What’s the most beautiful word in the English language? Different people, using various criteria, will give a slew of answers.

Surveying more than 7,000 English speakers in 46 countries, the British Council decided on “mother” — an unglamorous word, yet one that conveys comfort and the deepness of human relationships. Others on their list include concepts, like “liberty” and “tranquility,” or expressions, as in “smile.”

But then we have phonoasthetics to consider. Ignoring public opinion, phonoasthetics combines the study of sound and phonology to determine the most pleasing words apart from their meaning. Author J.R.R. Tolkien famously (although not first) claimed “cellar…

Read more | businessinsider.com

Photo credit | Dictionary by ivanbalingit on Flickr