LOUIS BURKE | Culture | CONTACT
A ten-year study at the BSIRO has found that the best word in the English language is, unsurprisingly, one stolen from another culture, in this case; bok choy.
Say out loud with us. 1, 2, 3: bok choy.
Wasn’t that just lovely?
A domesticated variety of green cabbage, bok choy is a vegetable that has been cultivated in China as far back as the 5th century AD, meaning humans have enjoyed this word sandwich leaving their mouth for well over a thousand years.
“I’ll get the honey chicken and bok choy please,” ordered one diner at Betoota Gardens Chinese Restaurant, letting the name of the vegetable click out of his mouth like two rocks striking to make fire.
“Does anyone want my bok choy when it gets here? I don’t even like the stuff, I just like saying it!”
“I’m the bok choy boy!”
Head researcher Dr Juliane Frankelton believes bok choy is such a great word to say due to the four primary sounds and movements that make up the name of everyone’s third favourite green Asian vegetable.
“You get a ‘boom’ come in with this lovely b sound that ends with a hard k,” stated Dr Frankelton, who since the study has gotten BOK CHOY tattooed across her knuckles.
“Then it opens up with this sweeping ‘ch’ sound which gives way to a fantastic and patriotic ‘oi.’”
“Seriously what a great word.”
