Wednesday, June 20, 2007

When I say the word "whimsical" what do you think of?

I like reading Desire's diary. http://talkwithdesiree.typepad.com/desitalk/ She interviews to herself. Today's title is one of her interview question.
I didn't know the word of "whimsical", until I read her diary. According to my English-English dictionary, it means "unusual or strange and often amusing". So I suppose this word is suitable to my younger daughter, or sometimes I can say she is odd, or sometimes I can say she is easygoing.
When I woke her up this morning, she was sleeping in her school uniform. According to her she woke up really early, and studied a little (according to her), and felt sleepy again. She thought if she wore the school uniform, she could sleep a little bit late. So she changed into her school uniform. I thought wearing it earlier or later takes a same time. Her behavior only gets her school uniform wrinkled and dirty

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think of the word "whimsical" as an adjective...to describe something. For example, if you wear a big red hat with a red bow on it and yellow cherries, it could be considered "whimsical." You are wearing it for fun. Some of the cartoon movies, where the teapots dance with the spoons, could be described as "whimsical." It makes people laugh and say "how clever!." Generally, it is a light-hearted, fun and often imaginative way of doing things...not as expected. Jan

Mieko said...

let's see, I supposed to misunderstand the word "whimsical". It has positve meaning, doesn't it. And does it use to describe the character of somone?
Anyway though my younger daughter is not clever, she always makes us fun.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure if someone can be described as whimsical but rather ACTS in a whimsical manner. It's rather difficult to be whimsical all the time! But I suppose if you act in a whimsical manner much of the time, you just might become a whimsical person! Or, also known as an eccentric.

Mieko said...

Could I say Bear Pooh is whimisical.

Anonymous said...

Pooh Bear is definitely a whimsical character, as are most beloved characters in literature that have survived the decades because they ARE whimsical! Whimsey appeals to the child in all of us...it makes us laugh, relax and our imaginations soar. Jan

Mieko said...

To Jan
Thanks for your comments.
I understood, and I returned to the first thinking. I can say My younger daughter is kind of whimsical or her bebehavior is often whimsical. Her natural behavior makes us often laugh, thought sometimes makes me embarrased.

Desiree said...

Hi Mieko,
The interview questions you referred to come from another blogger... anyway, I'm glad you found a new word there to learn. Something whimsical is light, spontaneous, and even fun.

Yes, Winnie the Pooh and many other literature characters are rather full of whimsy. Whimsy is definitely positive. Jan has done very well at discussing and clearing up the word Whimsical.

Anonymous said...

The noun, whimsy, and the adjective, whimsical, describe something gently eccentric and playful or fanciful. On the positive side it can describe something we find quaint or almost nostalgic, filled with a childlike sense of wonder and possibility. Winnie-the-Pooh as others have mentioned, or Tonari no Totoro are both good examples.

On the negative side it can describe someone who changes his or her mind or makes decisions arbitrarily, without any obvious logic...like a bad king who inflicts a harsh punishment for a minor crime just because he isn't in a good mood.

Anonymous said...

You know TOTORO?? I'm really glad to hear the word from you. Yes He? It is whimsical. Mieko