Saturday, February 25, 2012

fears of being touched

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Haphophobia is a fear of being touched that is considered normal in one's social and cultural milieu. Haphephobia, a psychiatric term, is an abnormal equivalent. Both these terms have variants in which the initial 'H' is dropped.

Thixophobia, synonym for our hopefully well-respected haphophobia, derives from another Greek verb stem which means to touch, handle, or have sex with someone. Sometimes thixophobia? That seems quite sane and salutary. Doesn't it?

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Greek forms from which these terms derive (in above order of presentation)

ὁ ἁπτός ἅπτομαι ἅπτω, ἅπτειν

ἡ ἁφή, ῆς ἁφάω, ἁφᾶν

ἡ θίξις, εως θιχθῆναι θιγγάνω, θιγγάνειν

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