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Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Posted by ESC on September 24, 2001

In Reply to: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious posted by ESC on September 24, 2001

: : Whats the meaning of the words 'supercalifrajalistic' and 'espialidosious'?

: It's a song from the musical Mary Poppins. (See below for earlier history.)
: "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"
: Written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman

: [Mary:] Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious.
: If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious.
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

: [Pearlies:] Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!
: Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!

: [Bert:] Because I was afraid to speak when I was just a lad,
: My father gave me nose a tweak and told me I was bad.
: But then one day I learned a word that saved me achin' nose,

: [Bert and Mary:] The biggest word you ever 'eard and this is how it goes:

: [All:] Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious.
: If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious.
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

: [Pearlies:] Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!
: Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!

: [Mary:] He travelled all around the world and ev'rywhere he went
: He'd use his word and all would say, "There goes a clever gent!"

: [Bert:] When dukes and ma'arajas pass the time of day with me,

: [Bert and Mary:] I say me special word and then they ask me out to tea.

: [All:] Oh, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious.
: If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious.
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

: [Pearlies:] Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!
: Um diddle diddle diddle um diddle ay!

: [Mary:] So when the cat has got your tongue, there's no need for dismay,
: Just summon up this word and then you've got a lot to say.
: But better use it carefully or it can change your life

: [Pearlie:] One night I said it to me girl and now me girl's my wife!

: [All:] She's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS (34 letters) from the movie Mary Poppins is not the longest word in English, although many people believe it is. In fact pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis is.

The word Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is in the Oxford English Dictionary, which has the following as the first four citations:
1949 Parker & Young (unpublished song-title) Supercalafajalistickespialadojus.
1951 Parker & Young (song-title) Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus; or, The super song.
1964 R. M. & R. B; Sherman (song-title) Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
1967 Decisions U.S. Courts involving Copyright 1965-66 488 The complaint alleges copyright infringement of plaintiff's song `Supercalafajalistickespeealadojus' by defendants' song 'Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.' (All variants of this tongue twister will hereinafter be referred to collectively as 'the word'.)

(The definition says Disney won, "in view of earlier oral uses of the word sworn to in affidavits" and because they wrote the rest of the song themselves.)

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