Repeated words in a sentence..

Question

Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct..
A hastily thought-up, and somewhat contrived, example:

"It wasn't that that misspelling of "receive" annoyed me, but that the the misspelling of "receive" further down the page made me wonder if it was simply a typographical error.."
Obviously this could be better rephrased as:
"It wasn't that the first misspelling of "receive" annoyed me, but that the second misspelling made me think it was simply a typographical error.."

Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?
Stupot

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct.. A hastily thought-up, ... it was simply a typographical error.." Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?[/nq]
Well, there's the famous but irritating example:
Ann while Bob had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher
which needs some punctuation to make it comprehensible:

Ann, while Bob had had "had", had had "had had". "Had had" had had a better effect on the teacher

Alan Crozier
Lund
Sweden

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Of course.
I knew there was one other that I couldn't think of at the time...

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What about the name, "Ron"? As in, "Da do ron ron ron, da do ron ron."

Redwine
Hamburg

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On Fri 14 May 2004 10:12:55a, "Stuart Chapman"
[nq:1]Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct.. A hastily thought-up, ... it was simply a typographical error.." Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?[/nq]
The first "that" is a conjunction and the second "that" is a demonstrative adjective (or "determiner" as they say nowadays), so different meanings are allowed, right? OK then:
At the prize-giving at the flower show, at the announcement of the winner of the competition for the most rose rose, Rose Rose rose to accept the prize. 5 meanings: colour, flower, given name, surname, verb.

If you want quantity and don't mind losing quality, there's this, which uses only 3 senses:
Buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. (i.e. buffaloes from Buffalo, NY, bewilder buffaloes from Buffalo, NY.)
The noun phrase Buffalo buffalo can be expanded, by the use of a relative clause, into Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo do this often enough and you can enlarge the sentence as far as you want.

Richard Sabey Visit the r.p.crosswords competition website cryptic fan at hotmail.com http://www.rsabey.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rpc/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct.. A hastily thought-up, ... it was simply a typographical error.." Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?[/nq]
The sign advertised BURGER AND FRIES for sale. There was a difference in the spacing between 'BURGER' and 'AND' and 'AND' and 'FRIES'.

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[nq:1]The sign advertised BURGER AND FRIES for sale. There was a difference in the spacing between 'BURGER' and 'AND' and 'AND' and 'FRIES'.[/nq]
Well, this spacing between BURGER and 'and' and 'and' and AND and AND and 'and' and 'and' and AND and AND and 'and' and 'and' and FRIES isn't exactly uniform..

Stewart.

My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox, aside from its being the unfortunate victim of intensive mail-bombing at the moment. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

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[nq:1]Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct.. A hastily thought-up, ... that the the misspelling of "receive" further down the page made me wonder if it was simply a typographical error.."[/nq]
Apparently "that" can be repeated at least seven times and make sense, though it takes a bit of talking about the word (like the "had" and "and" examples). But if we disallow this, it happens that that that that rule leaves open includes this sentence.
[nq:1]Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?[/nq]
I put the book I wasn't interested in in the bookcase.

I gave the plant I was allergic to to my cousin. (Not that I'm allergic to anything really myself.)
How high does a fly fly when a fly flies ever so high? (A song on a tape that went missing many years ago.)
Time to take my home home. (Not that that really makes sense..)

The girl with the good looks looks very young.
I spent the evening evening out a ripple in the rug.

Some people I know know people I don't know.
As I look at it it isn't moving.
Stewart.

My e-mail is valid but not my primary mailbox, aside from its being the unfortunate victim of intensive mail-bombing at the moment. Please keep replies on the 'group where everyone may benefit.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Occasionally we come across a sentence where the word 'that' is repeated consecutively, and is syntactically correct.. A hastily thought-up, ... was simply a typographical error.." Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way? Stupot[/nq]
I remember (though not well enough to cite; 'Enderby?') an Anthony Burgess sentence that repeated "onions" at hypnotic length. Wade

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Stewart Gordon filted:
[nq:2]Are there any other English words that can be correctly repeated in this way?[/nq]
[nq:1]I put the book I wasn't interested in in the bookcase. I gave the plant I was allergic to to ... in the rug. Some people I know know people I don't know. As I look at it it isn't moving.[/nq]
What this thread is is an attempt to cause trouble..r

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[nq:1]Well, there's the famous but irritating example: Ann while Bob had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher[/nq]
I actually had occasion just a couple of days ago to write this to my son, with regard to the appearance of 17-year cicadas on the garage door:

"That doesn't make sense because they come out of the ground and climb a nearby object to molt, and to be on the garage door they would HAVE HAD to HAVE come out of the concrete driveway."
Since he earns part of his living as a copy editor I was expecting him to come back at me about that, but since he didn't I'm inclined to believe it's OK.

John Varela
(Trade "OLD" lamps for "NEW" for email.)
I apologize for munging the address but the spam was too much.

Repeated words in a sentence..

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