Joyfully Retired

As far as I’m concerned, words really are wondrous. That’s why I like paying attention to them while reading, and also why I love to play this weekly “game” of find-a-new-word-or-two.

This week I found new words in USA TODAY. When this national newspaper first came out it was widely touted as a paper that could be read by everyone with at least a fifth-grade education. Well, either USA TODAY has raised their reading level or fifth graders have improved their vocabulary.

I suppose it could be me – nah – but I did find two new words in this article in yesterday’s paper. The article was about the career of Alec Baldwin. Here are the sentences that led me to the dictionary:

“Baldwin’s voice is the auditory equivalent of hot chocolate. Soothing, delicious, a bit soporific. Even today, when he’s a little hoarse, his manner of speaking is mellifluous.”

Soporific is an adjective that means tending to induce drowsiness or sleep. Hmm, that surprised me. I don’t think of Alec Baldwin as someone who puts me to sleep.

Mellifluous is also an adjective. It refers to a voice or words that are sweet or musical; pleasant to hear. I’ll buy that one. Alec Baldwin’s voice will belong to Santa in a new movie coming out soon, Meet the Guardians. I saw the preview at the theater and now I really want to see it – preferably with my granddaughters.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme sponsored by Kathy at Bermuda Onion’s Weblog.