That that is is that that is not is not is that it it is
- That that is is that that is not is not is that it it is
That that is is that that is not is not is that it it is is an English word sequence demonstrating lexical ambiguity. It is often given as an example illustrating the importance of proper punctuation. [cite book | last = Wieringa, Moore & Barnes | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Procedure Writing: Principles and Practices | publisher = Battelle Press | date = 1993 | location = | pages = 54 | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Tm5RAAAAMAAJ&q=%22That+that+is+is+that+that+is+not+is+not+is+that+it+it+is%22&dq=%22That+that+is+is+that+that+is+not+is+not+is+that+it+it+is%22&as_brr=0&pgis=1 | doi = | id = | isbn = 0935470689 ]
The sequence can be understood more clearly by adding punctuation:quote
That that is, is. That that is not, is not. Is that it? It is.This relates a simple philosophical proverb in the style of Parmenides that all that is, is, and that anything that does not exist does not. The phrase was first noted in "Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" [cite book | last = Brewer | first = Ebenezer Cobham | authorlink = Ebenezer Cobham Brewer | coauthors = | title = Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | publisher = Harper | date = 1953 Edition | location = | pages = 896 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = ] but was popularised when the 1959 short story "Flowers for Algernon" was adapted for the big screen in 1968 as "Charly". [Quotes from " [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/quotes Charly] " at IMDB.com.]
ee also
*Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo
*James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher
*List of linguistic example sentences
References
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