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What is something that sounds 100% false but is actually 100% true? (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago by lemonadebunny@lemmy.ca to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml
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[-] fubo@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago

A description is "autological" if it describes itself. For example:

  • "Short" is a short word, so it is autological.
  • The phrase "excessively verbose, wordy, redundant, repetitious, repetitious, and prolix" also describes itself, so it too is autological.
  • "Written in English" is written in English, so it is autological.

A description is "heterological" if it does not describe itself. For example:

  • "Long" is not a long word; so it is heterological.
  • "Bisyllabic" is not a bisyllabic word, so it is heterological.
  • "Written in Arabic" is not written in Arabic, so it is heterological.

Now, is the word "heterological" itself heterological?

[-] bionicjoey@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 year ago

The following phrase is autological: "is currently being read by an idiot"

this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2023
618 points (97.2% liked)

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