Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

  • 02-09-2008 5:23pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭


    Saw this posted on another message board and found it incredibly fascinating, and highly amusing, so I thought I'd have to share it:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo
    "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." is a grammatically correct sentence used as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated constructs. It has been discussed in literature since 1972 when the sentence was used by William J. Rapaport, currently an associate professor at the University at Buffalo.[1] It was posted to Linguist List by Rapaport in 1992.[2] It was also featured in Steven Pinker's 1994 book The Language Instinct. Sentences of this type, although not in such a refined form, have been known for a long time. A classic example is the proverb "Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you".

    Here's another one that's quite puzzling me: James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher. :D


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,440 ✭✭✭✭Piste


    Baconandeggs.

    Seems I forgot to put a space between bacon and and and and and eggs :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    I like to break stuff.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    Terry wrote: »
    I like to break stuff.

    If by 'stuff' you mean the spirits of regular AH users.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,179 ✭✭✭FunkZ


    If by 'stuff' you mean the spirits of regular AH users.

    :D

    Here is five million dollars!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,972 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    This thread is too sophisicated for AH

    Mike


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    mike65 wrote: »
    This thread is too sophisicated for AH

    Mike

    Ah, you're probably right there Mike. :(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,190 ✭✭✭Silenceisbliss


    elephant's elephant elephants elephant elephant's elephants


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 88,972 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Karl eats shoots and leaves (for the linguistic etymology forum)

    Mike


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,759 ✭✭✭✭dlofnep


    dlofnep disagrees that Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo is a gramatically correct sentence.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,449 ✭✭✭Call Me Jimmy


    Did de buffaloz take arr jabz or wha?


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,159 ✭✭✭✭phasers


    I don't understand :(


  • Registered Users, Subscribers, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,632 ✭✭✭✭antodeco


    I for one welcome our buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 682 ✭✭✭Bros123


    Hunky Dorys....


    MMMMMMMM.......


    BUFFALO..........


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    Bison bison bison bison bison bison bison bison

    tbh.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,814 ✭✭✭TPD


    Saw this posted on another message board and found it incredibly fascinating, and highly amusing, so I thought I'd have to share it:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo



    Here's another one that's quite puzzling me: James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher. :D


    Your a homophone.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    TPD wrote: »
    Your a homophone.

    It's you're!!!! Grammar for the love of all that is buffalo!!! :mad: ARGH!!!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭Jimbo


    Can someone explain the buffalo one?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭growler


    Buffalo elephant wolfs armadillo sh1t ....


    i give up

    stupid game


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    jimbo78 wrote: »
    Can someone explain the buffalo one?

    Did you not read the wikipedia page? It explains it perfectly.
    The sentence is unpunctuated and uses three different readings of the word "buffalo". In order of their first use, these are

    * c. The city of Buffalo, New York (or any other place named "Buffalo"), which is used as an adjective in the sentence and is followed by the animal;
    * a. The animal buffalo, in the plural (equivalent to "buffaloes" or "buffalos"), in order to avoid articles (a noun);
    * v. The verb "buffalo" meaning to bully, confuse, deceive, or intimidate.

    Marking each "buffalo" with its use as shown above gives

    Buffaloc buffaloa Buffaloc buffaloa buffalov buffalov Buffaloc buffaloa.

    Thus, the sentence when parsed reads as a description of the pecking order in the social hierarchy of buffaloes living in Buffalo:

    [Those] (Buffalo buffalo) [whom] (Buffalo buffalo buffalo) buffalo (Buffalo buffalo).
    [Those] buffalo(es) from Buffalo [that are intimidated by] buffalo(es) from Buffalo intimidate buffalo(es) from Buffalo.
    Bison from Buffalo, New York, who are intimidated by other bison in their community also happen to intimidate other bison in their community.
    THE buffalo FROM Buffalo WHO ARE buffaloed BY buffalo FROM Buffalo ALSO buffalo THE buffalo FROM Buffalo.
    growler wrote: »
    Buffalo elephant wolfs armadillo sh1t ....


    i give up

    stupid game

    ...

    It's not a game. Who said it was?

    Mike was right, this is far too sophisticated for After Hours.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,814 ✭✭✭TPD


    It's you're!!!! Grammar for the love of all that is buffalo!!! :mad: ARGH!!!!

    I was being ironic.

    *hopes that excuse works*

    I'd usually be the first to give out about something like that. I blame the beer.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 29,130 ✭✭✭✭Karl Hungus


    TPD wrote: »
    I was being ironic.

    *hopes that excuse works*

    I'd usually be the first to give out about something like that. I blame the beer.

    I still laughed. ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭growler


    TPD wrote: »
    I was being ironic.

    *hopes that excuse works*

    I'd usually be the first to give out about something like that. I blame the beer.

    what he said , obviously :rolleyes: some people these days


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭shoelaceface


    im COMPLETELY lost by it all


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,054 ✭✭✭Carsinian Thau


    dlofnep wrote: »
    dlofnep disagrees that Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo is a gramatically correct sentence.

    You're not Pighead. Don't try to be. No-one can take his place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,483 ✭✭✭Töpher


    Marklar?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,716 ✭✭✭✭Earthhorse


    TPD wrote: »
    Your a homophone.

    No need to bring his sexuality into it.
    Mike was right, this is far too sophisticated for After Hours.

    Hungus hung us.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    Earthhorse wrote: »
    No need to bring his sexuality into it.
    You would say that, homonym. ¬_¬



    Anyone who doesn't get it, with the explanation linked to... *shakes head* Learn French. Speak French. Never look back and despise those who speak English.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 682 ✭✭✭Bros123


    You're not Pighead. Don't try to be. No-one can take his place.

    Thank God.1 is quite enough.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    If by 'stuff' you mean the spirits of regular AH users.

    Yes.


  • Advertisement
  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 8,632 ✭✭✭darkman2


    Piste wrote: »
    Baconandeggs.

    Seems I forgot to put a space between bacon and and and and and eggs :)

    Bertie, is that you?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,944 ✭✭✭Jay P


    mike65 wrote: »
    This thread is too sophisicated for AH

    Mike

    Hey! C'mere you! I is cans speak englis proper!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 328 ✭✭Statso


    Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger
    Mushroom, mushroom!
    ...Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger
    a snake! Snaaake! Snaaaake! Ooooooh it's a snake!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,156 ✭✭✭DaBreno


    Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers Developers

    /Ballmer


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 593 ✭✭✭McSandwich


    I wonder if this is connected in some way... listen to the start of Buffalo Gal by Thin Lizzy - from 1972



  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,973 Mod ✭✭✭✭Insect Overlord


    how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 11,148 ✭✭✭✭KnifeWRENCH


    This is the sort of English up with which I will not put. :mad:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 912 ✭✭✭chakotha


    "Wright, you've written right wrong. Now Wright, write right right right away, right!"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    badgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadger
    badgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadger


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    McSandwich wrote: »
    I wonder if this is connected in some way... listen to the start of Buffalo Gal by Thin Lizzy - from 1972



    That song was the first thing that I thought of when I read the thread title


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,417 ✭✭✭Miguel_Sanchez


    Phil Lynott was always a stickler for English grammar alright.

    "Look at that f*cking moon."


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,432 ✭✭✭Steve_o


    Moe: This thing can flash fry a buffalo in 40 seconds
    Homer: 40 seconds?? But I want it now....


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,869 ✭✭✭Mahatma coat


    tryin to remember one, I think it was used as a punctution exercise in school when I wa a kid,

    goes something like

    That that is is that that is that that is not is that that is not that that will be will be is that it that it is


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,844 ✭✭✭Honey-ec


    Bambi wrote: »
    badgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadger
    badgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadgerbadger

    I poke badgers with spoons...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,542 ✭✭✭Captain Darling


    Marklar?

    Its when you put the marklar into a marklar and all the marklar are the same but with different marklars. Any marklar would know that.......


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,432 ✭✭✭Steve_o


    Honey-ec wrote: »
    I poke badgers with spoons...

    :eek:


Advertisement