English Language Discussion Forums


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher > Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Links
Sites for Teachers


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 20-Nov-2003, 20:07
Anonymous
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default Words which are the same spelt backwards or forwards

What is it called when you can take a word and spell it foward and backward and it's still the same word? Like... bob

Thanks
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2  
Old 20-Nov-2003, 20:19
RonBee's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Country: USA
Posts: 15,526
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
RonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant future
Default

That would be a palindromic word, like noon, which is not only the same spelled forwards as backwards, but also is the same upside down (when spelled in all caps).

:)
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to RonBee For This Useful Post:
  #3  
Old 20-Nov-2003, 22:05
Red5's Avatar
Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: England
Posts: 2,877
Current Location: London
First Language: British English
Member Type: Other
Red5 has disabled reputation
Default

See also http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/palindrome.html
__________________
Red5
Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
Please note: I am not a teacher of English, just someone who loves the language.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 21-Nov-2003, 13:11
croaker78
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default hello

Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBee
That would be a palindromic word, like noon, which is not only the same spelled forwards as backwards, but also is the same upside down (when spelled in all caps).

:)
sorry but i am not agree with you
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 21-Nov-2003, 13:54
Red5's Avatar
Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: England
Posts: 2,877
Current Location: London
First Language: British English
Member Type: Other
Red5 has disabled reputation
Default Re: hello

Quote:
Originally Posted by croaker78
sorry but i am not agree with you
Ron is correct.

PS - Say: Sorry, but I do not agree with you. :wink:
__________________
Red5
Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
Please note: I am not a teacher of English, just someone who loves the language.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Red5 For This Useful Post:
  #6  
Old 21-Nov-2003, 14:14
Casiopea's Avatar
VIP Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Country: Canada
Posts: 12,989
Current Location: China
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Casiopea will become famous soon enough
Default Re: Words which are the same spelt backwards or forwards

Quote:
Originally Posted by kate
What is it called when you can take a word and spell it foward and backward and it's still the same word? Like... bob

Thanks
:D palindrome :D

---------------------------
moderatotism
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 21-Nov-2003, 15:33
Editor, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: UK
Posts: 27,067
Current Location: Phnom Penh
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Tdol has disabled reputation
Default

A palindrome for overworked restaurant staff:

Stressed- no tips- spit on desserts

Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 21-Nov-2003, 16:50
RonBee's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Country: USA
Posts: 15,526
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
RonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant future
Default Re: hello

Quote:
Originally Posted by croaker78
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonBee
That would be a palindromic word, like noon, which is not only the same spelled forwards as backwards, but also is the same upside down (when spelled in all caps).

:)
sorry but i am not agree with you
A palindrome is a word (or phrase) that is spelled the same forwards as backwards. (Check the glossary.) The original poster gave bob as an example. Spell bob backwards and you get bob. The example given in the glossary is madam. A well-known palindromic phrase is Madam, I'm Adam. (Punctuation and capitalization is ignored.)

:D

(Say: "Sorry, but I do not agree with you.")

:D
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 30-Mar-2004, 12:56
RonBee's Avatar
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Country: USA
Posts: 15,526
Current Location: North Carolina
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
RonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant futureRonBee has a brilliant future
Default

  • The word palindrome is derived from the Greek palíndromos, meaning running back again (palín = AGAIN + drom–, drameîn = RUN). A palindrome is a word or phrase which reads the same in both directions. Some simple examples are:

    RACECAR
    DEED
    LEVEL
    PIP
    ROTOR
    CIVIC
    POP
    MADAM
    EYE
    NUN
    RADAR
    TOOT

    Words like LIVE and STRAW (which read EVIL and WARTS backwards) are not themselves palindromes but the "phrases" LIVE EVIL and STRAW WARTS are. A palindrome is not necessarily a single word.
    http://www.fun-with-words.com/palin_explain.html
Lists of palindromes:
http://www.palindromelist.com/
http://www.derf.net/palindromes/old.palindrome.html
http://www.bonus.com/bonus/card/palindrome.html
http://www.fun-with-words.com/palin_example.html
http://thinks.com/words/palindromes.htm
http://puzzles.about.com/cs/palindromes/
http://www.fun-with-words.com/palin_explain.html
http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/...y/Palindromes/
http://home.earthlink.net/~jesmith/Palindrome.html
http://complex.gmu.edu/neural/person...lindromes.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/bgreek/archives/96-11/0148.html
http://bach.dynet.com/palin/
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 30-Mar-2004, 16:55
Editor, UsingEnglish.com
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Country: UK
Posts: 27,067
Current Location: Phnom Penh
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Tdol has disabled reputation
Default

The world's longest palindrome:
http://www.norvig.com/palindrome.html
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Tags
words, which, same, spelt, backwards, forwards

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Native words Anonymous Ask a Teacher 5 27-Sep-2007 00:22
Slang words hopechest General Language Discussions 11 31-Jan-2007 07:36
1000 most important words Joe Ask a Teacher 1 12-Sep-2004 06:23
Stingy with words + giveway xanana Ask a Teacher 1 11-Jan-2004 14:05
Confusing Words or Confused Words Piak General Language Discussions 3 07-Jun-2003 22:10


All times are GMT. The time now is 07:34.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.3.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2009 UsingEnglish.com