Friday
(1)So if hippophobia is a morbid fear of horses... what would a morbid fear of hippototamii be known as?
If you are going to get clever, it really ought to be
hippopotamoi,
since it is derived from the greek "hippos", a horse and "potamos", a river, the plural of which is "potamoi".
And if it were Latin, which it isn't, it would hippopotami with a single "i".
Keep up at back there.
PG
Posted by The Pedant-General at February 10, 2006 04:59 PM
Oh, and if you haven't seen this, you really ought to.
Posted by The Pedant-General at February 10, 2006 05:06 PM
Pedant-General, what's that you say? Are you choking, is that it? Gasping? I'll be right over to help in a... minute or two :-P In any case, everyone knows that "hippopotamoi" is what hippos shout at football matches.
Francis, could be, could be. It is just one of those words you never know when you might need.
Posted by Perry de Havilland at February 10, 2006 05:29 PM
I suppose it should be some Greek form of hippopotamusphobia, as in 'fear of river horses', but personally I lean towards Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is you really want to cloud the issue (trying saying that after 2 bottles of Sauveniere).
Posted by Julian Taylor at February 10, 2006 05:31 PM
As long as we're being pedantic, we speak English, not Greek or Latin. There's no reason to mimic Greek or Latin plurals, which are dependent on case anyway. The plural is hippopotamuses.
Posted by Ivan at February 10, 2006 05:43 PM
Would it not perhaps be something like 'pachydermophobia', since a hippopotamus is a pachydermous quadruped?
Posted by mike at February 10, 2006 05:47 PM
The plural is hippopotamuses.
Would hippopotamuses be muses painted by Peter Paul Rubens?
Posted by Midwesterner at February 10, 2006 06:01 PM
A morbid fear of Hippopotamus' would be called "Common Sense" because hippos are responsible for more human deaths than crocodiles.
Posted by Gerry N. at February 10, 2006 08:52 PM
Q: What do you call a hippo with chicken pox?
A: A hippo-spottymus
Posted by Mike at February 10, 2006 09:18 PM
Why not use the Swazi word in your photo, so Timnvubuphobia?
Posted by Colin at February 10, 2006 11:43 PM
Never mind the pedantry. Be aware that hippos will bite you in half if you swim near them. THat's Africa for you. Only surviving large animals are the ones that do not like human company.
Posted by Omri at February 11, 2006 06:14 AM
Yes, but Mike - what if you are frightened of hippopotamuses but not of elephants? You wouldn't be fair to yourself if you advertised yourself as having a blanket phobia. You might come across as too fearful and not get the job.
Simon Jester - V good!
Posted by Verity at February 11, 2006 07:54 PM
