Palindrome Words: They’re the Same Backwards and Forwards!

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Palindromes are words, phrases, or any sequence of characters that are spelled the same way backward and forward. So when written and viewed on a mirror, these words will still appear the same. The term comes from the Greek word palindromos which means “running back again.”

This concept exists as far back as 79 C.E, where a palindrome was found in the town of Herculaneum, graffitied into a part of the city. This palindrome, called the Sator Square, is remarkable because it could be read in four different directions without the message changing.

A Sator Square in Oppède, France | M Disidero

Types of Palindromes

Spacing, punctuation, and capitalization are often ignored when creating palindromes to create a better presentation of this type of wordplay. This is why many types of palindromes exist, ranging from the simple letters and numbers to complete sentences. Check out some of these types below!

1. Character by Character

The most common palindromes are letters from words that read the same way backward or forward, like these:

  • level
  • rotor
  • kayak
  • racecar
  • madam

Character palindromes also exist in sentences and phrases:

  • Was it a car or a cat I saw?
  • Do geese see God?
  • A man, a plan, a canal – Panama
  • Amore, Roma.
  • Dogma? I am God.

2. Words

Sometimes, a palindrome can be formed when the words from a sentence are taken as a single unit and then reversed.

  • Is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?
  • First ladies rule the State and state the rule: ladies first.
  • King, are you glad you are king?
  • So patient a nurse to nurse a patient so.
  • “Son, I am able,” she said, “though you scare me.” “Watch,” said I, “beloved.” I said, “Watch me scare you.” “Though,” said she, “able am I, son.”

3. Names

Its also possible for your given name or surname to be a palindrome!

  • Hannah (a common first name)
  • Renner (a common surname)
  • Lon Nol (a former prime minister of Cambodia)
  • Nisio Isin (a Japanese manga writer)
  • Girafarig (a Pokemon name)

4. Numbers

Palindromes also appear in number sequences and are especially sought out in recreational mathematics (mathematics done for the fun of it).

  • 313 and 191 are palindromic primes (prime numbers that are also palindromes)
  • 02/02/2020 (2 February 2020) is considered a “universal palindrome day” as it will remain a palindrome regardless of date format (mm-dd-yyyy, dd-mm-yyyy, or yyyy-mm-dd). Other universal palindrome days are the future dates 12/12/2121 and 03/03/3030.

In fact palindromes occur so frequently in mathematics that a recently published paper has demonstrated that “every positive integer can be written as the sum of three palindromic numbers in every number system with base 5 or greater.”

5. Semordnilap

A Semordnilap (“palindromes” spelled backward) is a special type of palindrome. Rather than spelling the same word when reversed, a semordnilap spells out a different word instead.

  • Stressed becomes desserts
  • Drawer becomes reward
  • Repaid becomes diaper
  • Gateman becomes nametag
  • Deliver becomes reviled

What Is the Biggest Palindrome?

Here are a two interesting tidbits about palindromes:

  • The longest palindrome in the English language is “tattarrattat.” Coined by James Joyce in his novel Ulysses, it means “a knock at the door.”
  • The longest palindrome used in everyday speech is “saippuakivikauppias“ which is Finnish for “soap vendor.”

Fun with Palindromes

It’s definitely possible for you to create your own palindrome. Many people make it a hobby, and some even consider it worthy of a competition.

Those with artistic spirits regularly see it as an avenue of expression. Famous singer “Weird Al” Yankovic’s song “Bob” is written entirely in palindromes:

Another great example is Demetri Martin (who plays Ice Bear in the popular animated show We Bare Bears). During his time at Yale, he wrote a 224-word poem that not only consists of multiple palindromes, but is also a palindrome itself. Here’s an excerpt:

Dammit I'm mad
Evil is a deed as I live.
God, am I reviled?
I rise, my bed on a sun, I melt.
To be not one man emanating is sad. I piss.
Alas it is so late. Who stops to help? Man, it is hot.
 
I'm in it.
I tell.
I am not a devil.
I level "Mad Dog".

If you enjoy wordplay involving the rearrangement of words and letters, then palindromes are right up your alley!

You can use them as a mental exercise or added challenge to hone your writing, reading, and analyzation skills. Start with creating a palindromic phrase and slowly move up to creating entire palindromic paragraphs or even poems.

What are your favorite palindromes? Share them in the comments below!

 

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