Blue Sky Blue Streak

Linguists postulate that human speech has the potential to be infinitely creative, meaning that our languages can produce an unlimited set of unique, nonrepeated sentences. In fact, some say that the majority of actual human utterances are composed of such unique sentences.

Chris is putting this theory to the test by asking people to utter unique sentences, sentences which have likely never been said before and will never be said again. The sentences are then placed on a blue sky and displayed here, where their uniqueness can be tested: if anyone has ever said one of these sentences, please email me, so that we can disqualify it from acting as evidence for creativity in human speech. Please note that simply reading the sentences aloud doesn't count, it only counts if you have said the sentences in a naturally-occuring conversation or other utterance. Similarly, if you have not ever said any of these sentences, please write in as well, so that we can continue to build evidence in favor of their uniqueness and thus also the possibility for creativity in human speech. Any other comments on the sentences' eligibility for this project, or their general characteristics (why is red such a prominent color choice?) are welcome.

You may also submit your own sentences. These must be sentences which you have said out loud, not merely typed. They must use real words and be grammatical, at least to the degree practiced by average fluent speakers of your language in everyday speech.

The sentences that have been submitted so far can be found in text format below. Starting just recently, I have started appending the names of each sentence's creator in parentheses after the sentence.

To get the full blue sky effect, click on the sentence!

This ball is round and looks as though it has a wood design and maybe it’s made of wood and it’s attached to a horse-looking-type thing--I think that looks like a horse tail--and it kind of looks like the scales of some kind of reptile.

Today I sewed a huge hole in my jeans shut.

Art Allen Hierosimowicz is the most fantastic human being on the face of the earth.

You have nine bikes, two cars, and three garbage cans, and there’s a car going down the street, and there’s a girl walking, and there’s a guy walking, there’s a girl talking on the phone, and the sky is grey.

I’m not sure if people are being classically trained to opera sing, or if a griffin is being tortured by humans.

SIU has some mighty fine shrubbery.

The tree ate the cigarette dispenser which ate the bike.

The building is red and made of brick.

I play music throughout the week.

I am the Empress of Nasiria, and my son Eric is the heir-apparent.

A dream is a goal that has not been realized but can be slept upon and it's up to the person to really acknowledge that dream to make it really happen and become a reality.

I like to eat mashmallows out of bellybuttons.

What's the deal with that red fire extinguisher?

Now she is the only one I can think about, if only she were the one for me.

The orange light filters down to the red light and makes a straight line to the Coca-Cola patch.

So what's going on with you today--is there a show over there, or here, or where is the art set up?

How can we begin to understand our stand?

Three monkeys gave two hippopotamuses a pet dog.

My tomato paste is weak.

Underground flatulence develops from planted pigs eating lead-based mermaid puppets.

Doctor Gregory Sciullo recites a wholly unique sentence at the SHARE campout, two thousand and seven. (Dok Gregory Sciullo)

These marks, right here on these rocks, are remarkably fossil-like. (Ed)

If I saw a whole lot of ball lightning, I would just fall to the ground and kind of try to hide in the nearest I-don't-know-where. (Olga Malycheva)

Tiki torches, burning with oil as found from mother earth, also created me. (Anonymous)

The four top shelves of that unit are empty. (Desiree Ledet)

The date and time are now Sun May 18 16:42:49 CDT 2008. (Chris Colburn)

Now I know how Hitler felt. (Chad Wanzek)

***New developments***

"There’s no such thing as too much toilet paper" has been disqualified as a unique sentence. One of our readers recounts having said this many times before, so it has been removed from the list and will no longer be considered as evidence of creativity in human speech.

"I will one day see the Cubs win the World Series" has now also been disqualified as a unique sentence by another of our readers. Thanks to all of you who have contacted me about this. With our mounting evidence, we will hopefully soon be able to pass judgement on the question of infinite creativity in human speech.

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