A Note About English

English has a lot of funny words. Since its infancy as a monster baby of the Germanic and Romantic language trees, it is without saying that it is...unique. What's more, with nearly 200,000 active words in English, there are bound to be a couple that you hold especially dear. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

1.) Mellifluous: having a nice, smooth flowing sound.

Ex. The mellifluous voice of the news anchor softened the words he was saying.

2.) Manifest: to show, or be apparent.

Ex. Manifested in his eyes, it became apparent that no matter how many Amelia's burritos he ate, he would still feel empty.

3.) Qualm: worries or concerns

Ex. All your qualms about exams will dwarf in size compared to the deep dark abyss of life after college.

4.) Quash: to reject, but it has a really good quash sound to it. Quash. You understand?

Ex. Quash your existential qualms with the fact that knowing that happiness only comes from the self.

5.) Dilly-dally: To wander and be idle, but more like a nonchalant sauntering kind of feel (slowly wander without a care).

Ex. Don't dilly-dally¸ NUCALLS registration opens soon!

6.) Cabbage: a vegetable.

Ex. Cabbages are vegetables. Some people eat them.

Thanks,

Chris Wong, NUCALLS English Instructor