Isaac Kaufmann Funk ( 1839 – 1912) was an American Lutheran minister, editor, lexicographer, publisher, and spelling reformer. He is most well known for The Standard Dictionary of the English Language published in 1893. We are told via Wikipedia that “He worked with a team of more than 740 people. His aim was to provide essential information thoroughly and simply at the same time. In order to achieve this he placed current meanings first, archaic meanings second, and etymologies last. ”
We know that he collaborated with his classmate, Adam Willis Wagnalls and the I K Funk company was renamed Funk and Wagnalls and the encyclopedia was renamed Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Encyclopedia in 1931. It was later renamed New Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia, Universal Standard Encyclopedia, Funk & Wagnalls Standard Reference Encyclopedia, and Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia.quoted the best 10 words in the English language.as :
I read somewhere (?) that Isaac Funk considered the following the best ten words in the English language:
- Mist
- Hush
- Luminous
- Murmuring
- Dawn
- Chimes
- Lullaby
- Melody
- Tranquil
- Golden
These are in no particular order and I wonder how he arrived at this list of ten. Certainly they are all gentle words with no harsh sounds or undertones. Was he a gentle man looking to find equally gentle words? I wonder
My choice of 10 words would be (again in no particular order):
- Love
- Gentle
- Friendship
- Family
- Giving
- Safety
- Tranquil
- Tenderness
- Acceptance
- Delight
What would your words be. It’s fun to limit the choice to only 10. Of course, there are many, many other words I could have chosen. Why did I choose these? They are all gentle words and maybe reflect where I am in my life’s journey now.
“But now the days grow short
I’m in the autumn of the year
And I think of my life as vintage wine
From fine old kegs
From the brim to the dregs
and it poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year”
As sung by Frank Sinatra – It Was a Very Good Year.
And for me, they have mostly been very good years!
And a final word today from the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341 BCE – 270 BCE)
“It is impossible to live a pleasant life without
living wisely and well and justly.
And it is impossible to live wisely and well
and justly without living a pleasant life.”
Some recent posts on words –
Related articles
- Word for the Day: Multitudinous (kenneyediting.wordpress.com)
I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 