Math Is Fun Forum

  Discussion about math, puzzles, games and fun.   Useful symbols: ÷ × ½ √ ∞ ≠ ≤ ≥ ≈ ⇒ ± ∈ Δ θ ∴ ∑ ∫ • π ƒ -¹ ² ³ °

You are not logged in.

#1 2007-05-29 10:19:19

Daniel123
Member
Registered: 2007-05-23
Posts: 663

Long words!

I was having a look on wikipedia at the longest words... and was rather shocked at the longest one!!

Methionylthreonylthreonyl...isoleucine = 189,819 letters long!!

acetylseryltyrosylserylisoleucylthreonylserylprolylserylglutaminyl-
phenylalanylvalylphenylalanylleucylserylserylvalyltryptophylalanyl-
aspartylprolylisoleucylglutamylleucylleucylasparaginylvalylcysteinyl-
threonylserylserylleucylglycylasparaginylglutaminylphenylalanyl-
glutaminylthreonylglutaminylglutaminylalanylarginylthreonylthreonyl-
glutaminylvalylglutaminylglutaminylphenylalanylserylglutaminylvalyl-
tryptophyllysylprolylphenylalanylprolylglutaminylserylthreonylvalyl-
arginylphenylalanylprolylglycylaspartylvalyltyrosyllysylvalyltyrosyl-
arginyltyrosylasparaginylalanylvalylleucylaspartylprolylleucylisoleucyl-
threonylalanylleucylleucylglycylthreonylphenylalanylaspartylthreonyl-
arginylasparaginylarginylisoleucylisoleucylglutamylvalylglutamyl-
asparaginylglutaminylglutaminylserylprolylthreonylthreonylalanylglutamyl-
threonylleucylaspartylalanylthreonylarginylarginylvalylaspartylaspartyl-
alanylthreonylvalylalanylisoleucylarginylserylalanylasparaginylisoleucyl-
asparaginylleucylvalylasparaginylglutamylleucylvalylarginylglycyl-
threonylglycylleucyltyrosylasparaginylglutaminylasparaginylthreonyl-
phenylalanylglutamylserylmethionylserylglycylleucylvalyltryptophyl-
threonylserylalanylprolylalanylserine = 1185 letters

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu = 86 letters (at least this one sounds cool.. you can practically hear the Maoris saying it)
And wikipedia says "this name is often shortened to Taumata"... often?!?!

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis = 45 letters

Pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism = 30 letters

Floccinaucinihilipilification = 29 letters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longest_word_in_English

My question - what is the point in these long words?! The first one especially, it is ridiculous! Who would even have the time to write a word that long (if you wrote two letters per second, it would take you over 26 hours to write it, just once!)

I doubt the word has actually ever been used - as no one could remember it to say it in conversation! "oh by the way, those striated muscle tissues you've got there, there's an important protein needed to maintain them called Methionylthreonylthreonyl...isoleucine".

Dont let biologists near the drugs cabinet again please.

Last edited by Daniel123 (2007-05-29 22:15:15)

Offline

#2 2007-05-29 10:47:55

mikau
Member
Registered: 2005-08-22
Posts: 1,504

Re: Long words!

know what..I'm skepticle. This is wikipedia afteral. That first one looks like some type of chemical name but someone could have just made that up.


A logarithm is just a misspelled algorithm.

Offline

#3 2007-05-29 10:52:21

luca-deltodesco
Member
Registered: 2006-05-05
Posts: 1,470

Re: Long words!

the 1185 one has the same words repeated over and over (by words, i refer to chemical, in otherwords, does not exist, is not a real word)


The Beginning Of All Things To End.
The End Of All Things To Come.

Offline

#4 2007-05-29 10:53:54

mathsyperson
Moderator
Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Long words!

Well, chemicals generally have a standard way of being named, so that people can tell what what their structure is. Each "methyonyl" corresponds to a branch of the molecule with a few atoms on it. So if the molecule has a very complicated structure, then it also has to have a ridiculously long name.

The more interesting question is the longest word used by members of the public.
Those chemical names clearly aren't, the pneumo one is only really used by scientists (and people talking about long words tongue), and you can say the same about the other words in that list.

Flocci... might just get away with it, but that's because I've made a subjective definition.

Fun fact: Hippopotomonstrosequippedaliophobia = fear of long words. roll


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Offline

#5 2007-05-29 11:06:46

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Long words!

mathsyperson wrote:

Fun fact: Hippopotomonstrosequippedaliophobia = fear of long words. roll

I’d have thought the fear of long words was dolichologophobia. Oh well. roll

Last edited by JaneFairfax (2007-05-29 11:09:47)

Offline

#6 2007-05-29 11:31:53

Ricky
Moderator
Registered: 2005-12-04
Posts: 3,791

Re: Long words!

I can't see to find any reputable source to confirm either.  But from here:

I somehow doubt that hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a genuine phobia in the sense that it's a clever construct that sounds genuine but, in fact, is simply put together to be an amusing and intentionally long word to invoke the fear it is meant to describe.

All phobias are derived from ancient greek - acrophobia is fear of heights, claustrophobia is fear of enclosed spaces, triskaidecaphobia is fear of the number 13. But the derivation of this word is:

hippos = horse (greek)
potamos = river (greek)
monstrum = portent (latin - etymology of monster and monstrous)
sesquipedalis = one and a half (latin - also means inordinately long.)

A sesquipedalian is someone who uses long words so this is closer to actually meaning something but the only problem is that it's latin. To be a true phobia with a proper greek etymology, the word for "fear of long words" should be something like dolichologophobia - from dolichos (long) logos (word) and phobia (fear).

They sound like they know what they're talking about...


"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

Offline

#7 2007-05-29 20:22:09

Identity
Member
Registered: 2007-04-18
Posts: 934

Re: Long words!

If they have words for genetic coding, then that would be mega long.

Offline

#8 2007-05-30 00:31:21

xxbubblexx
Member
Registered: 2007-05-29
Posts: 11

Re: Long words!

My german teacher told us the longest word in german is:  die Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitaetenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft. It can be shortened to der klub. it is judt a fancy word for a club or bar. lol big_smile


;P don't change for anyone else, just be who you really are ;P

Offline

#9 2007-05-30 03:05:23

Stanley_Marsh
Member
Registered: 2006-12-13
Posts: 345

Re: Long words!

The longest Ive learned is "electroencephalogram"


Numbers are the essence of the Universe

Offline

#10 2007-05-30 04:25:46

Ma+th=fun
Member
Registered: 2007-05-08
Posts: 41

Re: Long words!

my dad says that really huge word isnt a word. he says none of the words are words at all

Last edited by Ma+th=fun (2007-05-30 04:58:34)


I love pi. big_smile

Offline

#11 2007-05-30 15:59:55

John E. Franklin
Member
Registered: 2005-08-29
Posts: 3,588

Re: Long words!

(made up long words that run into the next word)
FiddleHeadBandWagon
SnowManHoleInOneWayStreetTalkBackPackSnow
FallOutStandingWaterFall
RainBowTieDownTownHall


igloo myrtilles fourmis

Offline

#12 2007-05-30 18:41:35

Identity
Member
Registered: 2007-04-18
Posts: 934

Re: Long words!

pnuemonoultramicrosopsiliconvolcaniosis is the longest one I can say off by heart.

Offline

#13 2007-05-30 20:47:57

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Long words!

I myself have actually been to Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch before. It’s on the Isle of Anglesey in NW Wales.

Offline

#14 2007-05-30 21:30:31

U7109
Real Member
Registered: 2007-03-19
Posts: 485

Re: Long words!

That's got to be the longest name I've ever seen! faint


"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination," ~ John Lennon

Offline

#15 2007-05-30 21:42:31

Daniel123
Member
Registered: 2007-05-23
Posts: 663

Re: Long words!

Jane, your Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch beats my Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu by one letter! Trust the Welsh to have a name like that! (mine is the Maori name for a 300ft hill) big_smile

Offline

#16 2007-05-30 21:45:30

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Long words!

Chocó wrote:

That's got to be the longest name I've ever seen! faint

It’s not really the longest name any more. It used to be the longest place name in the world, but I believe there are now places with even longer names. smile

Offline

#17 2007-05-30 21:47:51

JaneFairfax
Member
Registered: 2007-02-23
Posts: 6,868

Re: Long words!

Daniel123 wrote:

Jane, your Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch beats my Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu by one letter! Trust the Welsh to have a name like that! (mine is the Maori name for a 100m hill) big_smile

So that is a Maori place name then (just a Maori name for an object)? roll

Offline

#18 2007-05-31 05:21:52

Laterally Speaking
Real Member
Registered: 2007-05-21
Posts: 356

Re: Long words!

The two words posted at the beginning are chemical names, so I'm not sure whether they really can be counted as English words. Of course, if you do count chemical names, then the chemical name for human DNA or RNA has got to be the longest (I think that's what the very first on is).

I could probably invent some chemical with an even longer name, but it probably wouldn't have any use, so there's no point in spending all that time.


"Knowledge is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined."
"This woman painted a picture of me; she was clearly a psychopath"

Offline

#19 2007-06-02 19:56:20

U7109
Real Member
Registered: 2007-03-19
Posts: 485

Re: Long words!

JaneFairfax wrote:

There are now places with even longer names. smile

faint Whoa.

Last edited by Chocó (2007-06-02 19:57:02)


"Reality leaves a lot to the imagination," ~ John Lennon

Offline

#20 2007-11-06 12:58:48

Mustbewrong
Member
Registered: 2007-11-06
Posts: 1

Re: Long words!

xxbubblexx wrote:

My german teacher told us the longest word in german is:  die Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitaetenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft. It can be shortened to der klub. it is judt a fancy word for a club or bar. lol big_smile

Uhhhh
I know this is a ridiculous bump, "xxbubblexx" got his facts wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizit%C3%A4tenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft

'nother fact, if a word is going to be shortened or contracted, it doesn't change it's gender. You changed from feminine (die) to masculine (der) and missed the translation completely.

Good try, though.

Offline

#21 2007-11-24 19:36:51

Identity
Member
Registered: 2007-04-18
Posts: 934

Re: Long words!

Hey everyone I have my Extension English Exam coming up tomorrow, and I really need help with a particular word. Is the word for the three subjects - logic, rhetoric and grammar, called the trivium, or the triumvir?

I've checked dictionary.com and all that and they say it's trivium, but my teacher said that it was triumvir! Please help, thanks.

Offline

#22 2007-11-25 01:37:27

mathsyperson
Moderator
Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Long words!

I have no idea which is right, but I'd guess that your teacher is more fallible than a dictionary.


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Offline

#23 2007-11-25 01:40:02

Identity
Member
Registered: 2007-04-18
Posts: 934

Re: Long words!

Yes, I've decided to trust the dictionary... it's just funny because the entire class's cheat sheet refers to triumvir several times. It'd be funny if it were wrong. big_smile

Offline

#24 2019-05-13 10:57:23

Alg Num Theory
Member
Registered: 2017-11-24
Posts: 693
Website

Re: Long words!

Stanley_Marsh wrote:

The longest Ive learned is "electroencephalogram"

It has the same number of letters as uncharacteristically – which is a far more commonly used word!


Me, or the ugly man, whatever (3,3,6)

Offline

#25 2019-05-13 16:59:30

Jai Ganesh
Administrator
Registered: 2005-06-28
Posts: 45,955

Re: Long words!

floccinaucinihilipilification is quite a long word. floccinaucinihilipilification : The act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant, of having no value or being worthless.


It appears to me that if one wants to make progress in mathematics, one should study the masters and not the pupils. - Niels Henrik Abel.

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge - Stephen William Hawking.

Online

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB