Epeolatry

Babblative adj. tending to babble, prattle; loquacious.

Words are so fascinating. I think we often take for granted the sheer number of words that exist in the world – there are over 1 million words in the English language alone, and an estimated 7,000 languages in the world. Many are oddly specific – if you’re ever looking for a word to describe something relating to or resembling a hedgehog, just slip the word erinaceous into your sentence. Ever feel so sick that you have a manic urge to dance? Me neither, but apparently it’s called tarantism, and it was very popular in the 15th century.

How about words in other languages that get even more specific than English words? The Georgian word shemomedjamo describes that phenomenon of when you accidentally eat a whole food-thing (i.e. that pie that your Aunt Jan brought to Thanksgiving dinner that you polished off all by yourself while your sister started in on the dishes.) It’s that experience when you’re so full but the food is so good and before you know it there is nothing left.

If you need any more convincing that words are pretty weird but also incredibly interesting, here is a list of some of the words I found scanning the internet. I challenge you to use one of these in a sentence, and take note of the bewildered looks you get when you do.

Abecedarian: of or relating to the alphabet, alphabetically arranged

Sobriquet: a descriptive name or epithet, a nickname

Foofaraw: frills and fancy finery; a disturbance or to-do over a trifle

Embrangle: to mix up in confusion; to make complicated; to bewilder

Prolegomenon: an introductory discourse, especially a formal essay introducing a work of considerable length or complexity

Kaelling (Danish): a woman who stands at her doorstep yelling obscenities at kids

Jung (Korean): a feeling stronger than love that is only proven through surviving a difficult argument

Ohrwurm (German): a tune or melody that infects a population

Verbivore: lover of words

Epeolatry: the worship of words

If you want to read more about cool words, check out this article about cool words, this article about words about words, and this blog entirely dedicated to language!