Moist—do you dislike this word?

Writers' software pick'n'mix

Know any bad spellers?

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Paul Whybrow

Full Member
Jun 20, 2015
Cornwall, UK
Apparently, the publisher Oxford Dictionaries is conducting a survey to find which English words are the most unpopular.

Negative campaign: Votes sought for most disliked English word

'Moist' is proving to be one of the most disliked, which surprises me a bit—perhaps it's something to do with the way that pronouncing it forces the mouth into a suggestive moué—apart from any problematic suggestiveness of definition. Mind you, I can think of circumstances when it's a jolly good thing if things are moist....

As a writer, I find it hard to get worked up about words being dislikeable, for they are tools to be used to convey meaning and create an effect. I do take exception to trendy slang. Words suddenly become popular, in a strange phenomenon that sees them applied to things that are nothing to do with their true meaning. Thirty years ago 'turbo' was used to describe everything from sunglasses to microwaves when turbocharged engines became popular as a way of generating increased performance.

These days, the word 'iconic' is bandied about with monotonous regularity—try watching a television programme to see how quickly the presenter uses it. They could better describe something as noted, famous, long-established, historic or well-known.

By chance, just this morning, I came across a revolting example of a trendy word that I absolutely hate! It was in a newsletter about politics and referred to Donald Trump having some 'splaining' to do.

Someone’s Gonna Have Some Splainin’ To Do

My brain did a somersault, briefly confusing it with another clumsy modern term for a man spreading his legs in public 'manspreading.'

I realised that the journalist meant 'explaining'. Even more annoyingly, he'd contracted a slang term 'mansplaining' in some feeble attempt to sound cool. What's the point, if the word takes as long to say as the original, sounds ugly, creates confusion in the reader and is just a pathetic attempt at being hip?

Are there any words that drive you nuts?
 
Chippies, and all the other gratuitous diminutives Kiwis use (bubby, barbie, Lochie, Dougie, nappy...). I've gotten used to them, but they're still like fingernails on a blackboard to me.
 
Apparently, the publisher Oxford Dictionaries is conducting a survey to find which English words are the most unpopular.

Negative campaign: Votes sought for most disliked English word

'Moist' is proving to be one of the most disliked, which surprises me a bit—perhaps it's something to do with the way that pronouncing it forces the mouth into a suggestive moué—apart from any problematic suggestiveness of definition. Mind you, I can think of circumstances when it's a jolly good thing if things are moist....

As a writer, I find it hard to get worked up about words being dislikeable, for they are tools to be used to convey meaning and create an effect. I do take exception to trendy slang. Words suddenly become popular, in a strange phenomenon that sees them applied to things that are nothing to do with their true meaning. Thirty years ago 'turbo' was used to describe everything from sunglasses to microwaves when turbocharged engines became popular as a way of generating increased performance.

These days, the word 'iconic' is bandied about with monotonous regularity—try watching a television programme to see how quickly the presenter uses it. They could better describe something as noted, famous, long-established, historic or well-known.

By chance, just this morning, I came across a revolting example of a trendy word that I absolutely hate! It was in a newsletter about politics and referred to Donald Trump having some 'splaining' to do.

Someone’s Gonna Have Some Splainin’ To Do

My brain did a somersault, briefly confusing it with another clumsy modern term for a man spreading his legs in public 'manspreading.'

I realised that the journalist meant 'explaining'. Even more annoyingly, he'd contracted a slang term 'mansplaining' in some feeble attempt to sound cool. What's the point, if the word takes as long to say as the original, sounds ugly, creates confusion in the reader and is just a pathetic attempt at being hip?

Are there any words that drive you nuts?
All pathetic attempts to be hip are annoying as hell and speak volumes about the perpetrator. That said, I like the word moist. It sounds like what it means.
 
Thanks for highlighting this Paul because it seems absolutely perverse!

The article states that in the UK, “moist” tops the list, followed by “no”, “hate”, “like” and “can’t”. Moist is also top of the list in the US and Australia. Why!? I mean why would anyone hate a poor little word? They are just Saussurian signs to a concept or information - i.e. the word table points to a concept in our head of an object that, in our personal experience, forms a table with connotations for touch, smell, colour etc. If you don't like what the word points to fine! But don't hate the word.

I personally don't hate any words. In fact I might start up a movement to protect and defend the rights of words to exist before we slide into an Orwellian world of language control and hatred of words.
 
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My 21 year old drama brat detests the word moist, even before this. Also lots of words beginning with Q, like quince and quill, though quick is fortunately acceptable.

It's visceral.
 
Chippies, and all the other gratuitous diminutives Kiwis use

A good friend of mine lives in Christchurch and spent many years working in Sydney, Australia. Her use of the word bikies to describe motorcyclists—what the rest of the world refers to as bikers, always makes me laugh. Somehow, bikie turns rufty-tufty, patch wearing, outlaw biker gang members into cute figures of fun!

Biker-DudeGuy-Doll-11-Tall-Dressed-in-Motorcycle-Clothes-Closeout-Priced-0-0.jpg
 
I love the word "berserk" - particularly if pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable - and it's how I feel when commentators use the phrase "just about" when they really mean "only just"!
P.S. Have to admit that most people look askance when I say BER-serk!
 
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