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Longest word
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What is the longest word in the English language?
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The Guinness Book of Records, in its 1992 and subsequent editions, declared the "longest real word" in the English language to be floccinaucinihilipilification at 29 letters. Defined as the act of estimating as worthless, its usage has been recorded as far back as 1741.
The word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, also spelled pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis, is defined as "a lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silica or quartz dust." At 45 letters, it is certainly the longest word ever to appear in a non-technical dictionary of English (Source: OED). However there are strong indications that the word was coined by puzzler Everett Smith in 1935 as a hypothetical long word that could result from the protraction of medical terms. The actual name of the disease is pneumoconiosis, which is 14 letters long.
I'm afraid I disagree with Kempie and the Guinness Book of Records, for the simple reason that the 'flocci...' word is just as much a joke-word as the '..expialodocious' one from 'Mary Poppins' is! Just because it's older doesn't alter that fact.
Antidisestablishmentarianism, with 38 letters, is the longest �real' word in English. There are many such scientific, medical and technical words - which are just made up of strings of the appropriate jargon-bits - as the �pneumono...' one. These can obviously be extremely long, though you are unlikely ever to actually �see' them, even in a dictionary. The longest of these opens �methionyl...' and goes on for a further 1900 letters!
There are also what might be called �joke' words. One of these, as already mentioned, is the �floccinauci...' one which was created for a laugh at Eton in the middle of the 18th century.
As stated above, the longest "normal" or "real" word - as opposed to words in medical, scientific, technical or joking categories - any of us is likely actually to come across in print is 'antidisestablishmentarianism'. Indeed, it appeared in the press recently in reporting on Prince Charles's upcoming marriage. The question as to whether he should be the head of the "established" church or not raised once more the matters of church "disestablishment".
The whole idea of "longest" in this context is somewhat false. After all, there is no reason why there shouldn't exist a word such as 'antidisestablishmentarianistically' (34 letters), an adverb to describe how believers in the basic idea might behave. However, the original word ending in 'ism' really is the longest 'normal' - ie untainted by jargon or humour - word that any of us is ever likely actually to see in print
I query the test for "real" or "normal" words being that we see them in print, especially the press. If this is the case then 'floccinau...' is just as valid a word.
The OED2 shows a use of this word in a 1741 letter by William Shenstone (1714-1763), a British poet and essayist. It has been used by Sir Walter Scott and Senators Robert Byrd and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. It was used by Senator Jesse Helms in 1999 during the debate on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty [Randolph V. Cinco]. It was also used by Press Secretary Mike McCurry in his December 6, 1995, White House Press Briefing in discussing Congressional Budget Office estimates and assumptions.
TOED specifically says of the 'flocci...' word - and I quote - "humorous...enumerated in a well-known rule of the Eton Latin Grammar..." (The underlining is mine, of course.) It then goes on to quote from Shenstone et al, as you say, Kempie.
Given that it was, according to the 'bible' of English etymology, undoubtedly created with humorous intent, in what way is it any different from 'supercalifragilisticexpialodocious' (34 letters)? Or, for that matter, from my own quite seriously suggested 'antidisestablishmentarianistically' (also 34 letters)?
I cannot think of a single reason why the Guinness Book of Records of all publications should be taken as an authority on what constitutes a real word. My adverb, which I created a few years ago, is just as much a real word as the 'flocci...' one or the 'supercali...' one and it is certainly longer than the former.
If actually seeing these words in print is not a test, then surely the 'pneumono...' one - also, as you yourself point out, a word deliberately created by a puzzle-maker - knocks the 'floccinauci...' one into a cocked hat...not to mention my earlier-mentioned 'methionyl+1900 letters' one!
And there I'll let the matter rest, leaving you, Potatoman, to make up your mind as to the longest word in English. Do bear in mind, though, that 'longest' in these circumstances is virtually meaningless.
Whyever not, my dear chap/lady? That illustrates the very point I have been trying to make to you! Similarly, just as a 'unificationist' is someone who believes in or participates in unification, so a 'floccinaucinihilipilificationist' is someone who actually estimates things as worthless. (I'll resist the temptation to add 'ically' to that one, too, in order to qualify the manner in which he might behave!)
Quizmonster - I do not understand why you so vehemently argue against my original answer. I wonder who has final judgement on what is or isn't a 'real' word. I know it isn't me.
For my sins I offered an answer; a word that exists in the OED with a definition, so should I not believe the word to be 'real'.
(If you have a copy of the OED to hand perhaps you could give me the definition of supercalifragilisticexpialodocious since you have made repeated reference to it.)
As for humorous, made-up words do you contend that we should eradicate quiz from the dictionary, although this would involve a name change ;�)
I do have a copy of TOED to hand and here - word for word - is what it says in its definition of supercalifragilisticexpialodocious...
"a nonsense-word used especially by children, now chiefly expressing excited approbation; fantastic, fabulous."
It then goes on to explain how, in its original form - ie spelt slightly differently - it was a song-title as long ago as 1949. When Disney's 'Mary Poppins' appeared in 1964, Life Music Co. and the two original song-writers sued but eventually lost their case. (God is on the side of the big battalions, they say!)
Thus, 'supercali...' is certainly also "a word that exists in the OED with a definition", as you put it, so should you not believe it to be 'real', too? It is most assuredly longer than the 'floccinauci...' one!
My sole reason for arguing against your original answer is because it makes definite claims in circumstances where the parameters involved are so fluid as to make the question itself practically meaningless. I certainly did not suggest that 'your' - or any other joke-word - should be removed from the dictionary.
The 'antidis...' word remains the longest non-joke/non-jargon word in English
There I shall leave the matter; it has gone on long enough. Cheers
All words are made up - they certainly aren't waiting to be discovered.
All words are real (notice I have dropped 'your' single quotation marks) once they have been used by someone - its only whether somebody else understands what you are saying that matters.
The answer I gave is certainly 'mine' - the joke-word isn't and I do not wish to claim ownership.
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