PebHmong Discussion Forum

Creative Corner => Creative Writing => Topic started by: zena on October 15, 2015, 03:22:25 PM

Title: Words at the tip of your tongue and language
Post by: zena on October 15, 2015, 03:22:25 PM
Do you ever have those moments where you know a certain word you want to use to get a certain point across but that word just won't come out? 

Here's mine right now:  the word I'm looking for means to slowly direct someone...I can't even think/type right now...not direct.  To change someone's opinion or though or lead to a different idea.  Argh.  Something like that.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: gwenhyfara on October 15, 2015, 03:38:04 PM
Persuade? Sway? Coax? Cajole? Stockholm syndrome? Hehe
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on November 17, 2015, 12:12:44 AM
Nope.  None of those.  I still haven't found that word!

Not dissuade either.  It's not really to change their mind but more like have them see/understand it differently. I think.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on November 17, 2015, 03:46:00 PM
manipulate... O0

haha...no.

Indoctrinate?

Nope.

It's a very smooth flowing word (I think).  Usually the word will come to mind but this has been the longest I've ever had a word on the tip of my tongue.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: tRouBLe on November 20, 2015, 09:49:12 AM
How about provoke, instigate, guide, influence, generate, inspire, insinuate?
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: Hamster_Hero on November 21, 2015, 01:52:22 PM
Coerce?
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on November 24, 2015, 04:14:57 PM
How about provoke, instigate, guide, influence, generate, inspire, insinuate?

That's the word.  I came across it earlier today while reading the news, came on here to say I found it, and I see that Trouble has listed it. Good job, Trouble!  O0 O0 O0

"insinuate evolved from the Latin word insinuare, meaning "wind one's way into"

I know, it's not even close to my previous thought of what the word means, but it happens often.  ::)

Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: tRouBLe on November 24, 2015, 04:45:00 PM
Those were what came to mind with your descriptions of the word.   ;D
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on January 14, 2016, 09:55:23 PM
This word is not at the tip of my tongue but it's a word that I suddenly found interesting.  It's the word, initiative. It's pronounced: i - ni - sha - tiv.  BUT...just today I pronounced it, i - ni - tia - tiv.  LOLOLOL!

I think I'm losing brain cells.  :idiot2:
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: lilly on January 15, 2016, 11:22:53 AM
Do you ever have those moments where you know a certain word you want to use to get a certain point across but that word just won't come out? 

Here's mine right now:  the word I'm looking for means to slowly direct someone...I can't even think/type right now...not direct.  To change someone's opinion or though or lead to a different idea.  Argh.  Something like that.

Yup, that happens to me too.  I think it's knowing the word's meaning but not using it enough in practice so then when you need it, it doesn't come easily to you.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: lilly on January 15, 2016, 05:52:11 PM
And other times the words you use all the time slips from your mind too when you need them most, for some odd reason.  Sometimes I forget people's names that I see every day.  Memory loss.  Scary!
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on January 15, 2016, 06:16:40 PM
Yup, that happens to me too.  I think it's knowing the word's meaning but not using it enough in practice so then when you need it, it doesn't come easily to you.

I actually use that word a lot.  It's just I don't write it out or read it often anymore so when I do write it and pronounce it as I write it, I'm like, oh...that's how you spell it?  And, it's not like I've never spelled it too.  It's such a common word so it's weird.

There are even times when I can say a word in my head and it sounds right but when I say it out loud, it does not sound right.  And, it's not that I can't say it.  It's just I haven't said it for so long so I've forgotten how to pronounce it.  If I could find that word, I'll share it. Right now my brain is cotton.

And other times the words you use all the time slips from your mind too when you need them most, for some odd reason.  Sometimes I forget people's names that I see every day.  Memory loss.  Scary!

Yes.  Insinuate is one of them...LOL.  But, now I will never forget it.  I've stamped it in.  I have a difficult time with people's names as well.  I hate introductions because one second after I hear their name, I forget it.  I wonder if it's anything they are putting in our water. hmm.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on January 18, 2016, 01:09:44 PM
The word that when I say it in my head it sounds different then when I say it out loud is, toward.

I think in general, that is just one funny looking and funny sounding word, now that I think about it.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: lexicon on January 19, 2016, 08:56:46 AM
English is a complex and altogether messy language. It's borrowed, substituted, chopped and cut and pasted from other languages in the past. And when words don't suit our needs, we make more up.

I'm in agreement with you in that words sound better in my inner dialogues than they do when spoken out loud. When I do enunciate words properly or try to, I end up adopting a very uninterested monotone.

Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on January 19, 2016, 04:47:41 PM
English is a complex and altogether messy language. It's borrowed, substituted, chopped and cut and pasted from other languages in the past. And when words don't suit our needs, we make more up.

I'm in agreement with you in that words sound better in my inner dialogues than they do when spoken out loud. When I do enunciate words properly or try to, I end up adopting a very uninterested monotone.

Definitely complex but for some reason that's what I love about it.  With the word, "toward," I've had to say it a gazillion times to finally have it sound like the way I want it to sound.  I looked up the pronunciation and found two different ones.  This just confirms why the word is so difficult to pronounce.  One was too - ord and the other was toe - erd.

Wonder how Kylo Ren would say it....LOL.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue
Post by: zena on February 02, 2016, 04:21:11 PM
A word that I did not know how to pronounce until like a couple a years ago was: bouy.  You know, those floating things in the water.

I pronounced it as "boy" but it's "boo-ee."  Guess who corrected it for me.  The husband.  ::)

BUT.  I did correct one of his words. It was faux.  He pronounced it "fox."  Told him it was "foe."  ;D
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue and language
Post by: zena on November 29, 2016, 04:02:26 PM
I've always liked diphthong since I heard it in linguistics.

Say it 5 times. LOL.
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue and language
Post by: zena on November 29, 2016, 04:03:40 PM
I always thought the word, vehement, was pronounced: ve-ha-ment.  It's actually, vee-a-ment.  ::)
Title: Re: Words at the tip of your tongue and language
Post by: zena on February 28, 2017, 07:55:43 PM
I always get these words mixed up:

conundrum - n. a difficult problem

compendium - n. a publication containing a variety of works