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Posted By: Slackbladder Odd Word - 03/21/00 01:42 AM
Does anyone know the meaning of "honorificabilitudinitatibus" or where it comes from? It looks contrived to me but I am not a scholar.

Posted By: emanuela Re: Odd Word - 03/21/00 08:59 AM
It seems to me a joke, something like "Latino maccheronico"; which is the funny and sometimes vulgar language of the italian "Goliardia"( an association of university students, playing with women, wine ...);it cames from Latin.
In that word there is hidden an Italian very vulgar word, and several "Latin-like" endings.


Posted By: Danny Thomas Re: Odd Word - 03/21/00 11:14 PM
Searching the Web, I came up with the following quite simple definition:
honorificabilitudinitatibus: with honorableness. Found in http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/ghi.htm#honorificabilitudinitatibus

Apparently, HONORIFICABILITUDINITATIBUS is the longest word with alternating vowels and consonants.

Also, on May 13th 1997, A Word A Day featured the word honorificabilitudinity, with the following entry:
Obs. rare - 0. [ad. med.L. honorificabilitudinitas
(Mussatus c 1300 in Du Cange), a grandiose extension of honorificabilitudo
honourableness

The longest word Shakespeare ever used, is a variant of today's word. -Anu

"I marvel thy master hath not eaten thee for a word;
for thou art not so long by the head as
honorificabilitudinitatibus: thou art easier
swallowed than a flap-dragon."
[Love's Labour's Lost, Act 5, Scene 1]

The complete text of Act V can be found at the following address:
http://www.gh.cs.su.oz.au/~matty/Shakespeare/texts/comedies/loveslabourslost_5.html

Another related page is http://www.sirbacon.org/gallery/karl.html, which presents the following information:
In the 1623 Folio, page 136, in the first scene of Act V of Love's Labor's Lost the long 27 lettered word Honorificabilitudinitatibus appears on line 27 and is the 151st word in ordinary type. Adding 136+ 151 the sum is 287. In the Simple Cipher this word totals 287. This was deliberately designed to add up numerologically to 287, the Seal of the Rosicrosse. (more...)

Finally, there is a poem (I couldnīt learn the author's name) titled Honorificabilitudinitatibus: a Sonata.
It can be seen at this address: http://staff.uiuc.edu/~gillespi/table/honor.html

Danny Thomas
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