The tip of the tongue is a collective phenomenon
The tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon (TOT), sometimes called presque vu, is the failure to retrieve a word from memory, combined with partial recall and the feeling that retrieval is imminent. The phenomenon’s name comes from the saying, “It’s on the tip of my tongue.”
I made this observation, that whenever it occurs most people in my vicinity also have the same tip-of-the-tongue problem, unable to access the word from memory. It’s seems to be a collective phenomenon and not just a problem of one individual.
When someone new joins the conversation the word reappears again in the mind.
Maybe you could observe this too next time when the phenomenon happens.
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