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Pedants' corner

What's wrong with 'moist'?

23 replies

Dilbertian · 06/03/2022 08:43

And 'flaccid'?

Why do people hate them?

They are useful, nuanced words.

Why do people take against words?

(And moist is also nice to say, with all the different movements your mouth has to make to utter one little word.)

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Jobseeker19 · 06/03/2022 20:34

Its because someone on How I met your Mother says so.

Footnote · 06/03/2022 20:35

Wasn’t it Rachel on Friends?

LubaLuca · 06/03/2022 20:38

There's nothing wrong with them. I like to say them as often as I can because I know lots of people find them unpleasant. Moist is easier than flaccid to use in everyday conversation.

I hate 'portion'. My husband says it at least twice as often as the average person does.

Dilbertian · 07/03/2022 12:40

What's wrong with portion?

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PiesNotGuys · 07/03/2022 12:43

I can understand the dislike of portion. There is nothing wrong with the words as such, I just don’t enjoy the movements I have to make with my mouth to say them.

My worst word is rather niche but it’s hydroponics. Everything is fine throughout the hydro (in fact I quite like that bit) but them your mouth has to leap to such a restrictive ‘po’ - the word looks wrong, sounds wrong, and to me it’s prissy, pretentious, ponderous and precious and I haven’t a clue why really.

MrsEricBana · 07/03/2022 12:44

Moist = damp = unsavoury
Flaccid = limp/deflated
So not desirable adjectives really. Having said that, turgid is equally uncomfortable as adjectives go.

Snowisfallinghere · 07/03/2022 12:49

Because the word moist seems to be associated with vaginas, or genitals in general, and people find that gross or cringey. And once people hear that other people think it's gross, they tend to just copy others and say that they dislike the word too. It becomes kind of trend.

I think it's a great word.

Dilbertian · 07/03/2022 15:26

What about a lovely, moist rum baba? Though no doubt you would feel turgid after all that syrup and cream.

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merryhouse · 07/03/2022 15:35

Yeah, it's just become trendy to say so.

Like how no matter how the op phrases the original question, by the time we're ten posts in someone will have told us how much they hate "could of" and from that point on it's all about sneering at the semi-literate and any interesting linguistic discussion is impossible.

nearlyspringyay · 07/03/2022 15:47

Moist and flaccid - wet fanny and a floppy Willy.

Urgh.

eunace · 07/03/2022 16:16

I hate moist, I also hate succulent for some reason.

Dilbertian · 07/03/2022 16:19

Succulent is another lovely word, rich with meaning and pleasant to say.

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Dilbertian · 07/03/2022 16:21

A moist vulva is a good thing. This post-menopause woman has learned the value of moisture down there!

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Dilbertian · 07/03/2022 16:22

I bet the people who take issue with moist have no problem with moisturiser.

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eunace · 07/03/2022 16:26

They just sound a bit louche to me. I see food packaging with the word succulent on it and just think 'yuk'. I once did some work on ingredients used in food processing and there is a concept called 'mouth feel' in the food industry. Equally unpleasant.

eunace · 07/03/2022 16:28

True. Moisture also fine. Interesting, that.

MrsEricBana · 08/03/2022 23:30

Moisten though....

elp30 · 08/03/2022 23:38

I really don't like the word "flesh".

It just makes me uncomfortable.

You can only imagine what I'm like when Billy Idol's, "Flesh for Fantasy" comes on the radio.

Lightstoobright · 08/03/2022 23:40

Mmm moist flesh.

OatSprout · 08/03/2022 23:52

Ugh, yes I hate the word flesh too. And belly

Also am obviously not a fan of moist

Vitani · 09/03/2022 16:46

I'm not sure.

I do know some words make me cringe. "Cluster" majorly makes me shiver.

Dilbertian · 09/03/2022 18:25

Belly is wonderful. As Spike Milligan said:

There was a young girl called Nelly,
Who had a nylon belly.
Her skin was so thin
You could see right in -
It was full of custard and jelly!

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Dilbertian · 09/03/2022 18:27

there is a concept called 'mouth feel' in the food industry

Yes, that's it - words have mouth-feel. Maybe it's not just specific meanings that bother people, but how it feels to say a word. And, equally, the mouth-feel of a word may make it appeal to me.

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