Choosing Words - or - Talkin' 'bout Tits

I've been thinking about word choice and the stereotype of writers agonizing over just the right word. So here are my random thoughts --

Word choice is particularly important in dialogue, where it highlights the individual personalities of characters. Word choice may also be important for sound, rythmn, or feel. And different words may have different qualities, even if they mean essentially the same thing.

For example, let's take a slightly socially awkward topic, where people might, consciously or unconsciously, be more careful with word choice. It's my observation, backed by absolutely zero scientific study, that women are more likely to say "boobs" while men are more likely to say "tits." Boobs is a softer, funnier word, with the extended vowel and the soft begining and ending consonents. In contrast, tits sounds harsh and sharp.

And, to stress it further, boobs becomes funnier when converted to the more playful boobies. On the other hand, titties sounds rude and derogetory. Your milage my vary, of course. But you can see how the word choice becomes highly significant when the topic is loaded.

And, for the record, boobies and tits are both types of birds. What did you think I was talking about?