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pirate_republic

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"Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo..." - A Noobs Guide

*I know this is old... if you understand is already, then go away. Skeptics, however, read on.*

Many of you think that the sentence "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is not a grammatically correct sentence. It is. The goal of this blog post is for you to understand it, as it actually does make sense.

Here's the wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

I'll start off with explaining "fish fish fish fish fish". It's the same idea as the buffalo sentence, but more simple.

Now, I'll add in optional words to make it more legible: "fish, that fish fish, fish for fish." You don't actually need those extra words for it to be grammatically correct.

That's the noun "fish", and the verb "fish" (the act of fishing for fish) mixed together, in this fashion: "noun, (that) noun verb, verb (for) noun". In other words, fish (identifier) that fish go fishing for, are currently fishing. Get it? Read this again until you understand it, as I'm moving on.

Now that you understand that, let's move on to the buffalo sentence. It works the same way, combining these:
The noun: buffalo (animal)
The noun: Buffalo (city)
The verb: to bully (not commonly heard)

I'll start off by adding in extra words: Buffalo buffalo, that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Next, I'll switch out words for other meanings: bison from Buffalo, that bison from Buffalo bully, bully bison from Buffalo. In other words, the bison that bison bully, also bully bison. Get it?

The sentence uses "Buffalo" the city as an adjective. If we were talking about Joe from Canada, I could technically say Canada Joe, using Canada as an adjective for describing where Joe lives. Same thing the buffalo: Buffalo (city) buffalo (animal) means bison from buffalo.

For the order or nouns/verbs, it goes: noun (city) noun (animal),  that noun( city) noun (animal) verb, verb noun (city) noun (animal)

Here it is again: {bison from buffalo} that {bison from buffalo} bully, also happen to bully {bison from buffalo}
{Buffalo buffalo}, that {Buffalo buffalo} bully, bully {Buffalo buffalo}
Buffalo buffalo, that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo (you don't need the extra words)

I hope this made sense, and I hope you actually took the time to try to understand this. If you didn't, read this again slowly, or post your questions. It's not practical at all, it's merely a tool used to show how complex English really is.

Good day to you all.

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papercut

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Edited By papercut

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pirate_republic

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Edited By pirate_republic

*I know this is old... if you understand is already, then go away. Skeptics, however, read on.*

Many of you think that the sentence "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is not a grammatically correct sentence. It is. The goal of this blog post is for you to understand it, as it actually does make sense.

Here's the wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

I'll start off with explaining "fish fish fish fish fish". It's the same idea as the buffalo sentence, but more simple.

Now, I'll add in optional words to make it more legible: "fish, that fish fish, fish for fish." You don't actually need those extra words for it to be grammatically correct.

That's the noun "fish", and the verb "fish" (the act of fishing for fish) mixed together, in this fashion: "noun, (that) noun verb, verb (for) noun". In other words, fish (identifier) that fish go fishing for, are currently fishing. Get it? Read this again until you understand it, as I'm moving on.

Now that you understand that, let's move on to the buffalo sentence. It works the same way, combining these:
The noun: buffalo (animal)
The noun: Buffalo (city)
The verb: to bully (not commonly heard)

I'll start off by adding in extra words: Buffalo buffalo, that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Next, I'll switch out words for other meanings: bison from Buffalo, that bison from Buffalo bully, bully bison from Buffalo. In other words, the bison that bison bully, also bully bison. Get it?

The sentence uses "Buffalo" the city as an adjective. If we were talking about Joe from Canada, I could technically say Canada Joe, using Canada as an adjective for describing where Joe lives. Same thing the buffalo: Buffalo (city) buffalo (animal) means bison from buffalo.

For the order or nouns/verbs, it goes: noun (city) noun (animal),  that noun( city) noun (animal) verb, verb noun (city) noun (animal)

Here it is again: {bison from buffalo} that {bison from buffalo} bully, also happen to bully {bison from buffalo}
{Buffalo buffalo}, that {Buffalo buffalo} bully, bully {Buffalo buffalo}
Buffalo buffalo, that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo (you don't need the extra words)

I hope this made sense, and I hope you actually took the time to try to understand this. If you didn't, read this again slowly, or post your questions. It's not practical at all, it's merely a tool used to show how complex English really is.

Good day to you all.