# What is the longest word in your language? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 20, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563 "2024-04-20T23:20:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/1 "2024-04-20T23:20:28Z")
In my country, Norway, the longest word at the time is “minoritetsladningsbærerdiffusjonskoeffisientmålingsapparatur” I dont know what it means ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/2 "2024-04-21T00:00:05Z")
Reportedly, the longest word in English is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. It is a lung disease caused by inhaling tiny silicon particles. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/3 "2024-04-21T00:02:41Z")
Cant you add “-es” to your word? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/4 "2024-04-21T00:08:23Z")
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. 🤭 -ishness? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/5 "2024-04-21T00:08:27Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > In my country, Norway, the longest word at the time is “minoritetsladningsbærerdiffusjonskoeffisientmålingsapparatur” I think IKEA sells a doorstop with that name. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/6 "2024-04-21T00:09:38Z")
Ha 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/7 "2024-04-21T00:12:34Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > I think IKEA sells a doorstop with that name. The actual item is only 4.5" (11.4cm) long. Labeling the box correctly, however required a package of just over 17" (43cm) in length. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/8 "2024-04-21T00:14:45Z")
Isn’t it: > a device used to measure the distance between particles in a crystalline substance ? > **[Cheer up: The world has plenty of long words beyond...](https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/06/03/cheer-up-the-world-has-plenty-of-long-words-beyond-rindfleischetikettierungsuberwachungsaufgabenubertragungsgesetz/)** > > Monday brought unexpected news (news, as you'll notice above, that's difficult to squeeze into a standard headline): In scrapping a requirement to test healthy cattle… ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/9 "2024-04-21T00:15:54Z")
“minoritetsladningsbærerdiffusjonskoeffisientmålingsapparatur” Found out, means: - apparat som måler partikkelavstanden i et krystallisk stoff My translation: device that measures the particle distance in a crystalline substance ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/10 "2024-04-21T00:18:57Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > Cant you add “-es” to your word? No it’s an “uncountable” noun and has no plural. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/11 "2024-04-21T00:20:33Z")
You are an “-es” racist Jokes aside, can you explain “uncountable” in grammatic terms, for the lay-man? ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/12 "2024-04-21T00:26:20Z")
My monies are on there really being no such thing. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/13 "2024-04-21T00:28:08Z")
You seem pretty confident. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/14 "2024-04-21T00:33:51Z")
> [@Loggins](#): > > Jokes aside, can you explain “uncountable” in grammatic terms, for the lay-man? An uncountable noun is one you don’t use with numbers or “the”. The generally refer to things that might be measured but not counted. “Butter” would be an example. You don’t have 2 butters (You could have two packages or pats of butter). They are also called mass nouns. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/15 "2024-04-21T00:46:29Z")
I’m not Welsh, but I was hoping [Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanfairpwllgwyngyll) might be a winner. (if a name of a town counts as a word) ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/16 "2024-04-21T00:49:14Z")
Thank you great explanation ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/17 "2024-04-21T00:49:56Z")
Not a word, as you mention ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/18 "2024-04-21T00:55:40Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > Reportedly, the longest word in English is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis It’s not actually a real word. It’s not used by medical professionals. It was invented by the National Puzzlers’ League in 1935 for the sole purpose of being “the longest English word”. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/19 "2024-04-21T01:31:45Z")
The longest Welsh word appears to be _cyfrwngddarostyngedigaeth_, “intercesion” (eight syllables, 21 letters by Welsh letter-counting where NG, DD, and TH are considered single letters). The place-name does have some authentic long words embedded in it, such as _chwyrndrobwll_ (“whirlpool”), but that’s only three syllables. Just today, in conversation with a Welsh speaker, _ansbaradigeiddus_ (six syllables) came up, meaning “excellent.” ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563/20 "2024-04-21T01:32:24Z")
Looks like I win for English. Whoo hoo! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-longest-word-in-your-language/1000563.md?page=2)