Fictional Characters’ Favorite Words to Say Aloud
[Photo by Pisit Heng on Unsplash]
Dictionary Day, October 16, is a day to celebrate Noah Webster's birthday—the Father of the American Dictionary. It's a day to learn a new word and increase your vocabulary, a day to say your favorite silly word aloud as many times as you want, and a day to see which words fictional characters probably love saying aloud.
Snozzwangers
This is from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Just picture the creepy Johnny-Depp-Willy-Wonka walking around the chocolate factory whispering “snozzwangers” to the Oompa Loompas. It’s unclear whether the Oompa Loompas would just let it go or start making batches and batches of snozzwangers for him. And yes, both Willy Wonka and Johnny Depp count as fictional characters.
[Still from Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel and Walt Disney Pictures]
Lilliputian
Not only would Thor be absolutely delighted to find out there is an island of small things and people, he would immediately start calling all the tiny humans around him “Lilliputian.” This is true for both the Chris-Hemsworth-Thor in the Marvel movies and the Thor in the comics.
Malapropism
It’s not at all inconceivable to think that Inigo Montoya would completely overuse the term “malapropism” every single time Vizzini misuses that word. He basically gives the definition when he says, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Frumious
Picture this: Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock telling Martin Freeman’s Watson that he is absolutely “frumious” with Mycroft for something or other. Best visual ever. John would just roll his eyes and keep going, but he’d be laughing internally that Sherlock is using a made up word. ("Frumious” is from Lewis Carroll and is a mashup of “furious” and “fuming.")
Wishy-washy
Do you think if Hamlet had heard this word he would’ve realized that’s what he was being by asking that famous question? “To be or not to be…drat, I’m being wishy-washy again, aren’t I? Even more reason not to be.” Angsty Hamlet is the best Hamlet.
