An inclination is a liking or preference for something. The synonym penchant is more pronounced and enduring: a penchant is a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something. Penchant is more likely to be used in reference to broad preferences that shape behavior over time. For instance, if a person has a penchant for secrecy, it means they tend toward secrecy not just in an isolated circumstance, but in their conduct more generally. Inclination, on the other hand, may be used to refer to a circumstantial preference: the employee’s inclination was to stay working on the project he started, rather than switch to something new.

The noun fettle is a somewhat old-fashioned way to refer to a person’s physical state or frame of mind. It’s almost always used in the positive with the descriptor fine: a person who is in fine fettle is feeling good and maybe even looking good, too. If you go looking for it, you may spot fettle in other sunny combinations, such as good fettle, excellent fettle, high fettle, and better fettle. Contrast that with the noun condition, which is indeed used to refer to a person’s state of health, but, in those uses, is more likely to be found alongside descriptors such as critical or poor.

Talkative is straightforward adjective that means exactly what it sounds like: inclined to talk a great deal. Talkative is for the most part neutral, though it skews a bit negative in use. The loftier adjective loquacious suggests more facility and ease: someone who is loquacious talks or tends to talk much or freely. Loquacious is sometimes found alongside positive descriptors such as witty or charismatic. But occasionally loquacious is used to describe someone whose words flow like wine—but of a variety that leaves you wishing for a cork!