…and I say it’s time we do something about this.

Say it with me: gruntled. It’s got that lovely piggy sound, mixed with that soft “l” that conjures images of nestling and cuddling. After a nice meal, cozy on a sofa with my sweetie and a glass of wine, am I “satisfied”? “Happy”? Heck no, those words don’t begin to cut it. I am gruntled. I am as gruntled as a pig in…in whatever makes pigs feel gruntled.

(courtesy trickfist.com)

But you know when I just said the word conjures up images? Actually that’s wrong…it conjures up sounds. Which brings up another missing word in our otherwise ridiculously repeatedly redundant language. We can “visualize” something even if we can’t see it. But what do we do if we want to imagine a sound? Shouldn’t we be able to “audiolize” it?

(Can’t take credit for that one, gotta admit. That one came from my colleague Laura, an impressively smart 21 year-old.)

(courtesy Pinterest)

When I think of all the missing words in our language, I can start to feel…well, not exactly overwhelmed. Definitely whelmed, though. And guess what: “whelmed” IS actually in the dictionary! It’s just not used. I say we bring it back. I mean, doesn’t that pretty much describe how you feel most Fridays? Save “overwhelmed” for when you really, really are…like when your mother-in-law and the landlord arrive on your doorstep at the same time.

(courtesy Pinterest)

In an earlier post, I gave you “Cutiful,” a word I definitely need to describe my dog Juniper: https://gretchenkwing.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/stephen-colbert-got-a-new-word-for-ya-cutiful/

Scritch my schnozz! I’m CUTIFUL.

Now it’s your turn: What word is missing from our lexicon? Nominate your favorite Noah Webster wannabe!