# Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 18, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991 "2008-01-18T05:57:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/1 "2008-01-18T05:57:43Z")
I think I just found [the most ridiculous entry on Wikipedia.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo) I can’t believe this exists. I also have never ever heard anyone use the word “buffalo” in the third usage described there. Love the images, too. I laughed out loud for a pretty long time. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/2 "2008-01-18T06:03:14Z")
Some linguist had too much time on his hands. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/3 "2008-01-18T06:27:00Z")
[QUOTE=Argent Towers] I think I just found [the most ridiculous entry on Wikipedia.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo) I can’t believe this exists. I also have never ever heard anyone use the word “buffalo” in the third usage described there. Love the images, too. I laughed out loud for a pretty long time. [/QUOTE] Wow. I can’t look at the word “buffalo” anymore without it seeming like some kind of weird mutant. I don’t think the entry’s ridiculous, though; it’s a good example of a limiting case in grammar. I think I’ll run it past my non-native-English-speaking friends and make their heads explode. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/4 "2008-01-18T06:49:16Z")
I’ve seen this many times, and I have _never_ been able to parse it. Until just now. I’m no longer buffaloed! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/5 "2008-01-18T11:42:52Z")
It’s way too early in the morning for this shit. twicks, completely buffaloed ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/6 "2008-01-18T11:58:38Z")
mushroom _Mush_-room! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/7 "2008-01-18T11:59:55Z")
There’s too many fuckin’ buffalos on this fuckin page! ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/8 "2008-01-18T12:17:11Z")
**Bison**. THe correct term is **Bison**. I’ve known the third usage for decades. Can we find any other examples? If there’s a town named Wind (Wynnd?) we could do something with wind (as in breeze) and wind (as in twist). Wikipedia suggests fish, dice and smelt. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/9 "2008-01-18T12:59:37Z")
I love it. I’m going to have to show this to an English teacher I know. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/10 "2008-01-18T13:07:26Z")
This has been cited many times on this Board. Two or three times it was cited by me, in fact. I don’t think it’s the most ridiculous entry, by a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/11 "2008-01-18T13:12:03Z")
[QUOTE=as\_u\_wish] **Bison**. THe correct term is **Bison**. [/QUOTE] Nothing in the sentence says it’s about bison and not buffalo 😉 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/12 "2008-01-18T14:11:48Z")
Following an language exam: Tom, where Bill had had ‘had’ had had ‘had had’. ‘Had had’ had had more marks. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/13 "2008-01-18T14:24:41Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Following an language exam: Tom, where Bill had had ‘had’ had had ‘had had’. ‘Had had’ had had more marks. [/QUOTE] Amateur. 😛 Little Johnny submitted a story to his teacher. "On Saturday I saw a sign painter at work at the pub, the ‘Rose and Crown’. When he finished work, the landlord came out and complained. ‘You idiot!’ he said, ‘you’ve left uneven spacing between “Rose” and “and” and “and” and “Crown”!’ " The teacher drew a smily face and noted: "It’s funny that you left uneven spacing between ‘Rose’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘and’ and ‘Crown’. " 🙂 And Little Johnny responded, “But sir, you left…” (recurse as necessary, quadrupling the number of "and"s and adding one at each stage.) ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/14 "2008-01-18T14:49:32Z")
I achieved semantic saturation by the fifth “buffalo.” Now the word “buffalo” just makes me giggle. Buffalo. Bwaahahaha! [sub]Buffalo.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/15 "2008-01-18T14:58:44Z")
That that is is; that that isn’t isn’t; that that is isn’t that that isn’t; that that isn’t isn’t that that is! ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/16 "2008-01-18T15:25:40Z")
Alright, I’ve never figured out the entire buffalo[sup]8[/sup] sentence. Can someone please spell it out in little words. I’ve read the wiki article and the other threads on it. Here’s what I can figure out. Buffalo buffalo buffalo. Means that bison fool bison. Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. Bison from a city in New York, fool Bison from a city in New York. The last two I can never figure out. Am I beyond hope? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/17 "2008-01-18T15:34:13Z")
If you’re looking for the most unusual article on Wikipedia, you should start with the [list of unusual articles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Unusual_articles). There are some real head-scratchers in there. For the record, I think [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OS-tan) is the strangest. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/18 "2008-01-18T15:39:34Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] Means that bison fool bison. [/quote] Doing a full substitution, using NY, bison, and fool: Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo NY bison NY bison fool fool NY bison. or: NY bison [that] NY bison fool, fool NY bison. Or in other words: Bison from NY that fool other bison from NY, fool bison from NY. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/19 "2008-01-18T15:40:29Z")
[QUOTE=brewha] Alright, I’ve never figured out the entire buffalo[sup]8[/sup] sentence. Can someone please spell it out in little words. I’ve read the wiki article and the other threads on it. Here’s what I can figure out. Buffalo buffalo buffalo. Means that bison fool bison. Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. Bison from a city in New York, fool Bison from a city in New York. The last two I can never figure out. Am I beyond hope? [/QUOTE] It would be easier to understand if it was: Chigago dogs Chicago dogs bite bite Chicago dogs and easier still with some extra noise Chicago dogs that Chicago dogs bite, bite Chicago dogs But the word “that” is not necessary, and the comma is actually wrong. So leave out the noise, replace “bite” with “buffalo”, “dogs” with “buffalo”, and “Chicago” with “Buffalo”, and you have the sentence originally cited: Buffalo buffalo… (Buffalo who are from Buffalo…) Buffalo buffalo buffalo… (whom other Buffalo-based buffalo fool…) buffalo Buffalo buffalo… (in their turn do the same to still other such ruminants) ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991/20 "2008-01-18T15:41:51Z")
[QUOTE=Malacandra] mushroom _Mush_-room! [/QUOTE] SNAKE!! AH!! SNAAAAAKKEEE!!! Badgers badgers badgers badgers… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo-buffalo/433991.md?page=2)