# What is the longest one syllable word? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916 "2009-03-26T21:12:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/21 "2009-03-27T23:00:34Z")
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal ---
**Author:** ![duggie99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@duggie99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duggie99)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/22 "2009-03-31T17:18:10Z")
Thanks for the help. Worcestershire is my fave! The dictionaries I have checked always have the word squirrel with two syllables. But why not girl and curl, etc? AND, by virtue, of the suffix -led, does it get drawn into a single syllable? Why would MWCD10 have it as a single syllable? Is it a typo? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/23 "2009-03-31T17:28:49Z")
> [@Ronald\_C.Semone](#): > > Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal No a. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/24 "2009-03-31T17:30:44Z")
My last name has 7 letters, five vowels, and one syllable. And yet I’m not ruler of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/25 "2009-03-31T17:57:20Z")
> [@](#): > > What is that scene about? (I’ve never seen the movie.) Spoiler it if you must. Short version, Khan has just done something very unpleasant to Kirk, and Kirk is upset with him. Which is really all you need to know about the scene. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/26 "2009-03-31T18:06:28Z")
> [@duggie99](#): > > But why not girl and curl, etc? FWIW, Garrison Keillor pronounces _bowl_ as two syllables. Drives me nuts. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/27 "2009-04-01T00:24:13Z")
> [@](#): > > **duggie99** > Thanks for the help. Worcestershire is my fave! But “Worcestershire” is never a one syllable word. Indeed, in its primary use as the name of the English county it has three syllables: **wuh-ster-sheer**. Presumably **iamthewalrus(:3=** was making a little joke based upon the odd fact that in England, where the stuff originated (and Wikipedia tells me, in South Africa and “parts of” the U.S.), when the word is used to name the well known sauce, the “shire” inexplicably becomes silent. However, even then the word has two syllables: **wuh-ster** , or perhaps **wuh-stuh**. This is pronounced the same as the county town of Worcestershire, Worcester, where the stuff actually originated (and is still made). It is also pronounced the same as the last name of Bertie Wooster. My American (Californian) wife insists on saying **Wuh-ster-shyuh** sauce, though. Of course, **Wuh-ster-sheer** is one of the shire (pronounced **shyuh** ) counties, and the hobbits also live in the Shire ( **shyuh** ), but I guess that is a whole different can of worms. Where are these fabled parts of the U.S, where people know how to pronounce “Worcestershire sauce” right? ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/28 "2009-04-01T01:46:08Z")
> [@duggie99](#): > > Thanks for the help. Worcestershire is my fave! I’m really not sure how much of this post is a joke. But Worcestershire has three syllables. > [@](#): > > The dictionaries I have checked always have the word squirrel with two syllables. But why not girl and curl, etc? Again, not sure if I’m being whooshed, but girl and curl have only one vowel sound, hence only one syllable. Squirrel has two distinct vowel sounds, hence two syllables. I appreciate that in some US accents it is (mis)pronounced as a single syllable, but if that sort of regionalism is allowable then we’re opening the door to Australians (strines with regional mispronunciation) forecastles (foxls with regional mispronunciation) and a million other 11 letter “single syllable” words produced by lazy pronunciation. > [@](#): > > Why would MWCD10 have it as a single syllable? Is it a typo? Because there are regional pronunciations, mispronunciations as far as I can see, that produce a single syllable, But if we allow regionalisms of this kind then we’re going to get all sorts of oddities in the list that have no reflection at all on the actual structure of the word. ---
**Author:** ![Rasmus11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Rasmus11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasmus11)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/29 "2010-11-20T12:44:31Z")
The word squirrel rhymes perfectly with the single syllable words “girl”, “swirl” and “pearl”. I respectfully submit that the word squirrel therefore, has only one syllable. The word Squirrelled rhymes perfectly with the single syllable words “world”, “whirled”, "curled"and “hurled”. I respectfully submit that the word squirrelled therefore, has only one syllable. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/30 "2010-11-20T12:50:06Z")
> [@Rasmus11](#): > > The word squirrel rhymes perfectly with the single syllable words “girl”, “swirl” and “pearl”. I respectfully submit that the word squirrel therefore, has only one syllable. > > The word Squirrelled rhymes perfectly with the single syllable words “world”, “whirled”, "curled"and “hurled”. I respectfully submit that the word squirrelled therefore, has only one syllable. In your world, perhaps. Over here (where we _invented the damn language_ 😛 ) it has two syllables, and rhymes with “[Wirral](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wirral_Peninsula)”. Squirl? Is that really the proper American pronunciation? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/31 "2010-11-20T13:34:57Z")
SKWI-rəl ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/32 "2010-11-20T13:51:27Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude. The nice thing about Duuuuuuuuuuuude is that the more pot you smoke, the longer the word gets. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/33 "2010-11-20T13:55:49Z")
‘Featherstoneshaugh’ this word is actually pronounced ‘Fanshaw’ - thats two syllables of course, but I have to mention it because it is so silly. [http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/academic/harrison/advice/twain1/](http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/academic/harrison/advice/twain1/) > **[Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Featherstonehaugh_Ukridge)** > > Stanley Featherstonehaugh Ukridge (/ˈfænʃɔː ˈjuːkrɪdʒ/ FAN-shaw YOO-krij) is a fictional character in comedic stories by author P. G. Wodehouse. Ukridge appears in one novel and nineteen short stories. > Ukridge is a charismatic opportunist who will do anything to increase his capital—except, of course, work. The stories in which he appears generally involve his get-rich-quick schemes. Though Ukridge never achieved the popularity of the same author's Bertie Wooster and Jeeves, Wodehouse retained a... ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/34 "2010-11-20T14:37:34Z")
> [@duggie99](#): > > How many syllables in the word squirrelled? Two. Squi-rrelled. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/35 "2010-11-20T14:37:37Z")
Can I propose “Featherstonehaugh’s Law”\*, which states that any thread on unusual pronunciations will include a mention of said surname before the end of Page 1? 😉 Edit: \* or should that be “Featherstonehaugh’s Laugh”? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/36 "2010-11-20T15:02:46Z")
Regarding “squirrel” and “girl” similarities: I think they rhyme phonologically. However, “squirrel” has the extra vowel to show a syllabic division. To my ears, it would not sound any differently if it were spelled ‘squirl.’ I don’t have a strong enough linguistic background to articulate it, but there’s something about that “dark l” that approximates an extra syllable, but it would look really ridiculous to see a dictionary dividing “girl” into “gir-l.” So, my opinion: “squirrel” has two syllables and “girl” has one by convention. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/37 "2010-11-20T16:03:47Z")
Smiles. Becasue there is a mile betw, …Oh you heard it already? ---
**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:** [November 20, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/38 "2010-11-20T16:20:15Z")
n/m ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/39 "2010-11-20T16:33:56Z")
> [@Lanzy](#): > > Smiles. > Becasue there is a mile betw, …Oh you heard it already? Slightyears. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916/40 "2010-11-20T16:36:15Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > I wonder what is the longest one syllable word in any language. Depending how you define language 😉 SCRAUNCHED in ASCII Binary is 01010011010000110101001001000001010101010100111001000011010010000100010101000100 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-one-syllable-word/490916.md?page=3)