This post continues my top ten lists of favorite words and un-favorite words.
Favorite word #7: Zarf.
My only explanation for why I like this word is its beautiful sound. A zarf is an ornamental coffee cup holder with no handle, usually made of metal but frequently wicker.
Unfavorite word #7: Cacophony.
This word has its place, but I always misspell it and it just sounds too smarty-pants. I once sat in a lecture next to a mild-mannered mid-westerner with a dry wit. The speaker complained about “a cacophony of voices” rebelling against something. It was the first time I had heard that word and I turned to my neighbor and said, “What did that mean?” He just smiled and said, “I think it means shitload.” In that context, he was right.
After listening to cacophonic social media sources blasting election 2012 discord and vitriol, I need a comforting cup of hot tea served in a woven, wicker zarf. Ahhh.
Tags: cacophony, favorite words, zarf
