language

[Dave-o]

what is the shortest sentence?

[Ember]

What?

[norfolk boy]

Mary wept.

[Dave-o]

Hi, in English, its "Go!". New question: Is there a shorter sentence in another language?

[bernardo]

"Romans go home!" = "Romani ite domum"
"ite" is "go!" in Latin (plural); "Go!" (singular) would be "i". I reckon there are probably lots of one-letter verbs (imperative or possibly indicative) in various languages, but I wouldn't be certain without spending ages going through my numerous language books.

[Quizmonster]

The shortest possible sentence in English is: "I." Just that...the single, narrow 'I' can easily be a sentence. Here's how The Oxford English Dictionary defines a sentence - and if it doesn't know, no-one does:- "The verbal expression of a proposition, question, command or request, containing normally a subject and a predicate (though these may be omitted by ellipsis). In grammatical use, a sentence may consist of a single word." 'I' is the shortest possible sentence - both in terms of the number of words and the width of the actual word itself! This sentence might appear as the answer to a question such as, "Damn this spelling! Which letter appears first in the word 'friend', is it the 'e' or the 'i'?" The answer given might simply be, "I."

There it is used as the name of a letter, but a situation could easily be constructed in which it was the first person singular personal pronoun...ie the name each of us gives to him/herself. End of story.

[Ember]

Out of curiosity why is this question posted in Home and Garden, I was looking for it to see what other answers were posted and couldn't remember where I had seen it and this was the last title I looked in?

[Quizmonster]

Dear PG, you might care to use the very simple recording-system I've used here for the past 18 months or so. On a clip-board, I have a sheet of scrap-paper with the month at top left and the sheet-number at top right - currently No 37.

Below are four columns, not marked off or anything but just with items one below the other. The first column lists my response-numbers in sequence - this one will be No 1530 - the second lists the date - today just 19 - the third lists the category abbreviated - 'H & G' for this one - and the fourth lists the key-word of the question - here 'language'. If I add further replies to any thread, I complete the details and write 'ag' for 'again' after the key-word. So, this reply means: 1530...19...H & G...Language (ag).

That might sound complicated, but I doubt whether it takes more than three seconds to complete after each reply offered. The beauty of it is that I never 'lose' questions if I really want them again...no matter how badly miscategorised they may be...unless AbEd removes them, of course! Cheers

[Ember]

Dear QM, Ta. (another short sentence). Seriously though thanks, I am usually quite organised but I shall certainly take up your suggestion for my memory quite often fails these days and as you say, its a simple but effective system. Best Wishes.

[Sausagegirl]

Dunno, but the longest sentence is " I do"