SOMNILOQUY

[Dr. Goodword]

• somniloquy •

Pronunciation: sahm-ni-lê-kwi • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. Talking in our sleep, sleep-talking. 2. What we say when we talk in our sleep.

Notes: This half-amusing Good Word is a member of a large and warm family, despite the fact that my spell-checker is lighting up this paragraph like a Christmas tree with red lines as I write it. A person who engages in somniloquy is a somniloquist who becomes somniloquent when sleeping. When somniloquists somniloquize, they express themselves in somniloquies in the second meaning of today's word. Although somniloquies usually are soliloquies, be careful not to confuse the two.

In Play: Many people utter words and phrases related to the dreams they have as they sleep. However, a somniloquy can often be even more important than what we say when we are awake. A wife might ask a husband in the morning, "So, who is this 'Eleanor' you mentioned several times in your somniloquy last night?" Don't overlook the other members of this family of words. The same wife might comment, "I'm sleeping much better now that you have become less somniloquent at night."

Word History: Today's Good Word is made from the root of Latin somnus "sleep" + the verb loqui "to speak". Somnus is also responsible for the English words somnambulant "sleep-walking, sleep-walker" and somnolent, the grown-up word for "sleepy". The same Proto-Indo-European root that produced somnus turned up in Greek as hypnos "sleep", which we see at the root of our word hypnotism. In Russian it became son "sleep, dream". The root of the Latin verb loqui "to talk or speak" is also present in English loquacious "talkative" and eloquent. (Margie Sved was not just talking in her sleep when she nominated this fascinating noun as a Good Word.)

[MTC]

I nominate "somneloquence" for admission into the grand hall of the English lexicon: speaking eloquently in one's sleep.

[LukeJavan8]

Especially if one orates in one's sleep.

[Slava]

I'm trying to come up with one for somniferous loquaciousness, the speech that puts you to sleep. I keep getting stuck on plain old boring. Any suggestions from the gallery?

[LukeJavan8]

A toady: a servile lickspittle who curries the favor of
prominent people with obsequious praise and flattery.
Charlie Sheen speaking of himself, for instance.
Politicians: bloviating blatherskites with their
tarradiddling codswallop - which they dump on us.
Long Live Wisconsin ! ! !

[bamaboy56]

A confession: I am a somniloquist. Being bilingual, my wife tells me I have done so in both languages. Odd. Good thing I have a clear conscience!

[MTC]

To Slava: "Somnus lacuna"

To bamaboy56: You have a hidden talent only a few possess (or appreciate).

[LukeJavan8]

A confession: I am a somniloquist. Being bilingual, my wife tells me I have done so in both languages. Odd. Good thing I have a clear conscience!

WELCOME BAMABOY

[Slava]

WELCOME BAMABOY

As the song goes, I second that emotion. Welcome to the Agora.

[bamaboy56]

Sometimes it takes a while for me to check my emails, posts or voicemail messages. Sorry for the delay. Thanks LukeJavan8, MTC and Slava for the welcome. Much appreciated.

[LukeJavan8]

Join in, often !

[Slava]

We look forward to more thoughts ala Bama.

[Perry]

A confession: I am a somniloquist. Being bilingual, my wife tells me I have done so in both languages. Odd. Good thing I have a clear conscience!

There is a great line in a song, "She talks in her sleep, but she always gets my name right."

[Stargzer]

My father, God rest his soul, was a US Marine. He never talked in his sleep -- he swore!

[LukeJavan8]

Having just finished the HBO series of last year
entitled "The Pacific", I can see why anyone
would swear in their sleep. The Marines were
true heroes. My hats off to your father.