
Looking at Onomatopoeia and Metaphor, Simile, Collective Nouns, and my Delusional Dictionary. For definitions of those, click here to read the introductory post to the series.
This week’s words:Tintinnabulation, Tall, Tassel, Tablet.
Onomatopoeia: Tintinnabulation:
This fabulous word expresses the tinkling of a small bell, but can be used as a metaphor for other sounds. ‘The tintinnabulation of a small wine glass rolling down stone steps.’ ‘Cubes of ice touched in tintinnabulation as the gin washed over them in the tumbler.’ I dare you to incorporate it into a poem!
Simile: Tall as a giraffe
Okay, giraffes are tall in the animal world, but the simile falls down when we’re writing about some other objects. Tall as a redwood, tall as (any of the world’s tallest buildings), tall as a tale told by Trump/Boris Johnson, tall as (any of the world’s highest mountains)? Can you come up with something uniquely tall?
Collective Nouns: Tassel of strippers
Another apposite collective noun: especially as applied to those who perform burlesque. But are there other more appropriate collective nouns for those who remove their clothes to titillate? A G-string of strippers, a tossed skirt of strippers, a skinful of strippers, an undress of strippers? Anything else come to mind?
Delusional Dictionary: Tablet: a social media communication device that can’t decide whether it’s a big phone or a small PC; a device designed to prevent people talking to one another; a less interesting means of reading a book; one in a series of communication devices that disrupt interpersonal communication.
For those learning English as a language, there’s a useful guide to pronunciation here, and Facebook hosts a great group you can join here.
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It could be all the reading, maybe you just wanted more expressive words to say
things. Shakespeare is said to have invented many new words. 😊.
miriam
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Ah, the Bard: what would we be but lesser selves without his intervention? I’ve invented a few, but he’s in a league I can only dream of!
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Keep dreaming .😊.
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Stuart, I really find it both educational and fun with the words you take up.
Tintinnabulation really tickles me. What a descriptive and glittering word.
I will try a way to use it . 😊
Miriam
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Thank you, Miriam. I’ve always loved words; I suspect it stems from my early attempts to educate myself by reading.
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