The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #129988   Message #2921662
Posted By: gnomad
06-Jun-10 - 06:51 AM
Thread Name: so many consonants in a row esp. in songs
Subject: RE: so many consonants in a row
I was told long ago that the longest English consonant string in an actual word (though admittedly one originally made by joining two together) is Knightsbridge.

I've no idea whether that is correct, but I have kept an eye open ever since without beating it.

Rapaire's German words are similarly produced by running together other words, but that is a feature of the German tongue. I used to know a word which (IIRC) translated as "Member of the union for officers of coal powered steam vessels" but I can't remember it, and don't want to drift the thread too far BS-wards.

As to the mission to simplify, I would have to consider that a while. I can understand the desire to make a language available to all, but to me the beauty of languages lies in the very complexities of the different tongues. Half the joy of appreciating a language (or a style of music) lies in the detail. How to reconcile that with simplification?