally like it in patronizing dialogue ("Poor Peter was nothing but a helpless squire," Priscilla said. "It's a shame he got killed in jousting practise") or wry prose ("The hapless squire Peter was accidentally impaled during jousting practise, as all the knights had, for a long time, supposed he would be"). I find this word to have a very dry humour about it.
What's your latest word discovery?
The Word "Moist"
I wonder if you've ever stopped to consider how disgusting the word "moist" is. In some ways, it's a form of onomatopoeia. (Wow. I spelt that right the first time. I feel incredible.) Anyway, the word "moist" honestly sounds like some kind of revolting puddle one might step in. When I think of moist things, they are seldom ever pleasant - a poorly rinsed sponge, a mouldy muffin, a rotting apple, a cat's vomit... these are the things that come to mind. Therefore, the word "moist" appears to be appropriate when one is describing something that is undiluted awful. For instance: some sort of nasty creature in a fantasy world or something horrid that someone might see in a villain's lab in a sci-fi book.
Moist. Just say it a few times. Gross yourself out.
And now let's move on, before I put you off your dinner.
The Word "Hapless"
I just think this word is gorgeous. It has a very pleasing sound, a wonderful "a" vowel as in the word "cat". This word is from Middle English, in which "hap" refers to good fortune. Hence, being "happy" is to reside in a state of good fortune. Being "hapless" is to have absolutely no luck or fortune at all. "Hapless" has a sort of condescending pity about it, as if it was invented simply to describe "some poor fool". I personally like it in patronizing dialogue ("Poor Peter was nothing but a helpless squire," Priscilla said. "It's a shame he got killed in jousting practise") or wry prose ("The hapless squire Peter was accidentally impaled during jousting practise, as all the knights had, for a long time, supposed he would be"). I find this word to have a very dry humour about it.
What's your latest word discovery?
