Buffalo

[Cirt 612]

"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, an associate professor at the University at Buffalo.

The sentence is unpunctuated and uses three different readings of the word "buffalo". In order of their first use, these are

• a. 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;
• n. the noun buffalo, an animal, in the plural (equivalent to "buffaloes" or "buffalos"), in order to avoid articles;
• v. the verb "buffalo" meaning to bully, confuse, deceive, or intimidate.

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

Buffalo^a buffaloⁿ Buffalo^a buffaloⁿ buffalo^v buffalo^v Buffalo^a buffaloⁿ.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 intheir community also happen to intimidate other bison in theircommunity.THE buffalo FROM Buffalo WHO ARE buffaloed BY buffalo FROM Buffalo ALSO buffalo THE buffalo FROM Buffalo.

^{http://en.wikipedia....buffalo_buffalo}

This is so awesome. Bahahahaha.

Also,

James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher.

James, while John had had "had", had had "had had"; "had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.

That that is is that that is not is not is that it it is

That that is, is. That that is not, is not. Is that it? It is.

Cool eh?

[Arcane 12]

Shadowknight had/has that in his signature, but it's nice to know what it means now. Coolio.

[Max 10]

That is so awesome

[Hideki 0]

If I was an English teacher I would be so turn on right now.

[pheonix561 2080]

I would not.

But I still like it.