Length matters - can your language beat it?

[Skybird]

German language has just lost its longest words (63 letters). Due to changed administrational practices, the Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübert ragungsgesetz (short RkReÜAÜG) is no more. In English that would translate into: beef labelling monitoring assessment assignment law. Typical English, no sense for linguistic ergonomy, it needs six words where efficient Germans need just one. :D

The longest German word now is again the locally famous Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänswitwe (Danube steamship company captain's widow). Third is Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung (vehicle liability insurance).

P.S. The gap in the word above is unintentional. It seems the forum software refuses to display this monster as one single word. Some internal limitations, you see. :)

[MH]

Now i know why your post are so long.

[Sailor Steve]

Beeflabellingmonitoringassessmentassignmentlaw.

See? We can do that too. Only 46 letters though.

We do, however, have antidisestablishmentarianism, which originally meant opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England as the official state religion. Today it is sometimes used to refer to the belief that there should be an official state church.

[Schroeder]

The longest German word now is again the locally famous Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänswitwe


How About Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänsanwärter? That would be longer and makes sense...:hmm2:

[Skybird]

Beeflabellingmonitoringassessmentassignmentlaw.

See? We can do that too. Only 46 letters though.

Not valid, because in Englishn main words do not get just glued together this way like it is being done in German. It is a unique feature in German language, the linguists say, but I cannot serve you with the formal explicit rules and explanations. Your word construction above is not valid in your language, you would write it in split main words, if you would be even using that term (or more likely, you would find some fluid abbreviation that can be spoken like a word instead of letters, American English is known for this speciality). The German version is not faked, but absolutely conformal with the German rules.

I think I recall that the Fins do something similiar, just adding words together until they grew longer and longer, but there was some difference to German nevertheless. Maybe Dowly will explain.

[Spiced_Rum]

Slightly off topic but my favourite long word is:

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch

This is the longest place name in the Great Britain, being a town on the Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) in Wales (Cymru).

The name translates as "St Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St Tysilio of the red cave.

[Herr-Berbunch]

The name translates as "St Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St Tysilio of the red cave.

Or so they say. . .

I say it's your typical northern Welsh racism against the English-speaking civilised world.

Did Murray Walker, at the start of every F1 Grand Prix, really shout 'Church of St Tysilio of the red cave' as the car's sped from the line?

:hmm2:

[Catfish]

Two ethnologists enter a burger restaurant in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwll-llantysiliogogogoch, when ít is their turn one of the two asks the woman behind the counter, whispering:
"I am sorry, but would you please slowly explain how this place's name is pronounced right ? "
And the waitress:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

"Bur - ger - king."

[Sailor Steve]

Not valid
It was a joke. On the other hand, the fact that the German language does that is something of a joke to the rest of us.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Well, that certainly beat our "Antidisestablishmentarianism".

[Platapus]

Medical terms can get quite long

pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is 45 letters.

As the largest known protein, Titin also has the longest IUPAC name. The full chemical name, which starts Methionyl and ends with isoleucine contains 189,819 letters and is sometimes stated to be the longest word in the english language. It can take over three hours to pronounce.However, lexicographers regard generic names of chemical compounds as verbal formulea rather than English words. - wikipedia

If you would like to see the full name of Titin go to

http://www.sarahmcculloch.com/luminary-uprise/2009/longest-word/

But I think there is a typo on line 1245. :)

The longest word to appear in literature is

Lopado­­temacho­­selacho­­galeo­­kranio­­leipsano­ ­drim­­hypo­­trimmato­­silphio­­parao­­melito­­kat akechy­­meno­­kichl­­epi­­kossypho­­phatto­­perist er­­alektryon­­opte­­kephallio­­kigklo­­peleio­­la goio­­siraio­­baphe­­tragano­­pterygon which appeared in Aristophanes' Greek comedy Assemblywomen.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Of course, there's also "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", but I'm not sure if anything from Mary Poppins counts.:hmmm: