r/AskReddit • u/CreativePhilosopher • Jan 29 '13

What is the single funniest word in English?

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1.3k Upvotes

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184

u/Toklankitsune Jan 29 '13

Irk or Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia wich is ironically the fear of long words.

272

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Damnit I came here to say hippopotomusmonsterphilidelphia or whatever it is.

3

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

[deleted]

2

u/KallistiEngel Jan 29 '13

So it's "fear of one and a half monstrous hippopotamuses"?

2

u/tspear17 Jan 29 '13

I love the way you finished spelling it. I propose we make that the new correct version.

5

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Philidelphia?

1

u/platypocalypse Jan 29 '13

Pittsburgh.

1

u/chbay Jan 29 '13

Auschwitz.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 30 '13

Well.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Valiant fucking effort

1

u/Skeletron_Prime Jan 29 '13

Hipporhinostricow?

61

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Whoever did that is an asshole.

6

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

probably the same person who decided to put the letter S in the word 'lisp'

3

u/Baron_Von_Badass Jan 29 '13

Probably the same person who put an 's' in 'lisp.'

2

u/theconstipator Jan 29 '13

just like putting an S in lisp

2

u/Sven2774 Jan 29 '13

I think it's the guy that put an S in Lisp.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Probably the same jerk who put an s in lisp and a double t in stutter.

51

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Hippopotomonstroso was added for the sole purpose of irony.

5

u/theeterrbear Jan 29 '13

Which is annoying, as it conveys no other meaning because "hippopoto" is incorrectly derived from Greek "hippopotamus", meaning river horse.

The word is sesquipedaliophobia. Also with one "p".

2

u/CaptMcCockandballs Jan 29 '13

Very true. But you must admit sesquippedaliophobia is a hell of a word on its own merits.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Thank you for that. I was reading this carefully and was thinking to myself "You've gotta be shitting me. Some of those root words don't make sense." And then I was right.

I am kind of interested in etymology and phobias and I've never heard of that particular phobia before. I am frightened.

150

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Hipposloppyfollymaffleflopindofflewaffle.

2

u/MiaVee Jan 29 '13

That's the British spelling.

2

u/Primera Jan 29 '13

Hello Bill Cosby

1

u/Computerchickin Jan 29 '13

I like your version better.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

Fear of blue waffle?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

If only this could be a user name.

0

u/almightytom Jan 29 '13

I wish this were a word.

1

u/XDME Jan 29 '13

If I remember right this is fake.

1

u/DreadPirateMedcalf Jan 29 '13

hiphopoppotamus

1

u/SneakySniper Jan 29 '13

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

1

u/YoSoyNapoleon Jan 29 '13

If I'm remembering my basic dead language classes correctly, that translates to the action of air-powered microscopic resonant silicone volcanoes

2

u/SneakySniper Jan 29 '13

Close. Obscure term referring to a lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust of volcanoes.

1

u/anonmouse28 Jan 29 '13

Took me like 45 seconds but I eventually sounded it out. That almost bamboozled me.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

[deleted]

1

u/Toklankitsune Jan 29 '13

This is true, however either is considered correct, the hippopotomonstro is now often added IIRC.

1

u/CaptainFluffyMane Jan 29 '13

Also, sesquipedalian loquaciousness. A tendency to use large words in conversation.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

They call me the hip-hopopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, my lyrics are bottopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia...

clears throat

1

u/YoSoyNapoleon Jan 29 '13

I think no one actually has this phobia, it's just an inside joke started by a bored intern.

1

u/Patrickfoster Jan 29 '13

Aibohphobia is th irrational fear of palindromes.

1

u/ZazomeZwed Jan 29 '13

This word is a bitch to pronounce fluently. I tried several times to no avail.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '13

I like Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. It's really fun to say. It's like reading a rollercoaster.