# Apart from "that that", are there other words that ever make sense repeated? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 30, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212 "2012-01-30T18:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/1 "2012-01-30T18:06:20Z")
My mind says yes, there are, but I can’t remember which ones. I was reminded by reading this sentence: “The two men have so much to say to each other\*\*\* that that \*\*\*initial encounter turns into a 13-hour conversation.” ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/2 "2012-01-30T18:12:00Z")
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/3 "2012-01-30T18:15:57Z")
I try to avoid duplicating words but sometimes I do do that. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/4 "2012-01-30T18:18:48Z")
I assume we’re ignoring titles and things that would skirt the use-mention distinction, thusly : “Where can I buy the ‘The Hangover’ poster?” “What’s the correct way to use ‘use’ in a sentence?” Or slang : “Time to get me a little somethin’-somethin’.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/5 "2012-01-30T18:19:24Z")
“Hear, hear!” ---
**Author:** ![PacifistPorcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PacifistPorcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PacifistPorcupine)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/6 "2012-01-30T18:19:48Z")
Badger badger badger badger? ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/7 "2012-01-30T18:20:00Z")
It depends on what the definition of “is” is. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/8 "2012-01-30T18:20:14Z")
Are we talking about what’s commonly used, or what is grammatically correct? Do do? “I don’t do that.” “Then what is it that you DO do?” Separated by a comma: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/9 "2012-01-30T18:20:31Z")
Well, well, another language thread. Yes, yes, I know that they can be very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/10 "2012-01-30T18:20:44Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I try to avoid duplicating words but sometimes I do do that. We have a winner! ---
**Author:** ![Ambihelical\_Hexnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@Ambihelical\_Hexnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambihelical_Hexnut)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/11 "2012-01-30T18:23:57Z")
“James, while John had had “had,” had had “had had”; “had had” had had a better effect on the teacher.” ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/12 "2012-01-30T18:24:02Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. You’re a few buffalo short of the max: [Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo) Edit: The word “buffalo” has now lost all meaning to me after looking at so many instances of the word itself. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/13 "2012-01-30T18:24:36Z")
Had had. When asked if she’d ever contracted chicken pox, she replied that she had had the disease as a child. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/14 "2012-01-30T18:30:16Z")
Even though he is only the boss’s nephew, he has been given so much power that he can can any employee he feels like. I hate nepotism. ---
**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/15 "2012-01-30T18:32:12Z")
mushroom mushroom ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/16 "2012-01-30T18:35:55Z")
> [@Ambihelical\_Hexnut](#): > > “James, while John had had “had,” had had “had had”; “had had” had had a better effect on the teacher.” I too was going to suggest “had had”. But not, “had had had had had had had had had had had” Bravo. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/17 "2012-01-30T18:36:06Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Well, well, another language thread. Yes, yes, I know that they can be very interesting. Very _very_ interesting. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/18 "2012-01-30T18:36:31Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > You’re a few buffalo short of the max: > > [Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo) > > Edit: The word “buffalo” has now lost all meaning to me after looking at so many instances of the word itself. That one always takes me a couple moments to figure out, especially since I’m not used to seeing the word “buffalo” as a verb meaning “to perplex/confuse.” ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/19 "2012-01-30T18:37:03Z")
I love love, and hate hate. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212/20 "2012-01-30T18:41:17Z")
I must admit I don’t get it though. Let me replace “had had” with “used to have had” - except when the had had is in quotes in the sentence, because that doesn’t’ need an explanation. James, while John used to have “had”, used to have “had had”; “had had” used to have a better effect on the teacher. Are you sure the “while” shouldn’t be “where”? That I could interpret. James, where John used to have “had”, (he) used to have “had had”; “had had” has in the past had a better effect on the teacher. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apart-from-that-that-are-there-other-words-that-ever-make-sense-repeated/611212.md?page=2)