Fear of not receiving an owl from Hogwarts at age 11
By astreadido
@astreadido (608)
Philippines
August 15, 2012 8:42pm CST
I saw a tweet on Twitter the other day about the word Benkinersophobia. It described it as the fear of not receiving an acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry at age 11. I thought the writer was simply joking online, but then I googled the word and found it on urban dictionary. I know the site is for finding the meanings of the words found online or should I say lingo.
Is it really possible that there are kids who love Harry Potter actually believes that there is a real Hogwarts? And they really expect to receive an owl post with their acceptance letter to the school? Please parents, I love Harry Potter too but lets us make it clear with out kids what's reality and what's pure fiction. We don't want them to be so disappointed when the time comes right?
5 responses
@shaqziad (655)
• Malaysia
16 Nov 12
This is too outrageous. Come on. Even kids know the boundary of fantasy and reality. I remember watching the movies where Harry and Ron flew on flying car with my 8-years old brother. I said to him " hey, the car's flying!~". He replied 'Someone must be holding the rope somewhere'.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
16 Aug 12
I strongly suspect that this is a hoax. Wikipedia deleted their entry on it for that reason. It is very easy to put an entry into Urban Dictionary (and similar sites) and then, perhaps, start a Facebook page about it, followed by a Twitter or two (maybe with the help of a few friends). I believe that it's just another case of "Let's see how far this rumour will travel!"
Etymologically, the word would simply mean 'fear of the name of or of persons called Benkiners or Benkiner or, perhaps, Ben Kiner'. If it were a real word with any real meaning at all, I think I would have been able to track down its origin. It appears to have surfaced about a year ago, however.
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
16 Aug 12
It is lack of parenting that causes this. Be it not teaching their kids that there is a difference between fact and fiction, or that the children's lives are so bad they hope and wish with all their hearts to be swept into a whole new world as Harry was and ultimately "saved" from their lives. Either way it is sad.
@syramoon (654)
• United States
16 Aug 12
I think this isn't meant to be literal. I could see it being used as insult by cool kids, against a child that is a big Harry Potter fan. Or it's just another way die hard Harry Potter fans have brought it more into the real world. It's awesome you can order wands from makers, and all sorts of cool things. I do think most people/children know it's fiction and make believe, but sometimes it's fun to act like you don't.
@BabyCheetah (1911)
• Australia
16 Aug 12
Oh wow well I can believe it. When I was younger I was convinced that vampires were real and the characters were real and out there somewhere. My mum did say it wa all fiction but I didn't believe her 
