Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo ” is a sentence , in English, grammatically correct and given as an example of how homonymous and homophonic words can be used to create complicated constructions. Translates: ” Buffalos of Buffalo , which Buffalo buffalo bully, intimidate buffalo Buffalo.”
It has been discussed in the literature since 1972 , when the phrase was used by William J. Rapaport , now an associate professor at the University of Buffalo. [ 1 ]
The correct understanding of the phrase is made possible with the knowledge of the three meanings of the word Buffalo: 1- The city of Buffalo, in the state of New York, USA; 2- The bison animal and 3- The verb to buffalo , “to torment (persistently someone else)”. Thus, the translated phrase becomes: “Buffalo bison that (other) Buffalo bison torment (in turn also) torment Buffalo bison”.
