“Cellar Door” – Episode 31



What is the deal with the popular linguistic expression “cellar door,” referenced in media like the film Donnie Darko? 

The guy who taught his son Klingon: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/19/darmond-speers-dad-spoke_n_363477.html?guccounter=1

The article that started it all: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/magazine/14FOB-onlanguage-t.html

Tolkien’s cellar door speech: http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Cellar_door

Some mustings on cellar door: https://www.quora.com/What-makes-the-phrase-Cellar-Door-the-most-beautiful-phrase-in-English-language-What-is-the-proof-for-the-claim

Nunberg’s work: http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=2142