Word of the Week - 34

From kidsatart.com, Words Art Lessons.

Word of the Week:  WORDS

One of the questions asked of botanical alchemist, India Flint, in a published interview was: What is your favorite word?

Is it possible to name just one and, if so, how long would it take you to narrow it down?  Pretty much forever would be my answer.

I like the word escarpment which I believe I first heard in the original KING KONG.

Example of an escarpment.

Some words resonate for the sound they make, the way they shape the mouth, the exercise of pronouncing them.  Others are favored for their meaning, such as ponder, which I use almost constantly, or languid which I employ less often but am always looking for the right occasion.

The names of colors - crimson, heliotrope, chartreuse, ebony, marigold - feel like playmates whom one could invite to a tea party.  Do you ever think about changing your name?  I did, just now.

Squelchy or sharp-edged words appeal, such as quagmire and barnacle.  Because they are visual, I am fond of billow and trudge.

For the naming of fictional characters, I believe Charles Dickens is a master.  I give you Uriah Heep, Mrs. Malaprop, the Murdstones.  Sometimes you can tell a book by its cover.

Quote found here.