Funny English and Linguistics stuff...

[fugu13]

Yeah, I'm a fan of arrowed. I feel it implies a sense of accuracy, while darted is more about speed.

[BlackBlade]

Yeah, I'm a fan of arrowed. I feel it implies a sense of accuracy, while darted is more about speed.

Don't arrows travel faster than darts?  I would think so.

[rivka]

At which point in their journey? Darts travel a far shorter distance.

[Annie Subjunctive]

BB, are you thinking of the darts you throw? What about, say, a blow dart?

[Porter]

Or flechettes?

[BlackBlade]

BB, are you thinking of the darts you throw? What about, say, a blow dart?

I was thinking of blow darts.  I was only considering their peak velocities.

[rivka]

I was only considering their peak velocities.

You think the peak velocity of an arrow is higher than that of a blowdart?

From a longbow or a crossbow?

[BlackBlade]

I was only considering their peak velocities.

You think the peak velocity of an arrow is higher than that of a blowdart?

From a longbow or a crossbow?

Either one to be candid.

[rivka]

I might believe crossbow. Longbows don't launch arrows with all that high a velocity.

[Annie Subjunctive]

What if it were an African swallow?

[Nighthawk]

I might believe crossbow. Longbows don't launch arrows with all that high a velocity.

Compound bows do.

[rivka]

I had to look that up -- hadn't heard of that before. Fascinating!

In many ways closer to a crossbow than a longbow, though.

[Dobie]

So the compound bow wins by an arrow margin.

[The Genuine]

And the most beautiful-sounding word in English is … cellar door.

[Tante Shvester]

Diarrhea gives it a run for it's money.

[The Genuine]

Leave it to you to trot that one out.

[Tante Shvester]

I just go with the flow.

[Porter]

Diarrhea gives it a run for it's money.

So does chevrolet.

[Jonathon]

And the most beautiful-sounding word in English is … cellar door.

About two weeks ago we shared the fact that many language experts believe “cellar door” is the most euphonious phrase in the English language.

 

Uh, no. They shared the fact that one language expert believed that. But he didn't believe it because he was a language expert. They make it sound as if there's been some sort of study and that there's a consensus among linguists.

[Brinestone]

But, as a linguist-in-training, you totally agree it is, right? 

[Jonathon]

No.

[Tante Shvester]

Ever since I was a kid and heard it pronounced by someone with a very congested head cold, I've found the word "gymnasium" to be the ugliest sounding English word.  "Gybdasiub".  Ugh.  To me it just sounds like a faceful of snot.

[Scott R]

Worse than "moist?"

[Tante Shvester]

For sure.

[Porter]

The word "moist" makes me crave chocolate cake.