Woody and Tinny Words
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0
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I watched this Monty Python about describing words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwXJsWHupg
The characters give words different descriptions such as "woody" (gone, vacuum, caribou) or "tinny" (newspaper, litter-bin).
Is there a word to describe the emotion, sound (not in a onomatopoeic sense), mood, or feeling of a word? The context I might use this word in is: "the XX of the word lugubrious is slimy."
I do not quite understand ideophones and that may be appropriate.
single-word-requests
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I watched this Monty Python about describing words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwXJsWHupg
The characters give words different descriptions such as "woody" (gone, vacuum, caribou) or "tinny" (newspaper, litter-bin).
Is there a word to describe the emotion, sound (not in a onomatopoeic sense), mood, or feeling of a word? The context I might use this word in is: "the XX of the word lugubrious is slimy."
I do not quite understand ideophones and that may be appropriate.
single-word-requests
5
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
I watched this Monty Python about describing words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwXJsWHupg
The characters give words different descriptions such as "woody" (gone, vacuum, caribou) or "tinny" (newspaper, litter-bin).
Is there a word to describe the emotion, sound (not in a onomatopoeic sense), mood, or feeling of a word? The context I might use this word in is: "the XX of the word lugubrious is slimy."
I do not quite understand ideophones and that may be appropriate.
single-word-requests
I watched this Monty Python about describing words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gwXJsWHupg
The characters give words different descriptions such as "woody" (gone, vacuum, caribou) or "tinny" (newspaper, litter-bin).
Is there a word to describe the emotion, sound (not in a onomatopoeic sense), mood, or feeling of a word? The context I might use this word in is: "the XX of the word lugubrious is slimy."
I do not quite understand ideophones and that may be appropriate.
single-word-requests
single-word-requests
asked Dec 26 '14 at 2:06
user3235
312
312
5
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11
add a comment |
5
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11
5
5
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Timbre Merriam-Webster
: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument
This would be borrowing from music, but I believe it captures well the musical quality of words you're looking for.
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
1
down vote
This may have been a comedy sketch, but the characteristics of word sounds are something that people in the "funny-business" take very seriously. For example:
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a string bean" (Not funny)
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a pickle" (Funny)
(The hard-c, or "k" sound, is amusing, for some reason.)
"What's the matter?" "I have a cold" (Not funny)
"What's the matter?" "I have sinus congestion" (Funny)
(Consecutive "s" sounds also tickle the ear)
Timbre is a good descriptor, but it seems to refer more to the vowel sounds. You could simply use "tone".
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I understand the concept behind what you're asking perfectly. Unfortunately, I can do no better than the above replies when it comes to naming that concept.
In my mind, the word 'salubrious' feels negative or disdainful, despite its definition being quite the opposite. Salubrious also feels slimy; but less so than lugubrious. My feelings about those words do not necessarily have to match either (positive) connotations or (negative) denotations. That quality of the way words 'feel' seems to be entirely independent of what the word means.
Timbre is probably part of the answer, but there seems to be more to it than that. There may be an interesting intersection here with synaethesia, where the brain (for example) interprets letters and numbers as having inherent colours, or interprets sounds as smelling a certain way. The filing systems that are our brains are complex and self-organising.
New contributor
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Timbre Merriam-Webster
: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument
This would be borrowing from music, but I believe it captures well the musical quality of words you're looking for.
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Timbre Merriam-Webster
: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument
This would be borrowing from music, but I believe it captures well the musical quality of words you're looking for.
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
up vote
2
down vote
accepted
Timbre Merriam-Webster
: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument
This would be borrowing from music, but I believe it captures well the musical quality of words you're looking for.
Timbre Merriam-Webster
: the quality given to a sound by its overtones: as
a : the resonance by which the ear recognizes and identifies a voiced speech sound
b : the quality of tone distinctive of a particular singing voice or musical instrument
This would be borrowing from music, but I believe it captures well the musical quality of words you're looking for.
answered Dec 26 '14 at 2:29
Coty Johnathan Saxman
1,69659
1,69659
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
|
show 1 more comment
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
I think OP is looking for a word which describes certain classes of words which have an emotional or categorical sameness. To me, the words mortuary, cremation, undertaker and funeral home share a certain gloominess.
– IconDaemon
Dec 26 '14 at 5:42
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
This is the not quite what I was hoping for but the closest I think I'll get. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 6:08
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@IconDaemon Definition 'b' above is what I'm applying here. "the quality of [associations/connotations, etc.] distinctive of a particular [word or set of words]". If someone were to begin speaking to you about the timbre of a certain word, the concept wouldn't be particularly hard to grasp.
– Coty Johnathan Saxman
Dec 26 '14 at 7:47
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@user3235: there are at least two types of reactions to a word. Are you referring to the feeling one gets from the SOUND of a word, or the feeling one gets from the connotations or associations based on the MEANING of a word, or both simultaneously?
– Brian Hitchcock
Dec 26 '14 at 8:31
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
@BrianHitchcock Primarily the sound. It is also likely that the meaning of a word informs the pronunciation of it and hence the sound.
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:57
|
show 1 more comment
up vote
1
down vote
This may have been a comedy sketch, but the characteristics of word sounds are something that people in the "funny-business" take very seriously. For example:
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a string bean" (Not funny)
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a pickle" (Funny)
(The hard-c, or "k" sound, is amusing, for some reason.)
"What's the matter?" "I have a cold" (Not funny)
"What's the matter?" "I have sinus congestion" (Funny)
(Consecutive "s" sounds also tickle the ear)
Timbre is a good descriptor, but it seems to refer more to the vowel sounds. You could simply use "tone".
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
This may have been a comedy sketch, but the characteristics of word sounds are something that people in the "funny-business" take very seriously. For example:
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a string bean" (Not funny)
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a pickle" (Funny)
(The hard-c, or "k" sound, is amusing, for some reason.)
"What's the matter?" "I have a cold" (Not funny)
"What's the matter?" "I have sinus congestion" (Funny)
(Consecutive "s" sounds also tickle the ear)
Timbre is a good descriptor, but it seems to refer more to the vowel sounds. You could simply use "tone".
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
This may have been a comedy sketch, but the characteristics of word sounds are something that people in the "funny-business" take very seriously. For example:
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a string bean" (Not funny)
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a pickle" (Funny)
(The hard-c, or "k" sound, is amusing, for some reason.)
"What's the matter?" "I have a cold" (Not funny)
"What's the matter?" "I have sinus congestion" (Funny)
(Consecutive "s" sounds also tickle the ear)
Timbre is a good descriptor, but it seems to refer more to the vowel sounds. You could simply use "tone".
This may have been a comedy sketch, but the characteristics of word sounds are something that people in the "funny-business" take very seriously. For example:
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a string bean" (Not funny)
"What's that on my plate?" "It's a pickle" (Funny)
(The hard-c, or "k" sound, is amusing, for some reason.)
"What's the matter?" "I have a cold" (Not funny)
"What's the matter?" "I have sinus congestion" (Funny)
(Consecutive "s" sounds also tickle the ear)
Timbre is a good descriptor, but it seems to refer more to the vowel sounds. You could simply use "tone".
answered Dec 26 '14 at 11:19
Oldbag
12k1337
12k1337
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
add a comment |
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
This is a great expansion of my thoughts. Thanks
– user3235
Dec 26 '14 at 23:52
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I understand the concept behind what you're asking perfectly. Unfortunately, I can do no better than the above replies when it comes to naming that concept.
In my mind, the word 'salubrious' feels negative or disdainful, despite its definition being quite the opposite. Salubrious also feels slimy; but less so than lugubrious. My feelings about those words do not necessarily have to match either (positive) connotations or (negative) denotations. That quality of the way words 'feel' seems to be entirely independent of what the word means.
Timbre is probably part of the answer, but there seems to be more to it than that. There may be an interesting intersection here with synaethesia, where the brain (for example) interprets letters and numbers as having inherent colours, or interprets sounds as smelling a certain way. The filing systems that are our brains are complex and self-organising.
New contributor
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
I understand the concept behind what you're asking perfectly. Unfortunately, I can do no better than the above replies when it comes to naming that concept.
In my mind, the word 'salubrious' feels negative or disdainful, despite its definition being quite the opposite. Salubrious also feels slimy; but less so than lugubrious. My feelings about those words do not necessarily have to match either (positive) connotations or (negative) denotations. That quality of the way words 'feel' seems to be entirely independent of what the word means.
Timbre is probably part of the answer, but there seems to be more to it than that. There may be an interesting intersection here with synaethesia, where the brain (for example) interprets letters and numbers as having inherent colours, or interprets sounds as smelling a certain way. The filing systems that are our brains are complex and self-organising.
New contributor
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
I understand the concept behind what you're asking perfectly. Unfortunately, I can do no better than the above replies when it comes to naming that concept.
In my mind, the word 'salubrious' feels negative or disdainful, despite its definition being quite the opposite. Salubrious also feels slimy; but less so than lugubrious. My feelings about those words do not necessarily have to match either (positive) connotations or (negative) denotations. That quality of the way words 'feel' seems to be entirely independent of what the word means.
Timbre is probably part of the answer, but there seems to be more to it than that. There may be an interesting intersection here with synaethesia, where the brain (for example) interprets letters and numbers as having inherent colours, or interprets sounds as smelling a certain way. The filing systems that are our brains are complex and self-organising.
New contributor
I understand the concept behind what you're asking perfectly. Unfortunately, I can do no better than the above replies when it comes to naming that concept.
In my mind, the word 'salubrious' feels negative or disdainful, despite its definition being quite the opposite. Salubrious also feels slimy; but less so than lugubrious. My feelings about those words do not necessarily have to match either (positive) connotations or (negative) denotations. That quality of the way words 'feel' seems to be entirely independent of what the word means.
Timbre is probably part of the answer, but there seems to be more to it than that. There may be an interesting intersection here with synaethesia, where the brain (for example) interprets letters and numbers as having inherent colours, or interprets sounds as smelling a certain way. The filing systems that are our brains are complex and self-organising.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 1 hour ago
May Duppname
1
1
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
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5
Remember, Python is parody. I believe the whole point of the sketch was to make fun of wine snobs and the like who attempt to assign possibly arbitrary words to highly subjective judgments.
– keshlam
Dec 26 '14 at 2:11