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World Germany Drops Its Longest Word: Rindfleischeti

Tejwant Singh

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Germany drops its longest word: Rindfleischeti...

By Jeevan Vasagar, Berlin1:31PM BST 03 Jun 2013
Germany's longest word - Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz - a 63-letter long title of a law regulating the testing of beef, has officially ceased to exist.

The word - which refers to the "law for the delegation of monitoring beef labelling", has been repealed by a regional parliament after the EU lifted a recommendation to carry out BSE tests on healthy cattle.

German is famous for its compound nouns, which frequently become so cumbersome they have to be reduced to abbreviations. The beef labelling law, introduced in 1999 to protect consumers from BSE, was commonly transcribed as the "RkReÜAÜG", but even everyday words are shortened to initials so Lastkraftwagen - lorry - becomes Lkw.

Professor Anatol Stefanowitsch, a linguistics expert at the Free University of Berlin, told the German news agency dpa that the beef labelling law was the longest "authentic" word in the German language.

The law was considered a legitimate word by linguists because it appears in official texts, but it never actually appeared in the dictionaries, because compilers of the standard German dictionary Duden judge words for inclusion based on their frequency of use.

The longest word with a dictionary entry, according to Duden is at 36 letters, Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung, motor vehicle liability insurance.

However a 39-letter word, Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften, insurance companies providing legal protection, is considered the longest German word in everyday use by the Guinness Book of World Records.
In theory, a German word can be infinitely long. Unlike in English, an extra concept can simply be added to the existing word indefinitely. Such extended words are sometimes known as Bandwurmwörter - "tapeworm words". In an essay on the Germany language, Mark Twain observed: "Some German words are so long that they have a perspective."

The Teutonic fondness for sticking nouns together has resulted in other famous tongue-twisters such as: Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän - Danube steamship company captain - which clocks in at 42 letters. It has become a parlour game to lengthen the steamship captain's name, by creating new words such as Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänswitwe, the captain's widow. And, Donaudampfschifffahrtskapitänsmütze - the captain's hat.

At 80 letters, the longest word ever composed in German is Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft, the "Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services".

The longest word in the Oxford Dictionary of English is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - at 45 letters. Its definition is "an artificial long word said to mean a lung disease casued by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust.

The longest word to be found in Britain is the Welsh place name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...drops-its-longest-word-Rindfleischeti....html
 

Tejwant Singh

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[Mark Twain observed: "Some German words are so long that they have a perspective."

Did our Gurus have the same view when they created Laridaar- continuum- way of writing for the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji?

I am not literate enough to read and enjoy the laridaar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. In fact Pita ji- my Granddad was one of the first ones to give the idea of separating the words to the SGPC. In the same way he was also the first one to think and have a Sundar Gutka- a Beautiful Gutka- (A small Gutka with all the important Banis including Sukhmani) printed which is easy to carry when one is on the road.

He arranged the non-laridaar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as soon as it was printed for us. Thanks to him and his idea, all in our family learnt to read Gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji at our very early age.

Tejwant Singh
 

spnadmin

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No laridaar is not the same thing Tejwant ji. Laridaar is a form of scripting. The German word, title of the article, is an example of "agglutination" or sticking words together, which is a grammatical form, not a scripting form.

Languages are classified according to the degree of agglutination in them. I believe Finnish has the longest agglutinated word. But would need to check. Punjabi is considered another agglutinative language, with or without Laridaar. For example Gurpurab instead of Guru Purab, GurFateh, lol Kamadhenu, Hargobind, Haridwaar, and the list is quite long. Gurpurab is agglutinated whether one uses Laridaar or pad ched, with words separated. It is like "bookcase" in English. If you print it out or use script it is still 2 words stuck together.
 

spnadmin

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One thing about Punjabi though, or at least to my eye, is that the rules are not strictly followed 100 percent of the time. So that can make things confusing but not difficult.

For example, pad ched version of Hargobind, can be Hargobind or Har Gobind. So there the problem is that the words are separated, from all the other surrounding words in the text, but the rule is not applied consistently. In laridaar, words are all connected, eliminating that inconsistency.

Still pad ched is easier.
 

Tejwant Singh

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No laridaar is not the same thing Tejwant ji. Laridaar is a form of scripting. The German word, title of the article, is an example of "agglutination" or sticking words together, which is a grammatical form, not a scripting form.

Languages are classified according to the degree of agglutination in them. I believe Finnish has the longest agglutinated word. But would need to check. Punjabi is considered another agglutinative language, with or without Laridaar. For example Gurpurab instead of Guru Purab, GurFateh, lol Kamadhenu, Hargobind, Haridwaar, and the list is quite long. Gurpurab is agglutinated whether one uses Laridaar or pad ched, with words separated. It is like "bookcase" in English. If you print it out or use script it is still 2 words stuck together.

Spnadmin ji,

Guru Fateh.

I am aware of that. My connection was a tongueincheek attempt to express my frustration with the laridaar SGGS which hampers the young and the new ones. This is to start a conversation about SGGS taking the thread as a springboard, may be a poor one.

Yes, you are right about Punjabi being another agglutinative language but more because of -Lagha Matras- which are parts of the conjugation, prepositions and determination of the singularity and the plurality of the nouns and adjectives.

Regards

Tejwant Singh
 

GSingh1984

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One thing about Punjabi though, or at least to my eye, is that the rules are not strictly followed 100 percent of the time. So that can make things confusing but not difficult.

For example, pad ched version of Hargobind, can be Hargobind or Har Gobind. So there the problem is that the words are separated, from all the other surrounding words in the text, but the rule is not applied consistently. In laridaar, words are all connected, eliminating that inconsistency.

Still pad ched is easier.
It's a language meant to be spoken, that's why I like lareevar better though the feeling you get when reading
Spnadmin ji,

Guru Fateh.

I am aware of that. My connection was a tongueincheek attempt to express my frustration with the laridaar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji which hampers the young and the new ones. This is to start a conversation about Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji taking the thread as a springboard, may be a poor one.

Yes, you are right about Punjabi being another agglutinative language but more because of -Lagha Matras- which are parts of the conjugation, prepositions and determination of the singularity and the plurality of the nouns and adjectives.

Regards

Tejwant Singh
Punjabi is a language that likes to flow, so that's another reason as we wouldn't want to say guru purab sounds weird.
 

spnadmin

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IMO

The resurgence of interest in laridaar is based on faulty reasons. I agree that it matches the ebb and flow of Punjabi. But that is not why various sangats around the west (as far as I know the west is where it is perking up) are literally demanding it be reinstated.
 

GSingh1984

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The faulty reasons are wanting to remain in gurmat, and traditions. I agree, we should associate with ram Rai, change all the words to appease rulers, and use the printing money to buy every Sikh an iPhone/other latest fashion accessory. After all, as Sikhs we must be cool with all the tyrants and injustice in the world.

VJKVJF
 

spnadmin

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The faulty reasons are wanting to remain in gurmat, and traditions. I agree, we should associate with ram Rai, change all the words to appease rulers, and use the printing money to buy every Sikh an iPhone/other latest fashion accessory. After all, as Sikhs we must be cool with all the tyrants and injustice in the world.

VJKVJF

lol you are too funny GSingh ji - :winkingkaur:
 

Tejwant Singh

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The faulty reasons are wanting to remain in gurmat, and traditions. I agree, we should associate with ram Rai, change all the words to appease rulers, and use the printing money to buy every Sikh an iPhone/other latest fashion accessory. After all, as Sikhs we must be cool with all the tyrants and injustice in the world.

VJKVJF

GSingh,

Guru Fateh.

How do you know this Sakhi is true based on Gurmat principles?

Tejwant Singh
 

spnadmin

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I'm not trying to be..
If you are not being sarcastic, then you have to be much clearer. Otherwise your words sound like the words of a paranoid. True...even a paranoid person has enemies, but I first would like to know exactly what your are talking about before I draw any conclusions.

Well said, Tejwant ji... What the devil does Ram Rai, buying iPhones, or changing words to appease rulers have to do with the OP? Maybe there is an answer. We need more information before arguing or buying into a scanty theory.
 

GSingh1984

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GSingh,

Guru Fateh.

How do you know this Sakhi is true based on Gurmat principles?

Tejwant Singh

No, just in regards to not wanting padched. Paanji said it was based on false reasons, so Is aid if those reasons are false we should go help the fashion and tyrannical people.
 

Tejwant Singh

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No, just in regards to not wanting padched. Paanji said it was based on false reasons, so Is aid if those reasons are false we should go help the fashion and tyrannical people.


Pardon my ignorance, but I have no idea what you are talking about and how this is to do with my question to you.

Allow me to repeat it:

Originally Posted by Tejwant Singh
GSingh,

Guru Fateh.

How do you know this Sakhi is true based on Gurmat principles?

And also which traditions do you want to have them intact? Starting from what time in the Sikhi era?

Tejwant Singh
 

spnadmin

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IMO

The resurgence of interest in laridaar is based on faulty reasons. I agree that it matches the ebb and flow of Punjabi. But that is not why various sangats around the west (as far as I know the west is where it is perking up) are literally demanding it be reinstated.

GSingh1984 ji

So that we are crystal clear. I have re-posted what I said. Let's not misquote people to serve a personal agenda or stir up an empty debate. The reasons for a renewed interest in laridaar concern me. Hope that is clear now!
 

Ishna

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For example, pad ched version of Hargobind, can be Hargobind or Har Gobind.

Admin ji, random question: If Har Gobind is two separate words then both Har and Gobind would have a vowel marker at the end to indicate the declension/case of the noun. When the word is put together as Hargobind, does 'Har' lose it's vowel marker or retain it?

I'm sorry if I'm not making sense.
 

spnadmin

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Admin ji, random question: If Har Gobind is two separate words then both Har and Gobind would have a vowel marker at the end to indicate the declension/case of the noun. When the word is put together as Hargobind, does 'Har' lose it's vowel marker or retain it?

I'm sorry if I'm not making sense.


No you are making perfect sense. And in truth I cannot remember. In the bani of Guru Arjan dev it looks like this - two words

Hari Govind is ਹਰਿ ਗੋਵਿਦੁ Have to check and come back regarding the other part of your question. Adding an example belatedly, where hargobind is in the accusative case as object of a verb.

ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦ ਕਰਹ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਵਿਦੁ ਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖਿਆ ॥
Saḏā anand karah mere pi▫āre har goviḏ gur rākẖi▫ā.
So celebrate and be happy, my beloveds - the Guru has saved Hargobind.,

In laridaar format it would still have the vowel marker ਹਰਿਗੋਵਿਦੁ

Give me a minute.

OK - Bhai Gurdas is the place where I remember first seeing the name given as a single word. Interestingly, it is given in both ways:

1. As one word: Hari Govind is ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ and there is no vowel marker. But ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ is the object of the preposition "into"

ਅਰਜਨ ਕਾਇਆ ਪਲਟਿਕੈ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਵਾਰੀ।
Arajanu Kaaiaa Palati Kai Moorati harigobind Savaaree.
Arjan (Dev) transformed himself into harigobind and sat majestically.
and

2. As two words: Guru Hargobind is ਹਰਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ . This time ਹਰਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ is in the nominative case, as the subject of the sentence, with the vowel marker.

ਗੁਰੁ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਅਮੇਉ ਅਮਿਉ ਵਿਲੋਇਆ।
Gur hari gobind Amayu Amiu Viloiaa.
Guru hargobind also churned the sea (of Word)
 
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