The fear of long words is called “hippopotomonstrosesquippeda.” Makes sense. It took a 36-letter word to define a fear of long words. This word was first used by the Roman poet Horace in the first century to criticize writers with an unreasonable penchant for long words.
God is all about simplicity. The Message Bible reads, “There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple – in marriage, grief, joy, whatever” (1 Corinthians 7:30-31).
But there is actually a term that describes the use of big words to describe simple things. That term is “sesquipedalian loquacity.” It refers to the use of long, multisyllabic words, often unnecessarily, to express simple ideas. It can also be called “verbal inflation.” This type of language is used to sound more intelligent or sophisticated than one actually is.
As a young pastor, I tossed these words around a lot: Christology, pneumatology, soteriology, dispensationalism, and substitutionary atonement.
I’ve learned to keep things simple. It makes life – and recovery – a lot easier.
Recovery Step: Remember KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.
