It is possible, by clever use of Discourse Analysis; Lyall�s 25 Languages of Europe; and a book of 8-figure Naperian logarithms; to solve the puzzle of this word, �floccinaucinihilipilification�, in a matter of moments.

My first clues were some chance remarks which I overheard at a Magic Convention.

�Why do Magician�s wives like Tropical Fish as pets?  Because Fish can�t do Card Tricks!�

 ï¿½Why did they put 200 Magicians at the bottom of the ocean?  Someone heard that they were really good people � deep down!�

 ï¿½Did you hear about the Lady Magicienne who produced a Rabbit?  The Midwife fainted�.

Armed with this crucial knowledge, I began dissecting the word �Flocci nauci .. etc�.

Flocci = Flokki, Finnish = �balls of wool used for bedding�.  Nauci = gnocci, Italian = �dumplings�.  Nihil = Latin = ï¿½nothing�.  I = Early Anglo-Saxon = ï¿½eye�.  Pil = Dutch = ï¿½the Pill�.  I = Late Anglo-Saxon = ï¿½a second eye�.  Fication = French = ï¿½making or causing�.

�If you think that balls of wool are contraceptive pills, which prevent �little dumplings�, you should get both eyes tested!�

Les