Sunday, October 10, 2010

A Literacy Award

My thanks go to the talented Michele Emrath of Southern City Mysteries for passing on the "I'm a Literacy Builder" award to me. Deanna of The Other Side of Deanna created the award to recognize International Literacy Day and help promote literacy efforts around the globe. Here is a link to programs supported by the UN Literacy program.


Here are the rules:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.
2. Display the award logo on your blog site.
3. Tell us five of your favorite words and why you like them, (add as many as you like).
4. Pass the award on to three bloggers you feel are excellent literacy builders, and link to their sites – Yes, only three!
5. Contact the bloggers you’ve chosen and let them know about the award.

My words:

1. squirrelly: This is a great word because it exactly captures someone getting agitated and fidgety like a squirrel.

2. lunatic: I like the sound of lunatic and the old-fashioned idea that the moon caused insanity.

3. dipsomaniac: This is one of my all-time favorite words. It packs so much more punch than the more prosaic "alcoholic" and is more flexible in its variations -- dipsomaniacal, dipsomania, etc.

4. derelict:  Again, I like the sound of this word. Apparently, words with clicky sounds in them appeal to my inner ear. This is such a descriptive word, like "decrepit," although this one can be used as an adjective to describe a building or a noun to describe a person.

5. brigand:  Although there is not much opportunity to use this word, I like it and its bad guy kin, bandit and buccaneer.

6. scurrilous: This is one of those words that sounds great and proves that the English language can be infinitely precise.  It means to be vulgar or obscene and evil. I wonder what word describes someone who is refined or inoffensive but evil?

Passing it on to:

Paperback Fool
100 Books. 100 Journeys.
chaotic compendiums

5 comments :

  1. Love your word choices, especially scurrilous. That's one I've always had difficulty pronouncing, (which drives me nuts), but I love the way it sounds.

    Congratulations and thanks so much for letting me know the award made it to you!

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  2. Wow, thank you so much for thinking of me! Now I have to come up with some of my favorite words. That will be fun. :)

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  3. I should also mention that I used the word "squirrelly" the other night when I was describing how hard it was to stay awake on the road late at night driving home from Kansas City. Every shadow was a deer getting ready to jump into the road! Great word choice. :)

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  4. Great words! And your descriptsion (love "clicky") make them even better. The people to whom you passed it on are new to me, so that's always nice.

    Michele
    SouthernCityMysteries

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  5. Deanna -- Thanks for inventing this award. It was fun to come up with the words.

    There are words that I don't like because I stumble over the pronunciation -- like imprimatur and conjugal. I avoid them.

    SocrMom78 -- Your blog definitely counts as LITERATE! And Reading the Modern Library Top 100 list is a great way to promote literacy.

    And you get double points for using the word squirrelly!

    Michele -- Thanks for giving me this award. I was in good company with your other choices and have had fun visiting their blogs.

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