The word "nonsense" is spelled with a silent "e" at the end. It is pronounced /ˈnɒnsəns/ in British English and /ˈnɑːnsens/ in American English. The first syllable is stressed, and it contains the short vowel sound /ɒ/ in British English and the long vowel sound /ɑː/ in American English. The second syllable contains the weak vowel sound /ə/. The final syllable is pronounced as /s/ in British English and /z/ in American English, depending on whether the following word begins with a vowel or consonant sound.
Nonsense refers to a type of communication or statement that lacks meaning, coherence, logic, or value. It encompasses ideas, words, or actions that are irrational, absurd, or nonsensical and therefore do not make sense or have any practical or factual basis. Nonsense is often characterized by the absence of logic, reason, or objective evidence, rendering it illogical, inconsequential, or irrelevant.
In terms of language, nonsense can be expressed through unintelligible or gibberish words and phrases that have no semantic or syntactic structure. It can also manifest as meaningless or nonsensical statements that defy common sense or empirical reality. Nonsense can result from confusion, a deliberate intention to deceive or mislead, or simply as a product of irrational thinking or faulty reasoning.
Nonsense can be observed in various contexts, such as in humor and jokes where intentionally absurd or illogical statements are made for comedic effect. It can also be encountered in misleading or fallacious arguments that lack any substantive evidence or logical coherence. Furthermore, nonsense can be found in confused or unintelligible writing or speech that fails to convey any comprehensible meaning.
In summary, nonsense refers to communication, statements, or actions lacking coherence, logic, or value, often embodying absurdity, irrationality, or a lack of meaning. It is typically characterized by the absence of reason, factual evidence, or objective relevance.
That which is not sense; unmeaning words or language; words which convey no intelligent ideas; absurdity.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "nonsense" originated from the combination of two words: "none" and "sense". "None" means "no" or "not any", while "sense" refers to rationality or reasoning. Over time, the two words merged together to form "nonsense", which is used to describe something that lacks logical meaning or coherence.