Strong lungs come from long words

I was leafing through my Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (you never know what catches your attention) and this caught my attention: HONORIFICABILITUDINITATIBUS. I tried to say it out loud but it sounds interminable. I have to catch my breath in the middle. You try it, maybe you have more success. Apparently, it’s the longest word in the English language, along with ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM, which is one letter longer. Didn’t I tell you never know what you find in a dictionary?

I like how HONORIFICABILITUDINITATIBUS sounds if I could say it, so I must learn to say it in one breath because it’s a great way to show off you have strong lungs.

It’s, actually, a made-up word, which, I guess, means it’s not of any use if you want to sound intelligible or intelligent. Although it can make you indelible. It’s used by Shakespeare as an example of SESQUIPEDALIAN (which means ‘long words’) pomposity. Well, that’s all you need to know. It’s probably best to keep away from it. Shakespeare was an expert at making people look like fools.

So…if I ever manage to say this word in one breath – which, in itself, would be a great pulmonary achievement – all I’ll actually achieve is make a sesquipedalian pompous ass of myself. Which will be really pompositidulitatibus of me.

See you,

Misty