Pictured above is the longest word in the English language. It's a slang term for a disease incurred by inhaling silicone dioxide. Sam Kean has a story at NPR's website describing the difficult task of defining a "word" so that one may determine which is the longest.
For example, do the names for chemical chains count? Does a word have to be published to qualify? Should words intentionally created to be the longest be considered real words? Kean lists the six words that qualify under various criteria. Which do you think is the best case for the longest word?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/01/21/133052745/whats-the-longest-word-in-the-english-language? via Kottke
Comments (10)
In one stroke he doubts God, but then expands the beauty of God to the universe… and states that our beliefs are as limiting to Gods true beauty as limiting our understanding of the flower to only its surface “one centimeter”
There’s a helluva lot in that one little video…