Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo...

I learned something random last night while watching Dr. Who with my friend Stuart. It's not uncommon for weird things to come up with Dr. Who - I will forever have moving mannequins, a plastic-faced Noel Clarke, and a theater of some of the most bizarre aliens I've ever seen (Lady Cassandra, anyone?) gathered to witness the rather surreal death of Earth - and Stuart busting out the most random tidbits of knowledge ever is pretty standard, so while neither of us particularly enjoy show per se, it may turn out to be a useful springboard for my continuing world education in its own strange way. 

This particular...um..."life lesson", if you will, came in the form of some world-saving password being "Buffalo" on last night's episode. When Mickey (Noel Clarke back in non-plastic form) asks the doctor for a password again, the doctor tells him to just repeat it every time. This made Stuart - an English as a Second Language teacher - chime in with, "Did you know that "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence? 

What?

I would have thought he was pulling my leg but it was too bizarre a thing to make up. Knowing I can be a bit of a "grammar nazi" (though technically I be more of a spelling one than grammar, yo) he anticipated my skepticism and said, "Yeah really - look it up, buffalo, eight times."

And sure enough! I'm a native English speaker (he's not), how had I never heard this in grade school or anything? Can children have any more fun than learning you can say "buffalo" eight times and form a grammatically sound sentence? I think not! I have been deprived. My childhood self weeps.

Anyway apparently the way it works is that the...erm...sentence...illustrates how "homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs" (thanks, Wikipedia!). 

To understand (or to try to - don't hurt yourself; I did), use this guide:

Buffalo =  the city of Buffalo, New York

(to) buffalo (verb)= to bully or intimidate

buffalo (noun) = bison

and expand it to read: "Buffalo buffalo that Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo." 

If that still hurts your head, use synonyms: 

"Buffalo (NY)-origin bison that other Buffalo (NY) bison intimidate, themselves bully Buffalo (NY) bison." 

[Pause for reflection on the sad image of bison being bullied. :(  Sniffs.] 

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. A sentence. 

Mind. Blown.