How Many Meanings Can Mean Have?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the various meanings and interpretations of the word "mean" and related terms, including linguistic confusion and playful language use. Participants engage in a light-hearted examination of homophones, orthographic errors, and the nuances of English vocabulary.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion over the multiple meanings of "mean," including its use in different contexts such as mathematics and intention.
  • There are playful exchanges regarding the interpretation of "mean" and its homophones, with participants sharing humorous takes on language.
  • One participant suggests that "whit" and "wit" are often confused, leading to misunderstandings about intelligence and insight.
  • Another participant proposes that "iota" refers to a small matter, linking it to previous comments about language.
  • Several participants engage in wordplay, creating sentences with repeated words and discussing the quirks of English grammar.
  • There is a mention of using translation tools for language learning, with some participants joking about switching to Dutch.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion features multiple competing views on the meanings of words and their usage, with no consensus reached on the interpretations or the playful language challenges posed.

Contextual Notes

Participants demonstrate varying levels of familiarity with English vocabulary, leading to orthographic confusion and playful misunderstandings. The discussion reflects a mix of serious and humorous engagement with language.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in linguistics, language play, and the nuances of English vocabulary may find this discussion engaging.

  • #31
and and and and and

Well, being inspired by Monique's original posting, I decided a challenge was in order.

Make up a sensible sentence in English with the word 'and' written within it five times consecutively... and and and and and and

It CAN be done!
 
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  • #32
I can do 6 "that"s. :smile:
 
  • #33


Originally posted by Adrian Baker
Well, being inspired by Monique's original posting, I decided a challenge was in order.

Make up a sensible sentence in English with the word 'and' written within it five times consecutively... and and and and and and

It CAN be done!
I cheated but here it is:

Wouldn't the sentence "I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and And and And and Chips in my Fish-And-Chips sign" have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and And, and And and and, and and and Chips, as well as after Chips?
 
  • #34
Originally posted by Hurkyl
I can do 6 "that"s. :smile:
And? *waiting*
 
  • #35
I figured I'd give y'all a chance to come up with 6 of that word in a row on your own.

Well, you can see that that 'that' that that 'that' references has, indeed, been used 6 times in a row in this sentence!
 
  • #36
nice :) and I actually understand that sentence :) (unlike mine :()
 
  • #37
Bah, yours wasn't hard to understand, but I agree it was kinda cheating. :smile:

It took me forever to figure out how to make mine grammatically correct (the way to do it literally just popped into my head as I was giving up and writing the grammatically incorrect version)
 
  • #38
That's how all great scientific breakthroughs are made right? Through mistakes

I took the shortcut.. I looked if anyone had already discovered it before (gooooogled)
 
  • #39
I had seen a sentence with 6 'that's long long ago, but I couldn't remember how it was written. I could only find 5 that's in a row googling. :smile:
 

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