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From: rsa@swindon.gpsemi.com (Richard Sabey)
Subject: Re: Word-game type questions
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References: <3htbu8$1dl@panix.com> <wskdpl.582@puknet.puk.ac.za>
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 1995 13:19:28 GMT
Lines: 26

In article <wskdpl.582@puknet.puk.ac.za>, wskdpl@puknet.puk.ac.za (Laurie, DP) writes:
|> In article <3htbu8$1dl@panix.com> jester@panix.com (Jesse T Sheidlower) writes:
|> 
|> > What word in English has the largest number of different letters, with
|> > no repeats?
|> [...]
|> "pubvexingfjordschmaltzy, adj.  Pertaining to the overly sentimental aspects 
|> of Norwegian scenes that annoy British beer drinkers"
|> 
|> BTW, I didn't make up that 23-letter word, I saw it somewhere.

Dmitri A. Borgmann's "Language on Vacation". A word whose letters are all
different is called an "isogram", from "iso-" meaning "the same", and "-gram"
meaning "letter". If anyone could tell me *why* that word was given that meaning,
I'd like to know. One theory is that it was made on analogy with "iso-antigen",
a theory which doesn't convince me.

But seriously, folks: the longest *real* (non-Borgmann) English isogram is

dermatoglyphics

If your favourite dictionary doesn't have that, how about

ambidextrously

If it doesn't have that either, time to buy a better dictionary.
