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Home / What Is the Word That Means Fear of Long Words

What Is the Word That Means Fear of Long Words

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The fear of long words is ironically called hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. It may seem daunting at first, but if you take your time and break the word up into pieces, it is actually quite easy to pronounce, some might think this phobia is made up but quite frankly it is the official fear of long words.

Steps

  1. 1

    Know the word. It is hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.

  2. 2

    Break the word into up into its root words. Hippopoto-monstro-sesuiquipedalio-phobia. Hippopoto is the misspelled form of Hippopotamus, Monstro comes from the Latin Monstrum, meaning Monster, Sesquipedalio comes from Sesquipedalian, a very long word, and lastly Phobia, an extreme or irrational fear of something.

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  3. 3

    Break the word up into easy to pronounce pieces. Hippo-poto-monstro-sesqui-pedalio-phobia.

  4. 4

    Start with Hippo. It is pronounced Hi-poh.

  5. 5

    Follow with Poto. Pronounce it as Po-toh.

  6. 6

    Next comes Monstro. Say Mon-stroh.

  7. 7

    Then there is Sesqui. Pronounce Ses-kwee.

  8. 8

    Say Pedalio. This is pronounced as Peh-dah-leejoh.

  9. 9

    Finish with Phobia. Say it like Foh-beejah.

  10. 10

    Practice saying each piece.

  11. 11

    Pronounce the whole word. Hi-poh-po-toh-mon-stroh-ses-kwee-peh-dah-leejoh-foh-beeja.

  12. 12

    Practice the pronunciation until you can say the word without hesitations.

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Add New Question

  • Question

    Why do people get scared of long words?

    Community Answer

    People have all different kinds of phobias (fears), some more unusual than others. There's really no explaining why it happens, people are just born that way.

  • Question

    How do I stop being scared of long words?

    Community Answer

    You could start with smaller words and slowly get into bigger words.

  • Question

    Why are people scared of long words?

    Community Answer

    It depends for different people, because some may just not know the words while others may be legitimately intimidated by the words for several different reasons.

  • Question

    Why is it such a long word if it's for people who are afraid of long words?

    Tom De Backer

    Tom De Backer

    Top Answerer

    Though many phobias are quite real, this phobia is more a humorous human invention than a real diagnosis.

  • Question

    How do I pronounce lilapsaphobia?

    Tom De Backer

    Tom De Backer

    Top Answerer

    /lai-lap-sa-'pho-bi-a/

  • Question

    When I say the word, is it better to start slow or fast?

    Community Answer

    It's always better to start out slow and gradually get faster. Take the word one small piece at a time, just like how they recommend in the article.

  • Question

    Why is a fear of long words so long? Won't the person afraid of it be afraid of even saying the word?

    Ruby

    The origins of the word for fear of long words was actually a joke. It was made ironically.

  • Question

    How is someone afraid of big words? What happens if someone says a big word?

    Community Answer

    No one is truly sure why any phobia exists, they have just happened over time, and no one can truly explain why they are scared of something either. How someone will react to a longer word will depend on the severity of the phobia in the person and the person themselves. Some people may react with a more despondent disposition, with their emotions just being negative about the word, while others could be sent into a state of panic and hysteria, it truly depends on the person.

  • Question

    So if people are afraid of long words then wouldn't they be afraid of their diagnosis?

    Community Answer

    Sadly, people who have a major fear of long words (hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia) are too scared of it, that they can't even say what they are afraid of. It makes it seem that the person who created to word hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, created it as a joke.

  • Question

    Who named this phobia this way? Is s/he a troll? Did they do it on purpose? Did they hate people with these phobia?

    Community Answer

    The phobia was named mostly as a joke, the fear of long words being the second longest word in American English. I am not sure if it was just a singular person how came up with it, but it is safe to assume it was just meant as a joke and they are not a troll. They did do it on purpose for the sake of irony, the fear of long words being a very long word, and whoever came up with it probably thought it was funny. I am sure they do not hate people with the phobia and it was made as a joke without the person/people realizing the severity of the phobia or how rude it could be to people affected by it.

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  • Many people leave an ever so small pause between Hippopotomonstro and Sesquipedalophobia. This is because to prevent struggling with the word and for better pronunciation.

  • If you can read the International Phonetic Alphabet, this may help to pronounce the word: /ˌhɪ.pə.pɒ.təˈmɒn.strəˌsɛ.skwɪ.pɪˈdeɪ.lɪəˌfoʊ.bɪə/.

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What Is the Word That Means Fear of Long Words

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Pronounce-the-Fear-of-Long-Words