Favourite words
This is a collection of words in various languages that appeal to me for their sound and/or meaning.
Basque
- zarra-marra = rubblish
- zurru-murru = whisper (also txutxu-mutxu)
- zirrimarra = scribbling
Czech (čeština)
- šňůrka, n. = string (from the German Schnur)
- zmrzlina, n. = icecream
English
- hullabaloo, n. = uproar, fuss
- kerfuffle, n. = a commotion or fuss
- purfle, v. = to decorate the surface of a violin
- misodoctakleidist, n. = someone who hates practising the piano
- murmuration, a. – a flock (of starlings)
- never-thriving, a. – collective noun for jugglers
- hornswoggle, v. – to get the better of; to cheat, swindle, hoodwink, humbug, bamboozle.
- bosky adj. – consisting of or covered with bushes; full of thickets, bushy
Orkney dialect (source)
- ugsome = threatening, awe-inspiring (of weather). From Old Norse uggr, apprehension
- skuther / skwither = a sharp breeze of short duration
- skreever = a very strong gale
Estonian (eesti)
- jäääär, n. = the edge of the ice
e.g. Kuuuurijate töööö jäääärel = A moon researchers’ work-night at the edge of the ice
- õueaiaäär, n. = the edge of the fence surrounding a yard
German (Deutsch)
- schnalzlaut, n. = (linguistic) click
related words: schnalzen = to snap/click one’s fingers; Schnalzer = click, snap, crack
Irish (Gaeilge)
- smugairle róin, n. = jellyfish (lit. “seal snot”)
- sceallógaí, n. = chips
Italian (italiano)
- zanzara, n. – mosquito
Manx (Gaelg)
- smoogh, n. = a playful kiss
- smittag, n. = a playful kiss / dark-looking girl
- ee, v. = to eat
e.g. Eeee ee eeym – She will eat butter, Eeee ee nhee erbee – She’ll eat anything
Scots (Scoats leid)
- dreich, a. = extensive, lasting, tedious, tiresome, slow
- gandaguster / gandiegow, a. = strong, sudden gust or a storm of short duration
- rumballiach, a. = tempestuous
- smirr, n. = light rain
Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig)
- smùid, n. = steam, vapour, fumes, smoke, a state of drunkenness (steaming/smashed),
e.g. tha smùid orra = they’re drunk
Spanish (español)
- susurro, n. = whisper
Welsh (Cymraeg)
- slefren fôr, n. = jellyfish (lit. “sea slime”)
- sglodion, n. = chips
- treigloffobia = fear of treigladau (mutations)
Quotes
Quotations and other snippets that appeal to me.
- Braille – something about it gives me the bumps.
- Vietnamese looks like an explosion in a diacritics factory.
- English is a relatively simple language, absurdly spelled.
