Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophilia:
A Book of Appreciation for the Longest Words in the English Language
“Welcome to a lingual dystopia”
CONCEPT
Ever contracted pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis? Or felt the need to floccinaucinihilipilificate something? As if English wasn’t a language of utter lunacy already, it also contains a plethora of ridiculously long words that not even the SAT writers would dare include on their test. Driven one hundred percent by typographic visuals, Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophilia, meaning “love of long words,” is a book of appreciation for the extraordinarily lengthy words that exist far beyond our vernacular. Learn how such monstrous creations came to be, and wander through a world of words that you never knew could even exist.
VOICE
Entertaining, Informational, Curious
WORK
+ Printed publication (writing and imagery)
+ Advertisements
POSITIONING
The best grade school teachers consistently had interesting knick-knacks and decorations adorning their classrooms. These objects made for great conversation starters and off-topic conversations, and thus an alternative way for students to be engaged with the teacher or the teacher’s subject. This book is designed to be a centerpiece in these sorts of decked-out classrooms—a medium through which English teachers (or language enthusiasts in general) can share their passion for the material they enjoy and spark curiosity amongst their students and friends.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
Although coffee-table books look and feel cohesive the way a brand would, there is an element of freedom to them that is absent from branding projects. I used these questions to navigate the visual liberty that came with this project:
+ How can long words be categorized and what counts as an actual word?
+ How can the concept of “length” manifest through visual and physical elements throughout the book?
+ What unique components can make the book feel cohesive in each section and cohesive as a whole?
One of three sections from the book. The other two are "Words of the Mind" and "Words with Secondary Qualities."
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: ironically, the fear of long words.
The Mary Poppins favorite!
Ten 100-letter words invented by the writer James Joyce in his famous work "Finnegan's Wake."
Aegilops: The longest word with all letters in alphabetical order, referring to the genus of a North American grass family.
Squirreled: the longest non-coined monosyllabic word in English.
Subdermatoglyphic: The longest word with no repeating letters.
ADVERTISING
Staying in tune with the book’s curious nature and obscure content, the concept for advertising centers on losing oneself in a new and unfamiliar world.
