Where would we be without words? Well, it would be very quiet, and there would be no books to read. So words are good things. And they are fun things, too, as 
these 12 fun facts will prove!
1 If you are a poet, you already know this: no words rhyme with silver, month, orange, or purple.
2. There are only two words — actually now three — that end in -gry: hungry, angry, and our new word hangry. Hangry is, of course, hungry AND angry at the same time.
3. The shortest complete sentence in the English language is Go. Since it is a command, the subject is implied and is (you).
4. Ever wonder what that little dot over the lowercase i is? Does is even have a name? Of course it does. Everything has a name. It is called a tittle, and I would suppose that the little dot over the lowercase j is called the same thing!
5. A sentence that contains a single word (like the aforementioned Go.) is called a monepic sentence.
6. Attention, math people: If you wrote out every number in the standard English counting system (one, two, three, four) in alphabetical order, no matter how high you counted, the first number would always be eight. The second would always be eight billion.
7. The most common word used in English language conversation is . . .(wait for it) . . . I. How’s that for ego?
8. The most common adjective used in the English language is good.
9. The most commonly used noun is one you wouldn’t guess . . . time.
10. The word (can we really call it a word?) lol was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2011 (seems like just yesterday).
11. In English the word happy is used three times more often than sad (I guess that is good news — notice how I used the most commonly used adjective there).
and
12. The random symbol or series of symbols we used to represent letters in swear words (sh*t, for example) is called a grawlix.
Have a great Memorial Day weekend, and remember to buy some books! (Mine included!)
How about my penny’s worth? I believe that Crwth, a noun for musical instrument once played in Europe, is the longest word without a vowel. And, ‘strengths’ is the longest word with just one vowel in it; unless I have missed something in last 65 years.
Thank you for those additions!
Speaking of “lol” present and future generations are dumbing down. I know I am getting old but it bothers me when someone asks, “Are you good?” Then the response is, “Yeah! I’m good!” No wonder “good” is used so much.
Actually, believe it or not, “I am good” is the grammatically correct question and response. When we use the “to be” verb and its variants (am), we use the adjective (good) rather than the adverb. However, in the case where it means a state of health, “well” is also fine.
Could the dot above small “j” be a jot? Attention to detail is often described as dotting all the “i’s” and crossing all the “t’s.” Perhaps the cross on the “t” is a tittle. Isn’t there a saying about being meticulous that involves making sure every tittle and jot is in place?
Also, is the #%$@&* we see in Beetle Bailey, when Sarge is about to beat him up considered a grawlix?
Here is what I found: The dot above the lowercase j is also called a tittle. The cross on the “t” is a crossbar. I would think that that is definitely a grawlix!
Jot is a corruption of ‘iota’ the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet and also used as an example of a tiny amount.
Jot may have originally been pronounced ‘yod’ as, for example the chemical Iodine is ‘Jod’
I got a couple of comments about “jot” and I thought I had mentioned it in the blog post — but I don’t think I did….but thank you for the comment and the information!
I think it was Mason Williams of “Classical Gas” fame that rhymed “purple” with “maple slurple.” Of course, he also wrote poems with a beat, like “Moose Goosers” and “Horse Doovers.”
How ‘bout them horse doovers,
Ain’t they neat!?
A little piece of cheese
and a little piece of meat!
I won’t go into goosing moose, that is dangerous territory. If you want to read the poem send me an email.
I have heard of maple slurple; actually, I thought it was surple. I didn’t know it was Mason Williams, speaking of which — I once had a cubicle next door to a guy who played “Classical Gas” into his headphones all day long, over and over again. I thought I was hearing things, but he said he was indeed playing it over and over again!
It was a very catchy tune! Your cubicle mate must have been going mad. My tune was always “Ramble On” by Led Zeppelin…well, that and “What Is and What Should Never Be.” Also LZ.
I do happen to like Classical Gas, but all day? Yes, I think he was already mad! My tune is Eric Clapton’s “Lay Down, Sally.” even though it is grammatically incorrect and should be “Lie Down, Sally” but then, how does that sound!!!
Not a comment but a question regarding correct pronunciation of the word “forte” as in a strength or ability. Is it “fort” or “fortay”?
I love your columns!
Forte as a strength or ability comes from the French and is pronounced (usually) as fort. Forte, pronounced fortay, is the musical term, and it comes from Italian. Thank you!
Is it ok to say ‘Fgrawlix, grawlix k you to someone who is irritating you?
It’s OK with me!
Aga, it sounds like a Monty Python bit. Well done!
Thanks!!