Most beautiful words

damien · 11-12-2004 1:31am #1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1358930,00.html

1 Mother
2 Passion
3 Smile
4 Love
5 Eternity
6 Fantastic
7 Destiny
8 Freedom
9 Liberty
10 Tranquillity
11 Peace
12 Blossom
13 Sunshine
14 Sweetheart
15 Gorgeous
16 Cherish
17 Enthusiasm
18 Hope
19 Grace
20 Rainbow
21 Blue
22 Sunflower
23 Twinkle
24 Serendipity
25 Bliss
26 Lullaby
27 Sophisticated
28 Renaissance
29 Cute
30 Cosy
31 Butterfly
32 Galaxy
33 Hilarious
34 Moment
35 Extravaganza
36 Aqua
37 Sentiment
38 Cosmopolitan
39 Bubble
40 Pumpkin
41 Banana
42 Lollipop
43 If
44 Bumblebee
45 Giggle
46 Paradox
47 Delicacy
48 Peekaboo
49 Umbrella
50 Kangaroo
51 Flabbergasted
52 Hippopotamus
53 Gothic
54 Coconut
55 Smashing
56 Whoops
57 Tickle
58 Loquacious
59 Flip-flop
60 Smithereens
61 Oi
62 Gazebo
63 Hiccup
64 Hodgepodge
65 Shipshape
66 Explosion
67 Fuselage
68 Zing
69 Gum
70 Hen night

simu · 17-12-2004 7:20pm

How trite most of them are!

Stark · 17-12-2004 7:28pm

I know :eek: *vomits*

Capt'n Midnight · 17-12-2004 9:34pm

Maybe it's just that the people involved didn't have large or overlapping vocabularies.

.. the council asked more than 7,000 learners in 46 countries what they considered the most beautiful words in English language. Some 35,000 other people registered their favourites in an online poll run in the non-English speaking countries where the council operates.

PurpleFistMixer · 17-12-2004 9:38pm

Okay, that list is too long to read all of them, but... ehh.. mother? Never considered that a beautiful word, I don't like the "th" sound so much.
And I also dislike the fairly passive sounds of "smile", lack of any strong consonants, and I don't like the "yul" (as I'd pronounce it that is)...
Okay, I could go on but I'll spare y'all.
Perhaps they were chosen becuase of positive associations rather than sounds?

And also, hen night = two words.