It seems yours truly is on a medical bent this week. That said, I came across this super word: Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. Yes, it's an actual word. Well, more of a medical diagnosis than a word really. It's a lung disease caused by the inhalation of very fine silicate or quartz dust. Alas, mostly miners caught this hideous disease. Let's be honest, I can't see a plumber or a lawyer catching Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, mostly because a plumber unblocks toilets, and a lawyer talks the stuff that blocks those toilets!
I was drawn to this incredulous word because it contains 45 - yes, 45 - letters, AND ABSOLUTELY NO SYNONYM. Very odd. Now if I could just learn to pronounce it. Fortunately for me, I may not have to. Thanks to those wonderful medical people, the more general and widely used term for this condition is pneumoconiosis, also known as black lung disease. See what happens when you're busy saving lives and treating STDs? You simplify. And that's a good thing.
Anyway, I went back and researched the long version of the word. Lo and behold, what should I find? It is the longest word ever to appear in an English language dictionary. No shit! Then I found that it can also be caused by the inhalation of very fine silica dust usually found in volcanoes. Now THAT, brothers & sisters, is a LOT more exciting than mining, or plumbing, or bull-shitting/plumbing.
Who the hell breathes in volcanic dust? I want to meet this person. I want to meet the very brave soul who treks to the top of a volcano to breathe in the "very fine silica dust". Well, okay, either very brave or bloody stupid for not wearing a mask.
Nonetheless, still very cool.
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