The Cursed Word Is Following Me

[@robinronin]

I’ve never noticed this word anywhere before, but now, if I ever do, I’ll get a vivid flashback to Daniel undulating on the floor like a boneless kangaroo

[@DanielGreeneReviews]

Okay but this video makes me… what’s the word… Laugh. Cause it’s good.

[@seaneaston1040]

Well played sir, well played

[@Odd_D_User]

Don't you mean, Lung-ulating?

[@Msoulwing]

When you think about it, all sound is undulating.

[@charlessmith31]

I thought Daniel Greene/Sean Astin had won this war??

[@jackwriter1908]

@@charlessmith31 you can't win the war with only one fight. It is just getting started

[@Syakirin57]

Undulate definition: The movement that Sanji make when he sees a women 😂

[@EvilSewnit]

Yes

[@Tirlex]

Lol so true 😂

[@whendydargis1260]

That, and also Chopper when he gets praised but "it doesn't make him happy" 😂

[@davidmauchly4689]

“That was put in a book.” Best line ever.

[@amp7980]

Even better than the line that was put in the book.

[@Chicken-lv7or]

Spotting this word in a book now feels the same as spotting “she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding”

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

Considering I actually do that in real life, I often catch myself holding my breath without realizing it and then consciously tell myself to let it out or whatever(and combined with the fact that I know people in physically exciting and/or emotionally shocking or horrifying moments will actually sometimes do this as well, just sucking their breath in and then not letting it out for a while, without realizing it), it never would have occurred to me that it might be something that people find annoying how often it comes up in fictional scenarios until after the first time I came across someone else pointing out that it apparently very much is.😅😅🙃 Loll

[@daudeyartisterie]

​@@jaginaiaelectrizs6341 For me, I don't have an issue with the sentence itself. It's really the VERY overuse of this sentence that I can't take anymore... Just read a book in December that had that sentence in E-V-E-R-Y C-H-A-P-T-E-R!!!! -_- seriously there are many ways to write tension in a book other than with that sentence!

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

@@daudeyartisterie I mean.. that's totally fair too. No thing should be overused _that_ much, all in one story😶😅😅😅🙃

[@klanmasterio]

Squidward dancing is the only thing I will take from this. Any time from now on I read this word in the context of a person moving ... it will become Squidward dancing, and I think I will have a better life for it

[@Zeblon44]

I shall join you in this ritual, good day sir.

[@naveen8202]

I as well, good day brothers

[@JClover2]

I couldn't stop laughing. It was the best representation

[@britneynicole8903]

Right!

[@sent162]

can't wait for daniel to put both undulate and ululate in his next book

[@codystork3008]

He will likely put them in the same sentence.

[@sent162]

@@codystork3008 oh absolutely

[@almogdov]

This video is Merphy's version of The Ring. She spreads the curse to others. "In 7 books you will undulate."

[@gabrielmukasa1799]

Lmfao hahaha

[@artiks2715]

In my opinion, Goblin Greene was lizard-walking through the room. I kinda expected him to drag his body as an undulating worm. Now, when Merphy "undulated to the phone and pressed it's accept", i lost it. That was exactly what i pictured in my mind. 🤣🤣

[@LightningRaven42]

Here's a chilling thought for everyone: If you think hard enough, you can apply undulating to everything in the Universe, since as far as we know particles (the make up of everything) are also waves.

[@hhoi8225]

Only about a minute in, but this is already an underrated comment.

[@runawaybuns]

The strings that make up space-time undulate rather quickly

[@DavidGarcia-kw4sf]

My watch keeps me from undue lateness.

[@paulogaspar8295]

not every particle is also a wave. Only electrons in a quantic state have been proven to function like a wave. Protons have not been proven to function like a wave for example.

[@amp7980]

@@paulogaspar8295 If you dive into string theory, ever subatomic particle is make up of vibrating strings. So everything in the universe is constantly undulating.

[@brianhgold]

"I hope I've cursed another word for you today" Thank you for this unparalleled contribution to book fandom

[@thelightningking8772]

This is the hill Merphy will die on. It’s alright though because her banner is still… waving. What? You thought I was going to say the word. I would never. That would make Merphy undulate her fist in rage.

[@hallieprice1463]

Bro 😂

[@christina_1313]

Did not see that coming xD

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

🤣🤣🤣

[@XraynPR]

Wow this undulated quickly. I mean, this got out of hand really fast.

[@evennot]

UMH (shaking my head) in disappointment

[@A2O779]

(Undulating my head)

[@evennot]

@@A2O779 I tried to be subtle

[@ChantelReadsAllDay]

I've been finding "undulating" in EVERY SINGLE book lately. Thanks Merphy.

[@lyndseymurray2066]

Me too!

[@gemgem3280]

Me too! Especially Sanderson books!

[@ZlothZloth]

Say! I like green eggs and ham! I do! I like them, Sam-I-am! I would eat them in an undulating boat! I would eat them with a goat! ....

[@Yondi1000]

Ululate feels entirely unnecessary as a word. It feels like one of those words that just takes you out of the story because you just sit there imagining how the author cracked open a thesaurus to sound smarter.

[@Mr_Vorland]

I feel like it mostly belongs in horror, describing a being that moves in a way that is not natural to our world.

[@Lokster71]

It's vaguely onomatopoeic. It's actually a perfectly fine word to use in the right context. I mean howl is a more straightforward word but sometimes you don't want the straightforward word. I think what Merphy's video shows though is people use both words wrongly. Undulate more than ululate. So they become the verbal equivalent of scratching nails down a blackboard.

[@paulogaspar8295]

there's thousands of words that can be used to sound smart. That one is not even that bad. There's entire books where the hole book is just the author trying to sound smart by the use of weird wacky words that no one commonly uses.

[@theonlyslagathor]

Also I think Daniel messed up on the undulating walk for Min. He was doing a breast stroke and not the undulating walk, which in my expert opinion, would look like the worm.

[@justinamerican8200]

Someone was trying to tell me that a snake "undulates" and I was not convinced. A snake slithers which is to, essentially, undulate side to side not up and down, aka the breakdancing move The Worm.

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

@@justinamerican8200 Okay, but, if you put a snake in water or turn them into a serpent .. well ... it might become a little more undulating-like than slithering like. I suppose. Alternatively, it may seem more like undulating than like slithering if it happens in slow motion and/or in those bigger/wider more-deliberate/wavy curving type motions or something, which is usually described not as slithering and more as "snaking"(rather the rapid/minimally-side-to-side movements they'll make when they're booking it more quickly from one place to another)....because people's minds often get oddly specific sometimes with the connotations they mentally ascribe to things sometimes, versus the usually a myriad or plethora of different uses/meanings that a thing can actually have sometimes. (Also because slithering tends to make people think creepy-crawly/heebie-jeebie thoughts maybe, wheras snaking might not, unless you specifically get creeped out by snakes.) Loll An eastern/asian dragon might undulate through the air too... 🤔 Not sure. Lol Mermaids undulate most of all though, probably. It's very rare to see mermaids depicted wriggling their tails from side-by-side like other fish do. I guess, maybe because they're half mammal?🤔 idekk 🤷‍♀️😹🤣

[@allieasbill2055]

Don’t stop doing this! We need an annual compilation of the year’s bad undulations!

[@stonewarder8011]

if i hear undulating in regard to someone moving i just imagine them doing the worm

[@kobbyquayson]

Same 😂😂

[@theonlyslagathor]

I’m so glad I wore my undulating shirt while watching this video.

[@matiaspereyra9392]

"I never even noticed it until I noticed it" Yup, that's how noticing stuff for the first time works

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

Well, yes. And...No. Not always. Sometimes you notice something the first time you come across it, and just keep noticing it ever since. But other times, you come across things a few times before you start to think anything of it, and then the previous times come back to you upon a re-encounter or in hindsight only. 😅😅 But still. 👍🏻

[@subramaniamk9094]

Why do I feel like Daniel will use the word in his book 3 ( or even in 2 )

[@colonelweird]

How about this: "Her lips undulated moistly, matching the undulations of her hips, as she ululated cries of pleasure." Please god, let this be in a book. (And I had to put something in there for the folks who hate "moist".)

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@cinthiagoch]

Thanks, I hate it. xD

[@Sniperthe0ne]

Going though my second read through of the Wheel of time. I reach book 13. I see the word... I blink... Thanks Merphy

[@Micktrex]

I've heard undulate so many times now that you're making me hate it. We live in a world made of wobbly jelly people and hell cannot surpass the horrors you have made me imagine with these examples.

[@ariellecrumley3121]

Ever since your last video on “the word” I’ve literally seen it EVERYWHERE. Like in almost every single book. I’ve even been seeing it when I read in French (ondulait) 😫

[@jesse8924]

My undulate ranking: 1. Daniel on the ground 2. Merphy 3. Squidward 4. Daniel on his feet

[@ryannandrealakip8904]

0:58 the most relatable thing I've heard all year. They manage to torment me in ways too undulating to describe. 👍

[@Lynn-CA]

IT'S SO BEAUTFIUFL 😭😭😭

[@Pancake.Rnold35]

Indeed... 💯

[@wingracer1614]

Do we need a new spreadsheet for ululate? I know there is at least one on my collection with it. LOL

[@litlbucky]

Yes!!! Ululate also made it into video!! Loved the added scenes of you acting out the undulations!!!

[@knee_grow4892]

Four days ago?

[@Akkaren79]

@@knee_grow4892 patreon probably

[@corvus_da]

I used to think of this as a completely normal word. Then you came along, and now it breaks my immersion whenever I read it in a book. Thanks, Merphy. On another note, the main thing I'd use this word for is the movement an eel makes while swimming. I can't think of a better word for that, either.

[@MarisuSedai]

Such unadulterated anger over a word.

[@readingbystarlight5567]

Whenever it's used for people moving, it makes me think of them doing the worm everywhere. I just imagine someone dropping to them floor and just doing the worm across the room. It makes sense if they were swimming, or break-dancing, that's it! And the hips! Swaying suggests side to side, undulating makes me think up and down (again doing the worm), agree that it's definitely a strange walk...

[@ibg_music7525]

I feel extra blessed today

[@pcmacintyre]

"That was put in a book." The way Merphy said that made me laugh. I also found Daniel's cameo amusing.

[@JigglyPKMN]

When I see that word, I picture an author with a deadline frantically thumbing through their thesaurus.

[@beyonddaylight5556]

Merphy wobbling her arms is all I see whenever I come across this word now.

[@figthegiant4065]

1:51 My vocal cords vibrated and undulated, and an uluating laugh escaped my mouth as the undulating light waves from my phone screen met my eyes and displayed an undulating Merphy

[@animeator]

Whenever I read undulate, I just have Monty Python's Ministry Of Silly Walks stuck in my head. Like I won't kink shame fellow writer beans BUT that is such a specific kink.

[@Wirrn]

I started Lies of Locke Lamora recently, in part because of your recommendation. I was surprised to see that word in there, leaping off the pages into my eyes Wait no, not leaping, more of an undulating motion

[@OverlyAverageBen]

Yeah I have that exact same thing! I hate money! I hate having money! I sure hope that no one sends me money, that would just be terribleeeeee

[@Harry_34]

I got more irritated by "serpentine" than "undulate" !!

[@myfirstnovel]

Well, in French (my mother tongue) owls "ululent", it's the actual name of their cry, so I'm used to seeing it regularly, no undulating shivers down this back... Language is such a hoot, right ;)))

[@litlbucky]

You also mention your hatred of the word to a friend & they have a Cameo of Sean Astin saying the word a few times sent to you

[@hartsbane7028]

i never paid attention to the word before and now i'm seeing it everywhere... i've come under the curse...

[@rickthestick6995]

I never noticed the word till the Sean Astin video. Now I notice it. Everywhere. I can't get away from it myself now.

[@thebookajah2841]

Undulating is wonderful.....with Berelain and Min, the point was that Berelain walks sexily, but Min was undu.....I mean, putting her to shame.

[@BariiAlyn]

3:47 I took this to mean that Berelain walks seductively like a champ but that Min walked SO seductively that Berelain's motion looked manly instead. Given how Berelain is constantly described in the books, I assumed that Min dislocated her hips in order to swing around them around that much.

[@fats2010]

'flesh undulating' is something i never want to read again

[@RovingJack]

I saw this video and felt like it's gotta be a matter of the dislike of a word (like some people hate moist as a word) making it seem way more common than it is because you are hyper aware of it's occurring when it's not really commonly used... and then I watched Jazza make a gaming table where he used it to describe the terrain. and then watching a video on applying flocking to materials for crafting purposes, the creator for that referred to different materials giving different surfaces different degrees of... I think there was a third video I watched that used it too, but by that point I'm half between laughing and perplexed as to why it seems like so many people are using the word. and yes it is all your fault.

[@MalMalWasTaken]

The undalate movement scenes is too much that I can't even. I am deceased 🤣🤣

[@ElrohirGuitar]

I agree with you. Some terms are fine when appropriate, but annoying when overdone.

[@damion1707]

Here's one I found the other day "The ground sloped away in every direction, undulating gently; nothing more than occasional brush obscured the view for more than a mile, all the way to the surrounding forest." -- Chapter 3, A Crown of Swords I actually kind of really like how it's used there.

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

Yeah, that is actually kind of beautiful. ^__^ 💜

[@timothymiller4475]

Its freaking fracking everywhere smh. Even non fictions.

[@jackwriter1908]

I am so happy that english isn't my first language and I can just enjoy this as a rant and Merph talking about funny words that I don't even know what they mean.

[@paulcourtemanche3549]

I was undulating with laughter during the spongebob clip.

[@_C____]

Merph: why did I tell them about the thing that I hate? Also Merph: introduces ululate

[@guilhermefigueiredo3936]

I came undulating to the phone when I heard the notification of a new video

[@ammalyrical5646]

You know I got a great surprise when The Love Hypothesis didn't have the word undulate in the book once. And as far as I remember the same is the case for The Ex Hex but I listened to that one so I might have missed it.

[@maria83maria]

Undulated! I see it everywere now😱

[@missusdr]

This was all great as usual, Merphy - and I love your personal demonstrations lol - but Daniel’s cameo just broke me, and completely made my day 😂 Don’t stop making these videos!!

[@michaelwhite1552]

In regards to the WoT quote, Berelain is a very forward woman who makes a point of acting in overly flirtatious ways. The quote is saying that Min, in direct contrast to her normally boyish mannerisms, went so far over the top in walking in a "womanly" manner that it put even Berelain's suggestive gait to shame. But also, yes, this is not a good use of the word.

[@codystork3008]

Undulating experimentally is just a hilarious word pairing. Also surprised there were no examples of hills undulating.

[@banjotiki3910]

The thumbnail is really cool!!!

[@StoryBound]

Murphy..... Sunreach....Sanderson.... the ship parts undulate.....

[@AmanGupta-zr6rd]

UNDULATING!!! UNDULATING!!!! UNDULATING!!!!!!!

[@subtlefire7256]

I'm currently reading Tess of the D'Urbervilles, I'm about 100 pages in, and thanks to Merphy I've already noticed the word "undulate" twice.

[@avapaull3814]

I can’t stop seeing it now. I read Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth a few months ago, and “undulating” appeared 5-6 times. I’m not even exaggerating. Almost every time, it was used to describe architecture, and it makes no sense!

[@johnnywalking83]

You have my word that un***ate will not appear in any of my novels. I too am not sure why this word is used so much. Maybe too much going to the thesaurus while writing? Please don't stop these videos. They are fun and smiling inducing

[@ButtercupBooks15]

I am one of the ones who never noticed until I saw Daniel’s gift (?) to you from Sean Astin, but I was reading The City We Became at the time and it was EVERYWHERE!!!

[@evilgenius4213]

Yes, I laughed, I have tears from laughing. I want to sincerely thank you for that, I needed it.

[@xDanKaix]

Undulate is still my favorite word.

[@Kris-dh9oj]

It's been a while since a watched that video but I can't stop seeing it now... It's in every book!

[@8Makes1]

I was listening to Order of the Pheonix again....and "undulating" was dropped. I couldn't stop laughing and thought of Merph the whole time. 😂😂😂

[@simeonbassey6821]

Okay, this is undulatingly hilarious.😅

[@JAKEBB]

Oh boy, these words bleh. "That was put in a book" lol🤣🤣

[@tyriquesmith8850]

5:33 I can't! 🤣🤣🤣

[@neondemon5137]

All spoken words are just undulating air.

[@garricksmalley1733]

That goblin (at 3:40) had me rolling on the floor, thank you.

[@dailycarolina.]

That Daniel clip was HILARIOUS !!!!

[@1andOnlyDaniel]

As frustrating as this is, I needed these laughs today

[@SlackwareNVM]

3:38 Daniel, that's just swimming. You shoulda done a Dune worm impression there.

[@waltcruz1631]

I was at a party a while back and I’m not a good dancer so I just undulated as the soles of my feet struggled to keep up with the ululating tune

[@paulinagarzafernandez]

Coincidentally, I was thinking of this yesterday while reading Warbreaker

[@Miss_Myth]

This was AMAZING, and as someone who has my own cursed words (which I won't list here 😁) I support and applaud your rants... and any time you want to put authors on blast for word use, I'm all for it! 👏 (Also, others have said it but I have to echo - the example action scenes were the *greatest* thing I've seen this year. 10/10 👏👏👏😂)

[@silentcookie7261]

Your little acts in between had me cracking up xD

[@caro9390]

After your first video I even found in my lectures. And I'm in vet school, so there should be absolutely no reason to use it!

[@noutsakh.2135]

The background music makes this video 10x better XD

[@RKStumblingbear]

I have heard of ululating before in my history classes about Native Americans.

[@ijones81]

Daniel swimming nowhere on the floor just made my day haha.

[@billyalarie929]

Your moving about in the way you do to express how it comes off on the page is REALLY beneficial to me understanding this word being a problem.

[@bennybeck]

I undulate every time I see Zoro’s swords undulate from their sheathes

[@liberlynn]

Daniel Green's cameo though! Lol 😂🤣

[@angiethebookaholic]

This video! I so enjoyed it. However, I am relieved you found it ok that this word is used to describe women walking with hips swaying. Because, here in India, usually a women's walk is associated with hip movements in pop culture a lot, like in bollywood dances, song lyrics and hip movements plays a major part in many classical dance forms as well. And , in almost all Indian languages we have specific words to describe this. But, usually for lack of better word in English usually in translations words like "gyrating hips" and "pelvic thrusts" are used which irks me a lot. So, undulating, I feel, sounds better compared to those!

[@crimsonraen]

.....LMAO! So.. Were I to say that my stomach undulated as I ululated laughter throughout my room, that would be awful? I'm glad that they're becoming less cringe-inducing for you though!

[@forestspirit7152]

Yes. I am myself undulating somewhere among those who did not know the word before you told us. Thank you. Yes. It is undulating everywhere now. Love you. (undulates away)

[@taylor_green_9]

I saw the word in a sci-fi action book the other day, in a scene that was meant to be super tense, a fragile truce on the battlefield. It said "an undulating roar", and I just laughed! I also think I may have seen it in The Secret Commonwealth, but I can't be sure because I got the Spanish translation

[@LucioXIVGilmez]

7:37 why do I feel like you’re lying? Lol Thanks for a new cursed word.

[@JamanMosil]

I honestly never really noticed this word..until I saw Sanderson's usage of it in his WoT books. Once I saw it in those books, I started seeing it everywhere. And yes, I loathe that word too! I just feel it's a lazy word choice and used in situations where (as you pointed out!!) it usually doesn't make sense!!!! I was so happy to see this video - just to know I'm not alone in my hatred of this word

[@spongend181]

I just love the reenactments of the scenes XD Hilarious XD

[@SlackwareNVM]

1:23 I think you just wanted for us to suffer alongside you. Now I notice it everywhere, too. I don't hate it, tho. If anything, it brings a smile to my face and reminds me to watch your videos some more.