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Learning english (lemmy.ml)
submitted 11 months ago by corvus@lemmy.ml to c/memes@lemmy.ml
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[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 19 points 11 months ago

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence in English that is often presented as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs through lexical ambiguity. It has been discussed in literature in various forms since 1967, when it appeared in Dmitri Borgmann's Beyond Language: Adventures in Word and Thought.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

[-] Chrobin@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 11 months ago

In German, we have "Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach". Notice that all nouns are capitalized in German.

[-] PlexSheep@infosec.pub 4 points 11 months ago

But that one is really easy to understand when you know German, unlike the buffalos

[-] Klear@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Yup. I know a bit of German, but that doesn't help with the buffalos at all.

[-] 10_0@lemmy.ml 3 points 11 months ago

People who say that this is grammatically correct need to resit GCSE English

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 13 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

It is grammatically correct, just semantically ambiguous. Buffalo is a proper noun, a noun, and a verb.

A semantically equivalent form preserving the original word order is: "Buffalonian bison that other Buffalonian bison bully also bully Buffalonian bison."

this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2024
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