# How do you read this sentence (no spaces)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139 "2011-07-07T04:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/1 "2011-07-07T04:36:30Z")
Reply before reading the other replies. Read this sentence and put spaces in it where you _first_ think/notice they should go. Loveisnowhere Interesting bit of trivia: [spoiler]Apparently those who are more optimistic and/or in a healthy relationship read it as “Love is now here” Pessimists and/or people in an unhealthy relationship/no relationship read it as “Love is nowhere” I have no cite for this, just something I read in a book. Probably bunk, because my prediction is that more people will initially see “Love is nowhere” before realizing it could be “Love is now here” as well.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/2 "2011-07-07T04:50:33Z")
I consider myself mostly optimistic, in a positive relationship, and I read it “nowhere”. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/3 "2011-07-07T04:52:45Z")
I’d call it bunk until I see a study. My inclination is simply to form words as I see them: l-o-v-e (word) i-s (word) n-o (word) w-h-e-r-e (word) That’s first impression. Only once I’ve taken it all in and had the chance to reanalyze do I see “now here.” I don’t see what that process would have to do with my love life or outlook. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/4 "2011-07-07T05:08:00Z")
I saw “nowhere” first. My brain-hampsters computed and decided that’s more likely and more commonly said than “now here.” I’m an optimist and have good love experiences. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/5 "2011-07-07T06:02:53Z")
Love I snow here. ---
**Author:** ![VanillaGorilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@VanillaGorilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanillaGorilla)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/6 "2011-07-07T06:41:56Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Love I snow here. :D:D ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/7 "2011-07-07T06:47:01Z")
“Nowhere”. But my relationship is strong and happy, barring a geographical issue. IMO this is a clever piece of wordplay but is a gimmick and not anything that’s actually been studied. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/8 "2011-07-07T06:52:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Loveisnowhere The w and the h are practically touching each other, so it’s unlikely anyone would separate the words there. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/9 "2011-07-07T06:55:36Z")
Love is nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/10 "2011-07-07T07:19:33Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I’d call it bunk until I see a study. My inclination is simply to form words as I see them: > > l-o-v-e (word) i-s (word) n-o (word) w-h-e-r-e (word) Not only that, but as a sentence, “Love is now here” really sounds awkward and silly. Not natural at all. “Love is nowhere” might not be much better, but it doesn’t sound as contrived, at least to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/11 "2011-07-07T07:37:09Z")
The ambiguitity was immediately apparent, so as far as I am able to tell, I parsed it both ways simultaneously. FWIW, (after reading the spoiler) I consider myself in an optimistic and healthy relationship ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/12 "2011-07-07T08:48:24Z")
Love is no whore. Oh. nowhere. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/13 "2011-07-07T09:35:03Z")
i saw nowhere happily married expecting DD2 next month ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/14 "2011-07-07T10:01:05Z")
While I knew exactly what the trick was, I indeed parsed it as nowhere rather than now here. And I agree that there is a bias for forming the words as quickly as possible, adding fewer numbers of spaces, and for picking the one that sounds the most natural. If your premise holds, it would take some really, really happy people. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/15 "2011-07-07T10:35:17Z")
Love is nowhere. Which is true, in my life, but I don’t think you can read anything into that at all. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/16 "2011-07-07T19:58:30Z")
I got “love is nowhere”. Which is certainly appropriate in my situation. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/17 "2011-07-07T20:01:34Z")
First, Love is nowhere. But then wanted to change my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/18 "2011-07-07T20:02:17Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Reply before reading the other replies. > > Read this sentence and put spaces in it where you _first_ think/notice they should go. > Loveisnowhere > Interesting bit of trivia: > > [spoiler]Apparently those who are more optimistic and/or in a healthy relationship read it as “Love is now here” > > Pessimists and/or people in an unhealthy relationship/no relationship read it as “Love is nowhere” > > I have no cite for this, just something I read in a book. Probably bunk, because my prediction is that more people will initially see “Love is nowhere” before realizing it could be “Love is now here” as well.[/spoiler] I’m in a wonderful, happy relationship and am super-optimistic and I still got “Love is nowhere”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/19 "2011-07-07T20:20:21Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > I consider myself mostly optimistic, in a positive relationship, and I read it “nowhere”. So did I, at first. After a few seconds more I saw “now here.” ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139/20 "2011-07-08T02:43:11Z")
I surely can’t be the only one who read: lo veis nowh ere mmm [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-read-this-sentence-no-spaces/588139.md?page=2)