I've read several news reports stating that many people find the word, moist to be offensive. In times past people associated Betty Crocker cake mix with moisture; now, it seems, it's associated with Betty Crocker's Bartholin glands. Some sites go so far as to refer to it as "the 'M' word."

Have others noticed this shift in ascription?

Indeed I've heard of it and I'm a leading proponent of eliminating all references to moisture, damoness, wetness, or any other hydrological terms. I especially don't want to see the M-word, D-word, amd W-word connected in any way with the V-word.

We did allude to it here, though in relation to "moist panties." I certainly don't consider it an offensive word. Strange.

Offensive? Or just distasteful?
http://www.slate.com/articles/...ople_hate_words.html

Thanks, Goofy. It was that article that got me thinking about the phenomenon, but when I looked for it I couldn't find it! Search aversion, in my case?

I find it interesting that some hypothesize that bilinguals are less word-averse because they understand the arbitrariness of words and meanings. I can't find anything that says whether that understanding is implicit or explicit.

As for myself, I've used moist at every opportunity since learning of its disdain by some. I intone it with a raspy voice and a rhapsodic expression.

quote:

Offensive? Or just distasteful?

I don't find it distasteful. I think of a moist piece of chocolate cake. Mmmmmm!