Relay: Words Like ‘Puppy’ and ‘Funicular’

We have all been under a sort of snow arrest for the last week — lots of time sitting in cars going really slowly to avoid black ice and hours waiting for “the guys” to come to plow us out, or driving around and around the parking lots looking for a spot that isn’t in a drift.

That is not to say that I am not paying close attention, but my mind does wander to the ponder.

There are some words that are worthy of a ponder, favorite words, wonderful words, words to dwell on. No, I don’t refer to big global words like peace and harmony. I leave that mulling to the professionals. I ponder words like my world-class favorite word: puppy.

I am not a dog owner, never have been, very likely never will be. (The family cats would strenuously object.) But, typically, I digress.

Back to the very word “puppy.” It has charm and joy. Puppy is fun to say out loud and it is even fun to spell. Graphically, it is full of funny shapes, making it a cute word to even look at.

I have considered naming a future cat Puppy just so that I could say it every day.

There are other words that inspire my imagination by the very sound of them. What an exotic and interesting word “Mombassa” is. “Funicular” and “lollipop” are words that are fun to say. And, think about it, “suede” feels really good on the vocal cords.

I like “blaspheme.” It sounds like what it is, but that’s not why I like it. It just sounds great.

While pondering these words, I am not pondering their meaning, origin, or effect. I am just trying to figure out how to use them in sentences so I can say them aloud. I will read this little essay aloud and thus give sound to all of the favorites in one fell swoop. And who doesn’t want to say “fell swoop” a few times a day?

Or “boonduggy?” Okay, I know it is dune buggy but say boonduggy once and you will never go back to the pedestrian dune buggy. It’s no damn fun.

Here we go with some of the all-time favorites that I want to say today. Puppy, well we have that in abundance. Additional favorites: swill, diatomaceous, Zebu, Madagascar, and antidisestablishmentarianism. (Just kidding, but I wanted to see if I could use it in a sentence.)

It has been written that “cellar door” is the most beautiful word combination in the English language, but in my book it doesn’t hold a candle to puppy.

Well there is one more favorite phrase, the favorite of freelancers across America: The check is in the mail.

I really like that one.

Durell Godfrey is a contributing photographer for The Star.