Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?

--
Bertel
Kolt, Denmark

On 2024-04-26 07:56:38 +0000, Bertel Lund Hansen said:

> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?

In spoken English only pedants would say that. The usual answer would
be "Me", but people who wanted to be grammatical would say "I" followed
by a verb: "I am", "I did", etc.

--
Athel -- French and British, living in Marseilles for 37 years; mainly
in England until 1987.

In article <v0fmnm$3iil0$1@dont-email.me>,
gadekryds@lundhansen.dk says...
>
> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?

!

Janet.

On 26 Apr 2024, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote

> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence
> in English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?

I'd maintain that all single-word instructions or answers --
regardless of word length or the number of syllables -- are complete
sentences, and there are loads of those.

But even restricting sentence length by the number of characters
doesn't make "Go" uniquely short:

"Hi"
"No"
"Oi!"

("What marks the spot?")
"X"
("Which axis on that graph are you talking about?")
"Y"

I'm sure there are more examples.

--
Cheers,
Harvey

On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>

No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)

On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote

> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>
>
> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)

I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:

"Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
'No' is a complete sentence."

--
Cheers, Harvey

On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:04:58 +0100, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote
>
>> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>>
>>
>> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)
>
>I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:
>
>"Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
>'No' is a complete sentence."

And if you are assertive enough, you claim the right to
use that definition of a complete sentence.

If you only need meaning, Janet wins.

--
Rich Ulrich

On 26/04/2024 18:11, Rich Ulrich wrote:
> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:04:58 +0100, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>> On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote
>>
>>> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>>>
>>>
>>> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)
>>
>> I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:
>>
>> "Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
>> 'No' is a complete sentence."
>
> And if you are assertive enough, you claim the right to
> use that definition of a complete sentence.
>
> If you only need meaning, Janet wins.
>

How so? I see no words, no verbs nor nouns in her sentence.

On 2024-04-26 01:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>

That's also an answer to the question, "What is the ninth letter of the
English alphabet?"

There are 25 more where that came from.

--
How do you tittilate an ocelot?
You oscillate its tit a lot.

On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 22:50:19 +0200, occam <occam@nowhere.nix> wrote:

>On 26/04/2024 18:11, Rich Ulrich wrote:
>> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:04:58 +0100, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote
>>>
>>>> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>>>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>>>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)
>>>
>>> I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:
>>>
>>> "Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
>>> 'No' is a complete sentence."
>>
>> And if you are assertive enough, you claim the right to
>> use that definition of a complete sentence.
>>
>> If you only need meaning, Janet wins.
>>
>
>How so? I see no words, no verbs nor nouns in her sentence.

Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete
sentence in English.

I submit that ! is part of English as it is written.

--
Rich Ulrich

Rich Ulrich <rich.ulrich@comcast.net> wrote or quoted:
> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete
>sentence in English.
>I submit that ! is part of English as it is written.

According to a glossary, an /ecphonesis/ is "a sentence
consisting of a single word or short phrase ending with
an exclamation point," so "Go!" would fit that definition.

However, a closer examination of the meaning of "ecphonesis"
reveals that its applicability depends on the context.

On 27/04/2024 08:23, Rich Ulrich wrote:
> I submit that ! is part of English as it is written.

But is it a complete sentence? Is it a sentence at all?

Let me consult your source, Dictionary.com

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sentence
QED

An exclamation mark is not a word! It's a punctuation mark. If '!' is an
answer, so are: '.' '?' and '...' . (They are not valid answers.)

In article <l92icaFf7skU1@mid.individual.net>,
occam@nowhere.nix says...
>
> On 26/04/2024 18:11, Rich Ulrich wrote:
> > On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:04:58 +0100, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk>
> > wrote:
> >
> >> On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote
> >>
> >>> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
> >>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
> >>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)
> >>
> >> I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:
> >>
> >> "Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
> >> 'No' is a complete sentence."
> >
> > And if you are assertive enough, you claim the right to
> > use that definition of a complete sentence.
> >
> > If you only need meaning, Janet wins.
> >
>
> How so? I see no words, no verbs nor nouns in her sentence.

;-}

Janet

In article <l93u1sFlentU1@mid.individual.net>,
occam@nowhere.nix says...
>
> On 27/04/2024 08:23, Rich Ulrich wrote:
> > I submit that ! is part of English as it is written.
>
> But is it a complete sentence? Is it a sentence at all?
>
>
> Let me consult your source, Dictionary.com
>
> https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sentence
> QED
>
> An exclamation mark is not a word! It's a punctuation mark. If '!' is an
> answer, so are: '.' '?' and '...' . (They are not valid answers.)

I contemplated and rejected "?" because it might be too
subtle.

Janet

HVS wrote:

> On 26 Apr 2024, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote

>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence
>> in English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?

> I'd maintain that all single-word instructions or answers --
> regardless of word length or the number of syllables -- are complete
> sentences, and there are loads of those.

> But even restricting sentence length by the number of characters
> doesn't make "Go" uniquely short:

> "Hi"
> "No"
> "Oi!"

> ("What marks the spot?")
> "X"
> ("Which axis on that graph are you talking about?")
> "Y"

> I'm sure there are more examples.

By "complete sentence" they mean one with a subject (possibly
understood, as with an imperative) and a verb. Your examples
are "minor sentences".

--
Jerry Friedman

jerryfriedman wrote:

> By "complete sentence" they mean one with a subject (possibly
> understood, as with an imperative) and a verb. Your examples
> are "minor sentences".

In my oppinion a sentence only needs a verb in which case it'll be an
imperative. Or could it be a participle?

What was he doing?
Running.

--
Bertel
Kolt, Denmark

On Sat, 27 Apr 2024 11:15:40 +0200, occam <occam@nowhere.nix> wrote:

>On 27/04/2024 08:23, Rich Ulrich wrote:
>> I submit that ! is part of English as it is written.
>
>But is it a complete sentence? Is it a sentence at all?
>
>
>Let me consult your source, Dictionary.com
>
>https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sentence
>QED
>
>An exclamation mark is not a word! It's a punctuation mark. If '!' is an
>answer, so are: '.' '?' and '...' . (They are not valid answers.)

I claimed it was written with meaning, not as a word.

I'm pretty sure that I have seen ! used in a book as a
whole paragraph. Now you have a problem defining
'paragraph' if you want to exclude it.

--
Rich Ulrich

On 27-Apr-24 13:34, Janet wrote:
> In article <l92icaFf7skU1@mid.individual.net>,
> occam@nowhere.nix says...
>>
>> On 26/04/2024 18:11, Rich Ulrich wrote:
>>> On Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:04:58 +0100, HVS <office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 26 Apr 2024, occam wrote
>>>>
>>>>> On 26/04/2024 09:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>>>>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>>>>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> No. (You can't get more succinct than that.)
>>>>
>>>> I think I've seen that one specifically used in assertiveness training:
>>>>
>>>> "Tell them 'No'. If they start arguing with you, remind them that
>>>> 'No' is a complete sentence."
>>>
>>> And if you are assertive enough, you claim the right to
>>> use that definition of a complete sentence.
>>>
>>> If you only need meaning, Janet wins.
>>>
>>
>> How so? I see no words, no verbs nor nouns in her sentence.
>
> ;-}

You've smudged your lipstick.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 26-Apr-24 22:25, lar3ryca wrote:
> On 2024-04-26 01:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:
>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>
>
> That's also an answer to the question, "What is the ninth letter of the
> English alphabet?"
>
> There are 25 more where that came from.

The ancient Egyptians never had this problem.

"Take your shirt off and stand sideways. I'm trying to write a letter
to Aunt Merneith, and she's a stickler for good handwriting."

--
Sam Plusnet

On Saturday, Bertel Lund Hansen yelped out that:
> jerryfriedman wrote:
>
>> By "complete sentence" they mean one with a subject (possibly
>> understood, as with an imperative) and a verb. Your examples
>> are "minor sentences".
>
> In my oppinion a sentence only needs a verb in which case it'll be an
> imperative. Or could it be a participle?
>
> What was he doing?
> Running.

Is that a complete sentence? Or just the core of a sentence, stripped
of it's supporting staff?

/dps

--
"I'm glad unicorns don't ever need upgrades."
"We are as up as it is possible to get graded!"
_Phoebe and Her Unicorn_, 2016.05.15

On 28/04/24 05:15, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 26-Apr-24 22:25, lar3ryca wrote:
>> On 2024-04-26 01:56, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote:

>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence in
>>> English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>>>
>>
>> That's also an answer to the question, "What is the ninth letter of
>> the English alphabet?"
>>
>> There are 25 more where that came from.
>
> The ancient Egyptians never had this problem.
>
> "Take your shirt off and stand sideways. I'm trying to write a letter
> to Aunt Merneith, and she's a stickler for good handwriting."

When I had a Chinese girlfriend, I tried, without a lot of success, to
learn a bit of Chinese.

She complained that I wrote Chinese like a typewriter.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 28/04/2024 1:09 a.m., jerryfriedman wrote:
> HVS wrote:
>
>> On 26 Apr 2024, Bertel Lund Hansen wrote
>
>>> Dictionary.com claims that "Go" is the shortest complete sentence
>>> in English. How about "I" as an answer to a question?
>
>> I'd maintain that all single-word instructions or answers --
>> regardless of word length or the number of syllables -- are complete
>> sentences, and there are loads of those.
>
>> But even restricting sentence length by the number of characters
>> doesn't make "Go" uniquely short:
>
>> "Hi"
>> "No"
>> "Oi!"
>
>> ("What marks the spot?")
>> "X"
>> ("Which axis on that graph are you talking about?")
>> "Y"
>
>> I'm sure there are more examples.
>
> By "complete sentence" they mean one with a subject (possibly
> understood, as with an imperative) and a verb.  Your examples
> are "minor sentences".

I'm not sure why this is important, apart from a trivia question, but if
Dic.com are going to get into "understood"s, I'll argue that "No" is a
sentence with a subject and a verb, both of which are "understood" from
the question that it's an answer to.