A Really Long Name, for a Really Long Fear
Elijah Rodriguez (7)
BOO!!!! Did I scare you? Have you ever looked at a super long word in class and felt like, “There’s no way I’m saying that out loud.” If so, you might understand a funny; yet real fear called hippoptomonstroesesquippedaliophobia, the fear of long words. It may sound like a cruel joke but approximately 15% of the Earth’s population is a hippoptomonsterosesquippedaliophobic. And yes, the name is giant tongue twister, but that just makes it even more funnier!
When Words Feel Too Big to Handle
People who have this fear can get nervous or anxious when they see or hear really long words. Here’s a few examples like antidisestablishmentarianism or pneumonoultramierscopicsilicovolcanoconosis. I dare you to try fitting that on a spelling test!
Where the Fear Comes From
According to scientists, they say this fear can sometimes be caused when someone feels embarrassed about mispronouncing a word, or reading out loud in front of others. Our brains remember these moments, and they can make us nervous the next time we face another tricky word. This fear can also originate from childhood trauma. This information can be found in www.foxthearapy.co.uk.
The Cure
The good news about this is that this fear isn’t permanent. Experts say that practicing reading these long words slowly, or even laughing at them can help. And no, don’t bully the words by laughing and being mean to it, just think of how ridiculous the word feels. The more you face those big words, the less scary they feel.
You’re Bigger Than the Words
So next time you see a word that looks like a mile long, don’t panic. Break it into pieces, sound it out, and show it who is boss.