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The sentence in question was probably:
I said that, "that 'that' that that man wrote should have been underlined."
An explanation can be found at http://www.increasebrainpower.com/that-riddle.html.
Once you've managed to wrap your head around that train-wreck of a sentence, see what you can do with:
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo.
It is grammatical, and it doesn't require any other punctuation.
And, in honor of all of us who love to use the pluperfect at every opportunity, it could also have been "had" for a seven-fold repeat.
When John and Mary compared test results, John, where Mary had "had had," had "had": "had had" received a better grade from the instructor.
I am assuming that expletives are excluded. In Four Weddings and a Funeral, for example, in the church narthex … .
Ron Draney said:
The sentence in question was probably:
I said that, "that 'that' that that man wrote should have been underlined."
An explanation can be found at http://www.increasebrainpower.com/that-riddle.html.
Once you've managed to wrap your head around that train-wreck of a sentence, see what you can do with:
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo.
It is grammatical, and it doesn't require any other punctuation.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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