Grammar and Syntax Are Your Friends: Buffalo buffalo!
Check out this cool sentence:
"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo."
This is a grammatically correct sentence, often used to illustrate how homonyms and homophones can be used in syntax. The sentence describes bison living in Buffalo, New York and how they intimidate each other. This explanation is from Wikipedia but can be found widely on other linguistic sites:
- [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.
"Fish fish fish fish fish", which can be read as "Fish(n) (whom) fish(n) fish(v), fish(v) fish(n)", or, "Fish which are fished by fish, fish other fish".
"Peppers pepper peppers pepper pepper." In other words, "Peppers who pepper peppers may also pepper another pepper."
Police police police Police police. Same thing.
See if you can invent one! Good times.
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