Word Wonders

Over the last few years I have heard on more than one occasion, and by more than one person, that they didn't like a word.

Yes, a specific word.  Sometimes it give them the hebe jeepies.  Sometimes it makes their stomach turn.  Sometimes they shut their eyes and stick their fingers in their ears to block out that word and all associations with it.  Sometimes the shoulders rise and a cringe sets in.  Sometimes people shake their head to block out the sound of the word. Sometimes their skin crawls. Sometimes they make a funny sound. 

It is curious to me why someone might not like a word. Some of the words were:
moist
cotton
esophagus
pack / package
make love
chunk / chunky
retard
bundle

Is it the noise the word makes? Is it the action of the word? Is it the consistency of the noun? Is it the actual meaning of the word that has a negative connotation?

What about the reactions people get from the words? I understand all to well about wanting to block out the words associated with something you don't like.  For instance, when people are talking about bugs - I tend to put my finger in my ear and low-hum to block out all talk about those critters.  But if you said the word 'spider' I wouldn't have much of a response - maybe squeeze my eye shut for a moment hoping you won't make that into a sentence, but just the word is OK. 

Why is it we associate negative feelings with words? Sometimes we grow up listening to others talk about those words in that way or perhaps we had a first/second hand experience with something that when we hear something we want to hide.

But why is it just with certain words - and not all words - we think negatively about? For instance when I hear the words 'cheater' [a word I can relate to], 'snot' [a word for something that grosses me out], or even 'ridonklous' [a word I don't understand why someone would say].   I don't shut my eyes and wish I was someplace else even though those words have meaning for me.