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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Lost for words #172028 12/11/2007 5:36 PM Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Hydra addict Hydra addict Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 This is a funny skit in which Blair is asked two impossible word questions. But when the laughs have subsided, I am left wondering what the answers are, if there are answers. Click, if you think you're smarter than Blair, and enlighten us. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words Hydra #172029 12/11/2007 5:54 PM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass tsuwm Carpal Tunnel tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 10,542 this too shall pass I'm really lost for words -- I couldn't understand most of what Paxman said! -joe (faulty hearing) friday Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words tsuwm #172030 12/11/2007 6:17 PM Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Hydra addict Hydra addict Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Really? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words Hydra #172031 12/11/2007 6:59 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh Linguistic typology has come a way since Wilhelm von Humboldt's day in the early 19th century. Linguists (not many of whom call themselves philologists) identify more than three basic types of morphological typology these days, but, I think the answer Mr Paxoman was going for is synthetic language. It's kind of a silly interviewing technique. Is hew a comedian or a reporter or both? Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words Hydra #172032 12/11/2007 7:05 PM Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 6 nharren stranger nharren stranger Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 6 My guess is that the first answer is "composite" and the second is "inflection." Last edited by nharren; 12/11/2007 7:07 PM. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words nharren #172034 12/11/2007 9:50 PM Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 557 Dallas, TX Myridon addict Myridon addict Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 557 Dallas, TX I... speak...normally...to...lull...you...then... wahsthealternacommanaymfotheastafamly Live on camera, I think I would have just punched him out so I give Tony full points. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words zmjezhd #172042 12/12/2007 5:59 AM Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Hydra addict Hydra addict Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Quote: It's kind of a silly interviewing technique. Is hew a comedian or a reporter or both? He is a very hard-nosed BBC journalist, but this is a little joke to promote the show, and Blair is clearly in on it. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words tsuwm #172043 12/12/2007 6:12 AM Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Hydra addict Hydra addict Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Quote: I couldn't understand most of what Paxman said! Quote: Question 1. Prime Minister, what word denotes in botany an alternate common name for the aster family, an order of architecture combining the elements of Corinthian and Ionic, a bow made of layers of horn, sinew and wood, a colour formed by the overlap of two other colours in a DTP document and an integer than is neither prime zero plus one or minus one? Quote: Question 2. Traditional philology recognises three main linguistic types based on the way they construct words. What name is given to languages such as Latin and Greek which use endings that express several grammatical meanings at once? The joke is Paxman used to host the quiz show University Challenge. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words nharren #172044 12/12/2007 6:14 AM Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Hydra addict Hydra addict Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 631 Quote: My guess is that the first answer is "composite" and the second is "inflection." I think you're right on the first. I have no clue as to the second. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Lost for words Hydra #172046 12/12/2007 11:42 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 I'm with nharren with the slight tweak of saying inflecting for the language type. There's another word for it; synthetic. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... 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