Top Ten Tuesday is a Meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where I will be picking from their top tens and attempting to reveal what my thinking is behind these choices.
This week I'm giving my Top Ten Most Awesome Made-up Words.
1. Vermicious - Roald Dahl
From the legendary Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. Roald Dahl was a childhood hero for me, and he made up so many mad words and things. Wizzbanger, Snozzberry, Oompa Loompas, Scrumdiddlyumptious... the list goes on.
2. Muggle - J.K. Rowling
The most famous word of all J.K. Rowling's words, but lest we forget, we also had Squib, Horcrux, Animagus and so on. Rowling is extremely clever in the way that she invented words, using many languages to invent words for beings as well as spells. She even invented her own sport, so I give her full kudos for her creativity.
3. Puddleglum - C.S. Lewis
I know it's a name and I don't care. I love Puddleglum and I love The Silver Chair. It is my favourite Narnia Chronicle, possibly because of this mopey character.
4. Jabberwocky - Lewis Caroll
I know, another name! But let's not forget that he also made up chortle and a whole host of other words in Through The Looking Glass.
5. Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
Well, this guy is making a comeback at the moment, and his Hobbits with him with the last movie in The Hobbit franchise, The Battle of the Five Armies, coming out in a couple of months. It was only fair to give him his dues. It might also be interesting to note that he is credited with making up 'tween' as well.
6. Tracker-Jacker and Jabberjay - Suzanne Collins
Yes, it's The Hunger Games. This world is full of awesome ideas and these genetically modified creatures are honestly really cool, and it gives a whole other meaning to the word, Mutts.
7. Swagger - Shakespeare
This guy coined so many words and popular phrases that it would take me forever to tell them all to you. Instead, here's a link to a page where someone else has done all the work for me.
8. Boredom - Charles Dickens
I know, it's such a widely used word, yet initially this was indeed something never heard of before Dickens. Also credited with the first record of the word 'Flummox', which is an awesome word too.
9. Pandemonium - John Milton
From the epic poem, Paradise Lost, this word is derived from the name of the capital of Hell. Where it did literally mean 'all demons', the meaning is now closer to 'chaos'.
10. Heffalump - A.A.Milne
From Winnie the Pooh. Children's authors really seem to like mixing up lettering for animals and A.A. Milne is no exception. This is just a cute misunderstanding of the word 'elephant'.
Do you know any more awesome made-up words?
Kyrax
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