'Moist' and other lexical phobias

The mere fact that you realize you need help indicates that you are not too far gone. I think we better pinpoint your fears. If we can find out what you’re afraid of, we can label it.

Are you afraid of responsibility? If you are, then you have hypengyophobia. How ‘bout cats? If you’re afraid of cats, you have ailurophasia. Are you afraid of staircases? If you are, then you have climachaphobia. Maybe you have thalassophobia. This is a fear of the ocean. Or gephyrobia, which is the fear of crossing bridges. Or maybe you have pantophobia.

Do you think you have pantophobia?
 
Pantophobia is technically the fear of homonyms or the fear of all.
 
I have a marked aversion (not quite phobic) to the words 'Past Due'. ;)
 
Very interesting here. I doubt that this is a real phobia or irrational fear, or that it's some some of abreaction to the sound of the word. More likely "moist" elicits uncomfortable feelings of shame and embarrassment by alluding to sexual arousal, and that's why it's disliked.

I'm tempted to say that this kind of word-avoidance is gender specific because it reminds me of a similar common female reaction to words like cunt or even whore, the very sound or sight of which they find odious and offensive, but I don't think it only occurs in women. It's more linked to a particular personality type that sees sex and sexual desire as inherently shameful and so avoids even oblique references to anything remotely carnal. It's the same urge that led the Victorians to euphemize chicken breasts and thighs as white and dark meat.

It's interesting to compare "moist," which these people find offensive, to "damp," which is apparently okay. Words have connotations as well as meanings, and the most obvious difference here is that "moist" suggests the presence of actual liquid while "damp" only suggests excess humidity. From an onomatopoetic perspective, the labial "m" of "moist" is more insidious and sensual than the hard "d" of damp, giving the word a more obscene mouth feel.
 
Very interesting here. I doubt that this is a real phobia or irrational fear, or that it's some some of abreaction to the sound of the word. More likely "moist" elicits uncomfortable feelings of shame and embarrassment by alluding to sexual arousal, and that's why it's disliked.

I'm tempted to say that this kind of word-avoidance is gender specific because it reminds me of a similar common female reaction to words like cunt or even whore, the very sound or sight of which they find odious and offensive, but I don't think it only occurs in women. It's more linked to a particular personality type that sees sex and sexual desire as inherently shameful and so avoids even oblique references to anything remotely carnal. It's the same urge that led the Victorians to euphemize chicken breasts and thighs as white and dark meat.

It's interesting to compare "moist," which these people find offensive, to "damp," which is apparently okay. Words have connotations as well as meanings, and the most obvious difference here is that "moist" suggests the presence of actual liquid while "damp" only suggests excess humidity. From an onomatopoetic perspective, the labial "m" of "moist" is more insidious and sensual than the hard "d" of damp, giving the word a more obscene mouth feel.

Damn, Doc, I think you've hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

I hope you had to do a lot of hard, in depth research to come up with this theory. You certainly deserve it. ;) :D
 
Every time I see this thread I'm reminded of Moist Von Lipwig, in Terry Pratchett's novels, " Going Postal & Making Money". Ha Ha Ha :D
 
Very interesting here. I doubt that this is a real phobia or irrational fear, or that it's some some of abreaction to the sound of the word. More likely "moist" elicits uncomfortable feelings of shame and embarrassment by alluding to sexual arousal, and that's why it's disliked.

I'm tempted to say that this kind of word-avoidance is gender specific because it reminds me of a similar common female reaction to words like cunt or even whore, the very sound or sight of which they find odious and offensive, but I don't think it only occurs in women. It's more linked to a particular personality type that sees sex and sexual desire as inherently shameful and so avoids even oblique references to anything remotely carnal. It's the same urge that led the Victorians to euphemize chicken breasts and thighs as white and dark meat.

Hmm, I was under the impression that this is the crowd that acts like they're offended by it, but is really turned on by the "dirty talk".
I hate the word "congeal" myself. It's just... ugh.
 
Pantophobia is technically the fear of homonyms or the fear of all.

And I thought it was to do with a fear of Pantomime. . . . . . .

gephyrobia:-
There's the new Millau road bridge in France; it's a thousand-odd feet above the valley floor.
 
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