Mother's smile is fantastic

Mother has topped a list of most beautiful English words in a poll of non-English speaking countries, along with other words full of comfort and warmth. Brits may have voted differently...

Mother dear

The survey, compiled by the British Council, has produced a fantastic and gorgeous list of 70 words that is full of enthusiasm, passion and tranquillity - and other equally positive sentiments.

Cosy, cute, peace, blossom, sunshine, sweetheart - they are nearly all words of affection, happy emotions and beauty (gazebo being an exception).

Mother is top of the list, but it's not a word Jonathon Green, author of Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, would have chosen. "I wouldn't say it is a terribly beautiful word in itself," he says.

The survey respondents - people in 102 non-English-speaking countries, had "quite understandably" chosen admirable qualities in what the word represents, he says.

Similar polls of Brits had tended to come up with words like "mellifluous" and "velvet", says Green. But a more eclectic, occasionally dark and frequently X-rated list of words can be found on the website of comedian Alun Cochrane.

Comedian Alun Cochrane is a self-confessed sesquipedalian

He was nominated for the Perrier best newcomer award at this year's Edinburgh Festival for his show, My Favourite Words in My Best Stories, during which audience members were invited to shout out their favourite words.

He also asked people to submit words to his website.

Contributions included quixotic, paraphernalia, kerfuffle, swab, spatula, pusillanimous, curmudgeon, bedlam and globule.

Also submitted was sesquipedalian, meaning "given to the overuse of long words".

Cochrane said his contributors did seem to have chosen words for how they sounded rather than their meaning.

"To some people plinth is a beautiful-sounding word, but they are not that decorative often."

"I like the word ugly. I think that's quite pretty. I also like awkward - the squash of W, K and W in the middle, it's quite awkward in itself."

He said many audience members deliberately chose to contribute "showy" words, including one drunk who attempted antidisestablishmentarianism.

"He didn't have the vocal power left and it petered out about halfway through," Cochrane said.

"But I think personally we should relish both big and small words."

The British Council surveyed 40,000 people in 102 non-English speaking countries to find the 70 most beautiful words:

MOST BEAUTIFUL ENGLISH WORDS OUTSIDE UK
1	Mother	24	Serendipity	47	Delicacy
2	Passion	25	Bliss	48	Peekaboo
3	Smile	26	Lullaby	49	Umbrella
4	Love	27	Sophisticated	50	Kangaroo
5	Eternity	28	Renaissance	51	Flabbergasted
6	Fantastic	29	Cute	52	Hippopotamus
7	Destiny	30	Cosy	53	Gothic
8	Freedom	31	Butterfly	54	Coconut
9	Liberty	32	Galaxy	55	Smashing
10	Tranquillity	33	Hilarious	56	Whoops
11	Peace	34	Moment	57	Tickle
12	Blossom	35	Extravaganza	58	Loquacious
13	Sunshine	36	Aqua	59	Flip-flop
14	Sweetheart	37	Sentiment	60	Smithereens
15	Gorgeous	38	Cosmopolitan	61	Oi
16	Cherish	39	Bubble	62	Gazebo
17	Enthusiasm	40	Pumpkin	63	Hiccup
18	Hope	41	Banana	64	Hodgepodge
19	Grace	42	Lollipop	65	Shipshape
20	Rainbow	43	If	66	Explosion
21	Blue	44	Bumblebee	67	Fuselage
22	Sunflower	45	Giggle	68	Zing
23	Twinkle	46	Paradox	69	Gum
				70	Hen-night
Source: BRITISH COUNCIL

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