What is the greatest and least number of syllables that a word of a given length can have?
More precisely, for each word length from 1 letter to 20 letters, find words of that length containing as many and as few syllables as possible.
The concept of a syllable is notoriously hard to define, so let's define the number of syllables to be the number of distinct vowels in the standard English pronunciation of the word. Only English dictionary words are allowed. British and American English are both acceptable. Diphthongs count as single vowels, so "I" is a single-syllable word. If a word has more than one acceptable pronunciation differing in number of syllables, choose the most helpful one (e.g. count "squirreled" as 1 syllable rather than 2 since that makes a new record for minimum syllables with 10 letters).
Let me know if there are any loopholes I've missed!
Current best
1 letter: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 1
2 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 2 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 2
3 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 2 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 2
4 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 3 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 2
5 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 3 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 3
6 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 4 syllables (credit JoeZ), ratio 4
7 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 5 syllables (credit user13433), ratio 5
8 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 5 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 5
9 letters: min 1 syllable (credit JLee/Prem), max 5 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 5
10 letters: min 1 syllable (credit Deusovi), max 6 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 6
11 letters: min 1 syllable (credit Emrakul), max 6 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 6
12 letters: min 1 syllable (credit Emrakul), max 7 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), ratio 7
13 letters: min 2 syllables (credit Prem), max 8 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 4
14 letters: min 2 syllables (credit Prem), max 8 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 4
15 letters: min 3 syllables (credit JLee/Prem), max 8 syllables (credit JLee), ratio 2.666...
16 letters: min 3 syllables (credit Prem), max 8 syllables (credit Prem), ratio 2.666...
17 letters: min 3 syllables (credit Prem), max 8 syllables (credit Prem), ratio 2.666...
18 letters: min 4 syllables (credit Prem), max 9 syllables (credit Nathaniel), ratio 2 .25
19 letters: min 4 syllables (credit Prem), max 9 syllables (credit Prem), ratio 2.25
20 letters: min 5 syllables (credit Prem), max 10 syllables (credit Prem), ratio 2
Where two answerers have tied for the same minimum or maximum, I've mentioned both their names in alphabetical order; I don't know who was first, but I assume JLee and Prem are both working independently. I also haven't included the actual words found, since that would make the list much longer. If you want to find the words, scroll down to read (and upvote) the answers below.
Answer
For 1, minimum : "I" 1
For 1, maximum : "I" 1
For 2, minimum : "It" 1
For 2, maximum : "Io" 2
For 3, minimum : "Don" 1
For 3, maximum : "Era" 2
For 4, minimum : "Done" 1
For 4, maximum : "Iota" 3
For 5, minimum : "Stone" "Schwa" 1
For 5, maximum : "Anion" 3
For 6, minimum : "Streak" 1
For 6, maximum : "Anonym" "Hawaii" 3
For 7, minimum : "Streaks" 1
For 7, maximum : "Anonymy" 4
For 8, minimum : "Strength" 1
For 8, maximum : "Ignominy" "Abacuses" "Honolulu" 4
For 9, minimum : "Strengths" 1
For 9, maximum : "Abrasions" 4
For 10, minimum : "Squirreled" 1 , thanks to Deusovi
For 10, maximum : "Abacterial" "Abiogenist" 5
For 11, minimum : "Broughammed" 1 , thanks to Emrakul
For 11, maximum : "Abecedarian" "Abiogeneses" "Aerobiology" "Alcyonarian" 6
For 12, minimum : "Schtroumpfed" 1 , thanks to Emrakul
For 12, maximum : "Unisexuality" 7
For 13, minimum : "Scratchboards" "Straightbreds" "Straightboard" "Straightforth" 2
For 13, maximum : "Unideological" "Unreliability" "Monosexuality" 7
For 14, minimum : "Straightboards" 2
For 14, maximum : "Stereoisomeric" "Supersexuality" "Unisexualities" 7
For 15, minimum : "Schlockmeisters" "Straightforthly" "Straightforward" 3
For 15, maximum : "Stereoisomerics" "Monosexualities" "Organomercurial" 7
For 16, minimum : "Straightforwards" 3
For 16, maximum : "Stereoisomerical" 8
For 17, minimum : "Straightforthness" 3
For 17, maximum : "Electroanalytical" "Electrophysiology" 8
For 18, minimum : "Forethoughtfulness" 4
For 18, maximum : "Universalizability" 9 , thanks to Nathaniel
For 19, minimum : "Straightforwardness" 4
For 19, maximum : "Extraterritoriality" 9
For 20, minimum : "Forethoughtfulnesses" 5
For 20, maximum : "Radioimmunoassayable" 10
WHEW
References:
http://www.morewords.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_longest_English_words_with_one_syllable
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