Is there a word/term for how pleasant a word is to pronounce?

Question

I am familiar with euphony and phonaesthetics, but these both seem to focus more on how pleasant a sound is to hear/perceive. I think there is a subtle difference between this and how pleasant it actually is to pronounce a word, so I was wondering if there was a word for that specifically.

It's like mouthfeel, but for pronunciation.

I'd actually go with mouthfeel, as a singer enjoys feeling the lyrics written for a song. — Yosef Baskin, Apr 19 '21 at 16:21
We can say a phrase rolls off the tongue; mouthfeel (or mouth feel) reminds me too much of gluttonous articles about ice cream, or discussions by product designers working for chocolate bar manufacturers. — Michael Harvey, Apr 19 '21 at 16:30
Most people don't think about the subject, let alone talk about it. And if they do, they tend to use long sonorous sentences instead of specialized words. — John Lawler, Apr 19 '21 at 16:39
Oops, posted my answer "mellifluous” too hastily. Musical to hear not to speak. — Mari-Lou A, Apr 19 '21 at 16:41
Michael Harvey's "rolls off the tongue" is good, but "trips off the tongue" is a nice variant. — Stuart F, Apr 19 '21 at 17:40

Wolfim · Answer 1 · 2022-11-07T07:03:05.433

0

'Silky smooth' and 'buttery'. "Teflony'?

This question had been asked in different forums in the past.

AnswerBun or AnswerBun

Stackexchange

And a specific answer has not been found. There are some phrases that can be used to mean the same thing. I am providing some suggestions below as the original questioner in each forum was unsatisfied with the provided word choices.

Super-phonatives (Interestingly I could not find "phonative" in dictionaries, it is a commonly used term in medical sciences and it generally means the ability for phonation and/or the process of phonation)

Super flowy words (Flowy means which that flows, and flows easily)

Words that glide or tongue gliders

Superfluid words

From Brittanica

superfluidity, the frictionless flow and other exotic behaviour observed in liquid helium at temperatures near absolute zero (−273.15 °C, or −459.67 °F), and (less widely used) similar frictionless behaviour of electrons in a superconducting solid. In each case the unusual behaviour arises from quantum mechanical effects.

edited Nov 07 '22 at 07:03

answered Nov 03 '22 at 08:09

Wolfim

458

Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please [edit] to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center. – Community Nov 03 '22 at 08:21
Actually I wanted to write a comment. But that needs 50 rep. – Wolfim Nov 03 '22 at 10:17
Long lists of solutions are always best avoided. People might like 2 or 3 the best but disagree with all the others. For example, I have never heard the expression Words that are slippery as an eel and it also sounds horrible. You should edit and post 3 solutions at the most explaining why either one fits. – Mari-Lou A Nov 06 '22 at 09:31

Is there a word/term for how pleasant a word is to pronounce?

1 Answers1