More on "moist"

[Jonathan Lighter]

The Archives do not wish to disgorge very much of last year's discussion of
the allegedd offensiveness of this word.

Just heard on NPR's quiz show "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me!" which I find
_highly_ offensive for its unfunniness, that users of FaceBook have declared
the word "moist" to be the most unpleasant word in English (or on FaceBook -
sorry I didn't hear the entire thing).

The show then quoted a linguist (one of us?) who suggested that
the perceived putridity may come from the "oi" diphthong. Why a humble
diphthong should be considered offensive went unexplored.

I suspect anti-Brooklyn/Bowery Boy bigotry in representations of NYC
speech.  Am very offended by all of it.

JL

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