Fascinating.
An excerpt from Ben Zimmer's essay at Visual Thesaurus proclaims:
"Many people feel quite strongly about moist — there's even a Facebook group called called "I HATE the word MOIST!" with more than 300 members." I think I know a member (or if not, a soon-to-be one).
I personally don't have a problem with the word and do, in fact, taunt my friend with it from time to time. Because I'm a little bit evil like that. One of my favorite characters in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is Moist, played by Simon Helberg. Too bad there's not a song about him.
I'm not sure how one goes about describing the perfect cupcake if they can't use the word "moist." Mushy? Soft and fluffy? (okay, maybe). Cloud-like?I should stop now. I've probably just lost one of my three loyal readers who is, or was, a very good friend. I need to go water my vegetables anyway. Got keep that soil nice and moist! See? I can't quit and may get punched.
What word do you hate? I can't promise not to torture you with it.
10 comments:
I don't think I have a trigger word like that. I mean, I like some words more than others but I don't have a 'moist.'
LOL!
i don't think i have a trigger word either...except for annoying shortened versions of my name. I'll get back to ya if I think of one.
I hate the word "folks." It doesn't squick me out, I just hate it.
dude...you are...so...yeah. i'll get you back. just wait.
expect it when you least expect it.
you know what? i had TWO presents here for you...but i returned them.
@ren: Would it help my cause if I told you there was an instigator? Nah, I suppose not because I totally ran with it with great glee!
Yeah, how are you supposed to describe things? That's just weird.
Mooooiiisssttt.
Oh yes. Wasn't it Lily on How I Met Your Mother who hated that word?
It doesn't bother me.
But it does drive me up the wall when people say "you all", particularly at work.
@Nicole: Funny! I say "you all" ALL the time! Good thing we only type to each other! It annoys people in my life, but I look at it as a great improvement from when I used to say "ya'll" with a Southern drawl.
Business buzz words annoy but generally don't send me out of the room. Except perhaps, "empower."
It results in serious eye rolling which I've been told is a good exercise for liver health per a Chinese medicine practitioner.
Hence, if I'm caught doing said eye-rolling, I just point out it's a liver exercise.
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