Lexical Sesquipedaliophobia Among Foreign Language Learners: A Thematic Analysis of Anxiety Toward Complex Vocabulary
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Lexical sesquipedaliophobia—the fear or anxiety associated with long and complex words—represents an affective barrier to language acquisition, yet it remains underexamined in the context of foreign language learning. This thematic analysis identified the patterns, contextual variations, and proposed mitigation strategies related to lexical sesquipedaliophobia among foreign language learners in the Davao Region, Philippines. Forty participants were purposively selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure variation across all groups involved. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and a focus group discussion, and analyzed thematically using Creswell’s analytic framework. Findings unearthed that lexical sesquipedaliophobia manifests through three interrelated psychological domains: communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. These internal experiences were further shaped by various sociodemographic profiles. Despite these barriers, participants identified actionable strategies to manage lexical sesquipedaliophobia, including media-facilitated exposure, non-judgmental learning environments, peer-based correction practices, and vocabulary enrichment activities. This study affirms that anxiety towards lengthy and complicated lexicons is not merely a linguistic issue but a socially and psychologically embedded phenomenon. It calls for affectively responsive and inclusive pedagogical interventions that can lower learners’ affective filters and promote confident engagement with complex vocabulary in foreign language classrooms.
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