Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- say that three times fast...
I find it funny that there are so many phobias that people have. Many of my patients and friends as well have certain fears that are not very rational when truly thought about in a reasonable sense, but we have them nonetheless. I am not immune, although I would like to say that I am.
First, as an example there are those who hate the circus. Why? They will usually say that they just don't care for it, that it smells bad, or whatever, but what they really mean is that they have what is known as Coulrophobia- Fear of clowns. Maybe there was a bad clown in the past, but who knows. Either way it is an irrational fear for an adult.
So many fears, so little time to ridicule (read discuss) them.
My next favorite is Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology. I find this almost as ironic as the fear of going to school (Didaskaleinophobia) because to even confront the fear, one must come to terms with how difficult the term is to pronounce and spell.
It is too bad that those afflicted with Iatrophobia will never get it diagnosed. They fear doctors.
I'm glad my brother doesn't have Liticaphobia. It would be bad for business.
And then there is Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing a certain word or of names. Who knows anyone who cannot stand to hear certain words that are moist and full of good meanings for most of us, but the hearing of which can cause undue harm in their psyches?
Personally I think that people with phobias of any kind also have another: Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking. But then I remember that I have Spheksophobia- Fear of wasps. I can't stand them. And I have only been stung a few times. I'm okay with honeybees, because they seem to know that to sting means a sacrifice of their own life, while a wasp can be a bully and sting as much as it wants without really risking much more than getting flattened by my hand or dying a horrible fiery death when I come back to exact my revenge upon it for its incredible audacious act of wanton cruelty. But, I digress.
I find it interesting that there are several words for some phobias; where fear of the Dutch is simply Dutchphobia, fear of Germans of German things is either Germanophobia, or Tuetophobia. Then one of them has several options: Cypridophobia or Cypriphobia or Cyprianophobia or Cyprinophobia - Fear of prostitutes or venereal disease. I can't say I know anyone with the latter.
All this is fun, but my favorite of all is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words.
How's your fear factor?
First, as an example there are those who hate the circus. Why? They will usually say that they just don't care for it, that it smells bad, or whatever, but what they really mean is that they have what is known as Coulrophobia- Fear of clowns. Maybe there was a bad clown in the past, but who knows. Either way it is an irrational fear for an adult.
So many fears, so little time to ridicule (read discuss) them.
My next favorite is Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology. I find this almost as ironic as the fear of going to school (Didaskaleinophobia) because to even confront the fear, one must come to terms with how difficult the term is to pronounce and spell.
It is too bad that those afflicted with Iatrophobia will never get it diagnosed. They fear doctors.
I'm glad my brother doesn't have Liticaphobia. It would be bad for business.
And then there is Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing a certain word or of names. Who knows anyone who cannot stand to hear certain words that are moist and full of good meanings for most of us, but the hearing of which can cause undue harm in their psyches?
Personally I think that people with phobias of any kind also have another: Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking. But then I remember that I have Spheksophobia- Fear of wasps. I can't stand them. And I have only been stung a few times. I'm okay with honeybees, because they seem to know that to sting means a sacrifice of their own life, while a wasp can be a bully and sting as much as it wants without really risking much more than getting flattened by my hand or dying a horrible fiery death when I come back to exact my revenge upon it for its incredible audacious act of wanton cruelty. But, I digress.
I find it interesting that there are several words for some phobias; where fear of the Dutch is simply Dutchphobia, fear of Germans of German things is either Germanophobia, or Tuetophobia. Then one of them has several options: Cypridophobia or Cypriphobia or Cyprianophobia or Cyprinophobia - Fear of prostitutes or venereal disease. I can't say I know anyone with the latter.
All this is fun, but my favorite of all is Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words.
How's your fear factor?
posted by The Doctor at mercredi, septembre 14, 2005
4 Comments:
Tim Kazurinsky, when he was on Saturday Night Live, had a recurring bit where he would go on SNL news to talk about various issues. Once he was on there talking about various phobias.
My favorites of his were:
Snowconophobia -- fear of the 'brain freeze' or 'slurpee tumor' -- the headache you get when you eat something cold too quickly;
Obiwankenobiphobia -- he never explained it, but it could be fear that a the ghost of a Jedi Master would get inside your head (ep. V-VI), or fear that you will be horribly maimed by your best friend/teacher after you wig out on a distant planet (ep. III)
To that, I've added my own personal concoction:
Chumbawumbaphobia: the fear that, when you get knocked down, you won't get back up again.
I think that I have a "Chumbawumbaphonophobia- the fear that I will have to listen to another "Hit" by that band again. But then, DB said it well too-
"All of us are born with a set of instinctive fears--of falling, of the dark, of lobsters, of falling on lobsters in the dark, or speaking before a Rotary Club, and of the words "Some Assembly Required."
---- Dave Barry
What would be the fear of not being afraid when one ought to be? I've got that. Well, I think I should, at least...
Aphobiaophobia is the most likely, or perhaps naivetophobia, or maybe even ioughttobeafraidbutiamnotforsomereasonophobia. something like that i think.
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