2 days ago Shashi Tharoor tweets Sumitra Mahajan passes away; BJP says former LS speaker 'absolutely fine' You are in an offline mode ANI / Updated: Apr 23, 2021, 09:15 IST. The latest tweets from @ShashiTharoor. NEW DELHI: An Indian flag fluttering during the siege of Capitol Hill led to a war of words between BJP MP Varun Gandhi and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Twitter on Thursday. The hashtag, Indian.
© Provided by Hindustan Times Shashi Tharoor’s latest tweet prompted people to share all sorts of reactions. (Screengrab)Shashi Tharoor, Thiruvananthapuram MP, is known for his wit and verbal prowess. Thanks to Twitter, every now and then people get glimpses of his rich vocabulary which never fails to spark chatter among people. Also, there are times that the words he uses make people turn to their dictionaries. Case in point is this word used by the minister in his latest tweet. The word is hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.
However, before knowing why he used that word or what it means, in case you're already asking yourself 'what does that mean?', let's give you a peek into the context of the incident.
Recently the trailer of web series Aarya, featuring Sushmita Sen and Chandrachur Singh, was launched and it sent Twitter into a total frenzy. Several tweeted that the look of the character played by Singh has similarities with the MP. Joining the trend, Saloni Gaur, a comedian who goes by the name of Nazma Aapi on social media, also shared a hilarious video.
Is Chandrachur Tharoor or Tharoor Chandrachur?Nevermind. pic.twitter.com/gUU3BeqPgu
— Saloni Gaur (Nazma Aapi) (@salonayyy) June 13, 2020
Film director Hansal Mehta retweeted the video and tagged Tharoor asking him if he has seen it. 'This is quite brilliant. @ShashiTharoor have you seen this?' Mehta tweeted.
This is quite brilliant. @ShashiTharoor have you seen this? https://t.co/C5RoHjlOF2
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) June 13, 2020It's while replying to Mehta's tweet, the MP used the word 'hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia'.
Praising Gaur's efforts the minister wrote, 'Flattered by the comedic imitation. However, I would like to believe that I am not such a garrulous sesquipedalian. Clearly the artiste on the screen does not suffer from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!'.
Flattered by the comedic imitation. However, I would like to believe that I am not such a garrulous sesquipedalian... Clearly the artiste on the screen does not suffer from hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 13, 2020Soon people started sharing all sorts of comments on the word used. There were many who also jokingly added that the words 'garrulous' and 'sesquipedalian' too made them search for their dictionaries.
Shashi Tharoor On British Twitter
In case you're wondering, the meaning of the word 'hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia', quite ironically, is fear of long words. As for the word 'garrulous,' it means having the habit of talking a lot and 'sesquipedalian' means someone tending to use very long words.
From GIFs to memes to witty reactions, people left no stone unturned while commenting on the tweet.
— Faad Dunga BC (@naalaYUCK) June 13, 2020
Me trying to find the meaning of those two word pic.twitter.com/jAYZZopxHQ
— Folitically (@folitically) June 13, 2020— Anime (@naruhina_07) June 13, 2020
hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia to garrulous sesquipedalian pic.twitter.com/X4ccWm9lp7
— Lazy Cat (@uPoliticat) June 13, 2020Shashi Tharoor Tweet On Earth Hour
There were also some, who, probably in a bid to spare others from dusting the dictionaries, tweeted the meanings of the words.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is one of the longest words in the dictionary — and, in an ironic twist, is the name for a fear of long words. Sesquipedalophobia is another term for the social phobia. @salonayyypic.twitter.com/M1V3ydhcDe
— JameelS جمیل (@jameelsjam) June 13, 2020Saving everybody's time. pic.twitter.com/NfOW3P7Lya
— The Indian Smog (@theindiansmog) June 13, 2020'Simple mai boldo sir. Usko dictionary mai khojte khojte subah ho jaayegi,' joked another. 'If anything, we're certainly getting a hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia,' wrote another.
Did Shashi Tharoor's tweet make you search for your dictionary too?