Ayecarumba
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December 13th, 2010 at 5:51:50 PM permalink
Without looking it up (of course), what is the longest English word with only one vowel?
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ChesterDog
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December 13th, 2010 at 5:54:07 PM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba

Without looking it up (of course), what is the longest English word with only one vowel?



How about "strengths?"
Ayecarumba
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December 13th, 2010 at 6:03:13 PM permalink
Quote: ChesterDog

How about "strengths?"



Awesome. Fast and correct. How did you know?
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Ayecarumba
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December 13th, 2010 at 6:06:25 PM permalink
Here is another:

Name either of the two longest English words with only one syllable.
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ChesterDog
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December 13th, 2010 at 6:11:04 PM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba

Awesome. Fast and correct. How did you know?



I posted "strength," which was just a guess. Then I saw that the plural was a better answer.
dwheatley
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December 13th, 2010 at 6:35:25 PM permalink
I know a lot of these trival word problems:

1) the shortest english word with all 5 vowels
2) the shortest english word with all 5 vowels in alphabetical order
3) the shortest english word with all 6 vowels in alphabetical order (incl. y)
4) any word whose ONLY vowels are 5 'e'
5) the longest english word you can type using the top row of the keyboard
6) the longest english word you can type using the left half of the keyboard (up to and incl T,G,V)
bonus:
7) the shortest french word with all 5 vowels
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December 13th, 2010 at 6:54:06 PM permalink
I know (7) Oiseau - don't know any of the others. However, I do know a sentence that contains 5 'ands' in a row and makes perfect sense :-)
MathExtremist
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December 13th, 2010 at 9:09:12 PM permalink
I'd like to see the one with 5 ands. Here's one with 11 "had"s in a row; I'll leave it to you for a correct punctuation. There are at least two:

Mary while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better reaction from the teacher.
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MathExtremist
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December 13th, 2010 at 9:33:11 PM permalink
Quote: dwheatley

I know a lot of these trival word problems:

1) the shortest english word with all 5 vowels
2) the shortest english word with all 5 vowels in alphabetical order
3) the shortest english word with all 6 vowels in alphabetical order (incl. y)
4) any word whose ONLY vowels are 5 'e'
5) the longest english word you can type using the top row of the keyboard
6) the longest english word you can type using the left half of the keyboard (up to and incl T,G,V)
bonus:
7) the shortest french word with all 5 vowels



1) sequoia
2) facetious
3) facetiously?
4) therebetween
5) Isn't it typewriter?
6) Is "extrarefracted" a word? If not, how about "reextracted"?
"In my own case, when it seemed to me after a long illness that death was close at hand, I found no little solace in playing constantly at dice." -- Girolamo Cardano, 1563
TheNightfly
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December 13th, 2010 at 9:42:27 PM permalink
Quote: MathExtremist

I'd like to see the one with 5 ands. Here's one with 11 "had"s in a row; I'll leave it to you for a correct punctuation. There are at least two:

Mary while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better reaction from the teacher.


Mary, where John had had "had" had had " had had". "Had had" had had a better reaction from the teacher.

In the sign abover their store, there was a larger space between Smith and And and And and Sons.
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odiousgambit
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December 14th, 2010 at 5:05:22 AM permalink
>5) Isn't it typewriter?


very good, this'll be my trivia question for today
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dwheatley
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December 14th, 2010 at 5:06:42 AM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba

Here is another:

Name either of the two longest English words with only one syllable.



I'll go with scratched.

All of my puzzles have been answered but one. I don't think extrarefracted is a word, but I do know of a 13 letter word you can type with the left side of the keyboard.
I also know of at least one other word with 5 'e's.
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December 14th, 2010 at 6:34:20 AM permalink
Quote: TheNightfly

... ... ...

In the sign abover their store, there was a larger space between Smith and And and And and Sons.



Well done Nightfly - you are correct except, being English, it was a pub sign :-)
Ayecarumba
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December 15th, 2010 at 12:14:02 PM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba


Here is another:

Name either of the two longest English words with only one syllable.




Quote: dwheatley

I'll go with scratched.



I was actually thinking of "strengths" (a trick, since it was just mentioned as the longest word with one vowel), and "screeched" at nine letters each. However, a bit of checking has uncovered two archaic words:

Quote: Fun With Words Website


Scraunched and the archaic word strengthed, each ten letters long, are the longest English words that are only one syllable long. Nine letter monosyllabic words are scratched, screeched, scrounged, squelched, straights, and strengths.
Fun With Words



Since I don't think archaic words should count, I will give you full credit for a correct answer dwheatly. Well done.
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FarFromVegas
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December 15th, 2010 at 1:05:05 PM permalink
Quote: dwheatley


I also know of at least one other word with 5 'e's.



Beekeeper.
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ItsCalledSoccer
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December 15th, 2010 at 1:29:49 PM permalink
What's the only English word with three consecutive sets of double letters?
avargov
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December 15th, 2010 at 1:48:25 PM permalink
bookkeeper
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ItsCalledSoccer
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December 15th, 2010 at 1:51:39 PM permalink
Nice. Not quite the same thing, but does it bother anyone that ...

1. People say, "I disagree with the fact that ..." You can't disagree with a fact or you're insane.

2. Reporters say things like, "There's a possible tornado ..." There's either a tornado or there's not; they should say, "There's possibly a tornado ..."

3. People say, "The [whatever] appeared in a random pattern." If it's not a pattern, it's random.
avargov
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December 15th, 2010 at 2:13:34 PM permalink
The misuse of currently and presently drive me up a wall.

ATM machine and PIN number make me want to open my veins...
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Mosca
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December 15th, 2010 at 2:13:44 PM permalink
Quote: Ayecarumba

Here is another:

Name either of the two longest English words with only one syllable.



Straights?
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Nareed
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December 15th, 2010 at 2:24:22 PM permalink
Quote: ItsCalledSoccer

2. Reporters say things like, "There's a possible tornado ..." There's either a tornado or there's not; they should say, "There's possibly a tornado ..."



I think the correct term would be "There's a potential tornado." This refers to a storm or weather system that might turn into a tornado.

WhenI play hold 'em poker, though, if I have a 9 and 10 of the same suit, I think "possible straight flush." Of course that's a sentence fragment lacking a subject :P

Oh, and if you disagree with a fact, and especially if you think you can change it, you're a politician.
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Nareed
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December 15th, 2010 at 2:30:24 PM permalink
Quote: avargov

ATM machine and PIN number make me want to open my veins...



What do you call the use of "ATM machine"? Or for that matter a CSI investigator.

Here's the worst one, though, and in Spanish:

Banco BBVBA Bancomer, or Banco Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Banco de Comercio. Translated it reads "Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Bank Bank Commerce Bank." I kid you not.
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ItsCalledSoccer
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December 15th, 2010 at 2:45:03 PM permalink
Quote: Nareed

I think the correct term would be "There's a potential tornado." This refers to a storm or weather system that might turn into a tornado.



I think the understanding is the same and it's just the way the vernacular has landed, but I think *technically* the problem is the same. A tornado is a thing; it's either there or it's not there. I think it would be accurate to say, "There's potentially a tornado ..."

But yeah, the common usage and meaning are what you describe. I was just railing against common usage and vernacular!
Nareed
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December 15th, 2010 at 3:24:59 PM permalink
Quote: ItsCalledSoccer

But yeah, the common usage and meaning are what you describe. I was just railing against common usage and vernacular!



Potential is used much more as a noun than an adjective. As in "he shows great potential." Well, maybe. But, potential for what? Of course the common usage is understood, much in the same way as "She shows great promise," or "The Jets are the most promising team in the NFL."

So, yes, the tornado is either there or it isn't. But a tornado precursor is a potential tornado. The same way an apple seed is a potential apple tree. The seed will become a tree if certain conditions are met (it's palnted, watered and fertilized). Therefore "potential tornado" is correct.
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