Punctuation Puzzle

[mabfan]

In honor of what is apparently National Punctuation Day here in the United States — and thanks to Nomi for telling me about it, he said by setting it off with em-dashes — I offer this old chestnut.

Punctuate the following correctly:

John while Jane had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher

Comments

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

John, while Jane had had "had," had had "had had"; "had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.

[dawnmipb.livejournal.com]

Oh my. Is there a term for "death by syntax?"

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Syntacticide?

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

I think that would be "killing of syntax". I've seen that.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yup, I think you're right. I think I always knew that. And yes, I have seen it too.

[thecrimsony.livejournal.com]

i think my brain exploded. ;)

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Ah now, I have known this from childhood - but my version was one 'had' short. It chickened out right at the end there, with '"had had" had been correct'. Now I have to unremember that, and substitute yours. Damn.

But can you tell me what this says? (Properly speaking, it should be handwritten, from a mediaeval manuscript; but this will give you the idea.)

111111111111111

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm.... I can't figure it out. Can you give me a hint?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Um. Picture it without the feet, a row of 1s in a san-serif font. That makes it easier.

Then think that mediaeval scribes didn't necessarily dot an i, nor link the parallel verticals of letters...

Does that help?

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Are there H's, T's and I's in the word(s)?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

No Hs, no Ts. Nothing with any cross-bar. Every letter the same height. Don't think I can be any more help...

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I give up. What's the answer?

[desperance.livejournal.com]

minimum

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

D'oh!

[-mozo-.livejournal.com]

1 ill Lilli Lilli, I?

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Is that the answer? I still don't get it. I must be feeling very dense today...

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Nah. Clue: it's one word. And - damn! - I have seen someone's LJ icon today that would have made a far better clue, and now I can't remember who she was. If I get a moment, I'll try scanning back...

[ericjamesstone.livejournal.com]

Here's one I remember from my school days. Punctuate the following:

A woman without her man is nothing




Men punctuate it like this:

A woman without her man is nothing.

Women punctuate it like this:

A woman! Without her, man is nothing.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I always saw commas added to the first version...

[chaos-wrangler.livejournal.com]

Have you heard this one?

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I actually had heard about this from its Wikipedia entry:

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

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Wow‽

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Aha! The interrobang.