Funnest

[laepelba]

In another post (http://forums.tomisimo.org/showpost.php?p=27904&postcount=13), David used the word "funnest." Could we have a discussion about the use of the word "funnest"? I found it online in two places: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=funnest and http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/funnest :D

[Rusty]

Where I grew up (which was near where David grew up), we used funner and funnest, but were also aware that others used more fun and most fun. I'm good with either usage, but my wife (from a neighboring state) uses the 'more formal' ones.
Is that what you wanted to discuss?

[CrOtALiTo]

Rusty the word Funnest is other word seems to bestest. I mean this word also is wrong.

[Rusty]

Funnest isn't wrong. Best is already a superlative, and it's wrong to add the -est ending to make it more superlative. Fun is changed to the superlative by adding an 'n' and the -est ending, OR by saying most fun.

Both forms are correct, though some people frown on funnest.

On an interesting note, my wife says more fun is correct (I say funner), but she and I both agree that funnest sounds just fine. :)

[laepelba]

No, actually I was just being "tongue in cheek". I was, in fact, taught that "funner" and "funnest" are absolutely wrong. So anytime I hear or see them, I cringe a bit. But I realize that it's a gray area.... :)

[Fazor]

I was also taught that "funner" and "funnest" were wrong; though I've probably been guilty of using "funnest".

[Elaina]

I was taught that the word fun was in the same family as other words that cannot be converted to superlatives by adding -er or -est.....

i.e. -

eager
alert

etc..........have to think of more..

:p

[Rusty]

Yeah, I've been reading up on this since you brought it up. It's been more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Or has it been funner than a barrel of monkeys?
(Both terms are used on the Internet.)

It seems that fun used to be only a noun or a verb. Times have changed, though, and fun is now also considered an adjective (but not without some kind of labeling, like informal, in many of the dictionaries I checked).

When used as an adjective, English allows two different ways to form the comparative and two different ways to form the superlative.
For example, both sets are equal:
hot : more hot, most hot
hot : hotter, hottest

So, it stands to reason that both of these sets are equal:
fun : more fun, most fun
fun : funner, funnest

Based on Internet usage alone, more fun appears to be more popular (popularer :yuck:).

[CrOtALiTo]

I need the translation of funnest.

Funnest- Divertido?

[Rusty]

el más divertido

[MainePotsAndPans]

One of the first wedding gifts my wife and I bought for ourselfs was a figurine of Tigger and Piglet of Winnie the Pooh fame riding in a wooden cart, both smiling grinning from ear to ear. The caption on the bottom says, "We have two speeds, fun and funner!".

I think that especially with the words funner and funnest, the fact that it does reflect a less formal or even "wrong" gramatical expression contributes to the desired effect of recreating child like glee, by capturing a child like idiom or manner of speaking.

MPAP

[laepelba]

One of the first wedding gifts my wife and I bought for ourselfs was a figurine of Tigger and Piglet of Winnie the Pooh fame riding in a wooden cart, both smiling grinning from ear to ear. The caption on the bottom says, "We have two speeds, fun and funner!".

I think that especially with the words funner and funnest, the fact that it does reflect a less formal or even "wrong" gramatical expression contributes to the desired effect of recreating child like glee, by capturing a child like idiom or manner of speaking.

MPAP

Proof positive! We're now quoting Tigger and Piglet. Tigger, of "bouncy" and "topses" fame. :D

[literacola]

I think it sounds better in some situations personally. If someone says "It is the most fun thing in the world" it just sounds bad to my ear. "The funnest thing in the world" sounds much better to me.

[Fazor]

I'd argue that the phrase "[Most fun/funnest] thing in the world." sounds a little juvinile though, thus "funnest" sounds like it fits better. Now, I don't mean that anyone who says that line is juvinile, but when talking about "The funnest thing in the world", it's typically something said with the care-free, casual demeanor.

I have a hard time picturing the president, or the CEO of a company, making a formal speech and including the phrase regardless of how he/she handles the word "fun".

[poli]

I'd argue that the phrase "[Most fun/funnest] thing in the world." sounds a little juvinile though, thus "funnest" sounds like it fits better. Now, I don't mean that anyone who says that line is juvinile, but when talking about "The funnest thing in the world", it's typically something said with the care-free, casual demeanor.

I have a hard time picturing the president, or the CEO of a company, making a formal speech and including the phrase regardless of how he/she handles the word "fun".
You are completely correct. Funnest isn't good English, but it exists like bestest, aint and more better, and... We all could add to this list. Language is a big and flexible thing. It's not a bad thing to recognize a word like funnest, but it should be recognized with the knowledge that it's substandard.

[MainePotsAndPans]

I think it sounds better in some situations personally. If someone says "It is the most fun thing in the world" it just sounds bad to my ear. "The funnest thing in the world" sounds much better to me.

I'd argue that the phrase "[Most fun/funnest] thing in the world." sounds a little juvinile though, thus "funnest" sounds like it fits better. Now, I don't mean that anyone who says that line is juvinile, but when talking about "The funnest thing in the world", it's typically something said with the care-free, casual demeanor.

I have a hard time picturing the president, or the CEO of a company, making a formal speech and including the phrase regardless of how he/she handles the word "fun".

You are completely correct. Funnest isn't good English, but it exists like bestest, aint and more better, and... We all could add to this list. Language is a big and flexible thing. It's not a bad thing to recognize a word like funnest, but it should be recognized with the knowledge that it's substandard.

I may be wrong, but I think both literacola, and Fazor agree that particularly when talking about "funnest" experiences, the formality and "correctness" of "Most fun" sounds antithetical to the experience it attempts to convey. I think what Fazor was saying was that you wouldn't expect a ceo to even be speaking about "The funnest thing in the world" you would, however, expect a playful soul to be, and therefore, in this case, "funnest" is better.

MPAP

[Fazor]

I may be wrong, but I think both literacola, and Fazor agree that particularly when talking about "funnest" experiences, the formality and "correctness" of "Most fun" sounds antithetical to the experience it attempts to convey. I think what Fazor was saying was that you wouldn't expect a ceo to even be speaking about "The funnest thing in the world" you would, however, expect a playful soul to be, and therefore, in this case, "funnest" is better.

MPAP

Correct. I'm about 2 hours old here, but you'll find I use a lot of examples when I explaine things; and many times they only make sense to myself. :)

Another way to put it would be "[The most fun thing/the funnest thing] in the world." does not sound very "professional" either way, but at the same time saying "The most fun thing in the world!" in a casual statement may sound overly formal. Personally, I don't think it does. But if "Most fun thing in the world" sounds wrong to you, I could see why it would.

[poli]

I may be wrong, but I think both literacola, and Fazor agree that particularly when talking about "funnest" experiences, the formality and "correctness" of "Most fun" sounds antithetical to the experience it attempts to convey. I think what Fazor was saying was that you wouldn't expect a ceo to even be speaking about "The funnest thing in the world" you would, however, expect a playful soul to be, and therefore, in this case,:bad: "funnest" is better:bad:.
funnest is more better:D
MPAP
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[MainePotsAndPans]

funnest is more better:D----------------

Si, es mas excellentisímo :lengua:

MPAP

[CrOtALiTo]

Rusty. Then I can say. My wife is the funnest in the party.


I can use the word Funnest in any sentence inside of the English. It's a correct translation for the speech British.

Then I guess that the word Fun has added the (Est) for give a expression of something unit in the moment or the worldwide.