In my latest lesson, I dive into the wonderful world of “strange” English. These are the words that sound a bit silly but are used by native speakers in books, movies, and TV shows to add flavor to the conversation.
If you want to sound more natural and have a bit of fun with your vocabulary, here are 10 (or so!) funny words you should start using today.
1. When Things Don’t Make Sense: Gobbledegook and Discombobulate
Have you ever listened to a teacher or a boss and felt like they were speaking a different language? That’s gobbledegook. I use this word to describe language that is impossible to understand.
When you hear too much gobbledegook, you might feel discombobulated. This is one of my favorite words! To discombobulate someone is to completely confuse them. If a situation catches you off guard and you don’t know what to do, you’re feeling discombobulated.
2. Moving Fast: Skedaddle and Lickety-split
Sometimes you just need to leave. When I’m at a café and I’m ready to go, I tell my friends, “Let’s skedaddle!” It’s a playful way to say “let’s run away quickly.”
If you need to get something done fast—like your English homework—you should do it lickety-split. I love using this when I want to emphasize doing a task very quickly so I can move on to something better.
3. Making a Scene: Bruhaha and Hullabaloo
If there is a lot of noisy outrage or a dramatic overreaction, you’ve got a bruhaha. I often see this in offices when a director announces a new rule and everyone starts complaining loudly. A similar word I use is hullabaloo. Both describe a loud fuss or a commotion where people are shouting or booing.
4. Using Your Noodle for Hocus Pocus
Is someone trying to sell you a “magic” diet or a medicine that sounds too good to be true? I call that hocus pocus. While magicians say it during spells, we use it to describe things that aren’t scientifically real.
To avoid being Fooled by hocus pocus, you have to use your noodle. That’s an old-fashioned (but fun!) way to say your brain or your head. If someone is acting a bit silly, I might tell them, “Hey, use your noodle!”
5. Avoiding the Boondoggle
Finally, let’s talk about the boondoggle. This is a project or task that is a complete waste of time. It’s something that won’t have any positive result in the end. I always try to make sure my lessons aren’t a boondoggle—I want you to actually learn something you can use!
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