Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

"Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia is quite a long word, isn't it?" "Yes, but do you know what it means?" "Actually, I don't." "It means fear of long words." "How ironic."

Ben suffers from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, so he seldom uses words of more than three syllables.

However, we assume that despite the best endeavours of science, some phobias will always remain. These include paraskavedekatriaphobia, or fear of Friday the 13th. And hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia, which is fear of long words.

Those who find this column troubling are suffering from hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia—the fear of long words. Or, more likely, rupophobia—a fear of rubbish.

Coincidentally there is a masochistic PCP with hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (fear of long words) curled up in an alleyway across the street. He has been whispering “Antidisestablishmentarianism” to himself over and over for two days now, experiencing up to one orgasm every three hours as a result of The Pain […]