Shenanigans & Other Fun Words
What do you think of when you hear the word "shenanigan"? For me, I recall a bunch of Amish folks getting into some mischief on an alpine slide. That makes the word not only fun to say, but fun to imagine!
My colleague, Emory, uses it routinely and it makes me laugh every time. Some words are fun like that. Fun to say and fun to imagine. (as opposed to all those "icky" words like moist. Eewwww.)
In fact if you're looking for a fun topic at your next dinner party (and you've already used THIS ice breaker) try asking people to name their favorite words. Here's a few that came up when I kicked the question around at breakfast recently:
Cattywampus - Yes, this is a real word!
Onomatopoeia - Makes everyone look up the spelling.
Hijinks - A cousin to shenanigan
Tomfoolery - A brother to hijinks.
Pumpkin - Most people add "spiced latte" to the end for even more enjoyment!
Cacophony - More fun to say than to live with.
Smorgasbord - Because who doesn't love a wide selection of pastries and cold-cuts??
Facetious - A type of humor we understand WAAAAY before we recognize the proper spelling.
Wackadoo - I don't know what this word means, but my friend insists it's a word and it's definitely fun to say!
Lisp - A cruel joke for anyone who actually has a speech impediment.
Juxtaposition - Most five-syllable words roll off the tongue.
Ptooey - I don't know the proper spelling, but that doesn't diminish the pleasure of spitting out this gem.
What words am I missing from your list?
Shazam perhaps? Or Francisco? Maybe something as simple as "Friday"? Do tell!