Table talk - Buffalo buffalo buffalo...

[Mitchell Andrus]

Sometimes, someone says somthing during dinner that warrants further investigation. Here is a clever conversation starter:

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo 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, NY, 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 you:
Buffaloa buffalon Buffaloa buffalon buffalov buffalov Buffaloa buffalon. Thus, the sentence parsed:
[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. "Buffalo buffalo (main clause Subject) [which the] Buffalo buffalo (subordinate clause Direct Object) buffalo [subordinate clause Verb] buffalo [main clause Verb] Buffalo buffalo [main clause Direct Object]."


It may be revealing to read the sentence replacing all instances of the animal buffalo with "people" and the verb buffalo with "intimidate". The sentence then reads:

"Buffalo people [whom] Buffalo people intimidate [also happen to] intimidate Buffalo people."

Homonyms and homophones can twist your brain.

Anyone have another?
.

[Ted Calver]

Nope, ya got me buffaloed.

[Carlos Alden]

I grew up in Buffalo... does that count?

Carlos

[Lee Schierer]

I drove past Buffalo yesterday does that count?

[Mitchell Andrus]

I drove past Buffalo yesterday does that count?

Yes, Lee. It does.
.

[Doug W Swanson]

I like Buffalo wings....

Doug

[Lee Schierer]

I like Buffalo wings....

Doug

If that counts then I score twice as we had Buffalo wings last night though not in Buffalo at the Anchor Bar.

[Carlos Alden]

Okay, don't mean to hijack this lovely thread, but "Buffalo Wings" has been uttered so intevene I must. Having grown up in Buffalo, then moved away, I have lamented the lack of good genuine wings to be found anywhere. Here is the recipe I use that pretty well duplicates good wings. Enjoy:

http://nachoceltic.proboards.com/ind...lay&thread=122

Carlos

[Randy Cohen]

I can see Buffalo Mountain from my window and have hiked up it a couple of times.
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_.../buffalo.shtml