根据对4万名海外投票者和英国文化协会在世界各地英语中心的学习者的调查显示，“母亲”(Mother) 是英语当中最优美的单词。此项调查为庆祝英国文化协会成立70 周年而举办。
英国文化协会在华作为英国大使馆文化教育处开展工作。为开展上述调查工作，英国文化协会征求了46个国家7000多名英语学习者对英语中最优美单词的意见。此外，英国文化协会还通过自己的网站在网上征求了非英语国家的意见。非英语国家中35000多人参加了投票，其中包括3500份来自中国的选票。
根据投票的结果，排在前70名的最优美的英语单词为：
MUM’S THE WORD!
British Council Announces Results of 70 Most Beautiful Words Survey
British Council wanted a creative and fun way to celebrate our 70th anniversary. British Council teachers in centres worldwide organised classroom activities with over 7000 learners of English to choose what they considered to be the 70 most beautiful words in the English language.
We also ran an online poll in all non-English speaking country websites in order to rank these 70 words and find the top ten. Over 35,000 visitors to our websites worldwide cast their votes.
Mother is the most beautiful word in the English language, according to a survey of 42,000 learners of English round the world.
The top ten are interesting, if a little short on surprises – the more unexpected entries come further down the ranking. Who for instance, could have predicted such entries as whoops in 56th place or zing at 68?
Meanwhile, take a look at the full results bellow.
31. butterfly 蝴蝶
32. galaxy 银河
33. hilarious 欢闹的
34. moment 瞬间
35. extravaganza 娱乐表演
36. aqua 水
37. sentiment 柔懦情感
38. cosmopolitan 四海为家的人
39. bubble 气泡
40. pumpkin 南瓜
41. banana 香蕉
42. lollipop 棒棒糖
43. if 如果
44. bumblebee 大黄蜂
45. giggle 咯咯笑
46. paradox 似非而是的论点
47. delicacy 精美
48. peek-a-boo 躲猫猫
49. umbrella 雨伞
50. kangaroo 袋鼠
