The english language and why its so hard to learn
Saturday, August 9, 2003 by The Rated PG | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
21 Reasons Why The English Language Is Hard To Learn:
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was
time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce.
3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4) We must polish the Polish furniture.
5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was
time to present the present.
8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
13) They were too close to the door to close it.
14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.
15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.
19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
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Jafo
Reply #22 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:07 AM
Reply #22 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:07 AM
Was waiting for someone to notice....BTW...I spent 6 years at Essendon Grammar School in Melbourne...so needless to say I can spell 'grammar'...
IPlural
Reply #23 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:15 AM
I didn't even notice, I was laughing
You should have heard the garbage the kids in jail were talking.
You know, we be kicking it down the beach side sliding up on some ho's and they been watchin us freak on them and we only justificating us to them and why they should ride with us...
I couldn't stop laughing and they would ask "waz so funie" and I would laugh even harder. The other older guys where stand offish with them and wouldn't say anything mostly out of fear because they ran around talking loud and large. Hell if they are old enough to be there they are old enough to slap intelligent.
[Message Edited]
Reply #23 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:15 AM
I didn't even notice, I was laughingYou should have heard the garbage the kids in jail were talking.
You know, we be kicking it down the beach side sliding up on some ho's and they been watchin us freak on them and we only justificating us to them and why they should ride with us...
I couldn't stop laughing and they would ask "waz so funie" and I would laugh even harder. The other older guys where stand offish with them and wouldn't say anything mostly out of fear because they ran around talking loud and large. Hell if they are old enough to be there they are old enough to slap intelligent.
[Message Edited]
wombat_1
Reply #24 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:29 AM
If only they knew where Essendon is located!
Modern day hypothetical equivalent ... 'Broadmeadows University'
And that's why we need certain 'British' TV productions 'sub-titled'!
[Message Edited]
Reply #24 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:29 AM
| Essendon Grammar School in Melbourne |
If only they knew where Essendon is located! Modern day hypothetical equivalent ... 'Broadmeadows University'
| Actually, Koasati, the reason is simple; we speak English, you speak American, Jafo and his countrymen speak Austrailian. |
And that's why we need certain 'British' TV productions 'sub-titled'!
[Message Edited]
Doreen
Reply #27 Sunday, August 10, 2003 6:45 AM
Reply #27 Sunday, August 10, 2003 6:45 AM
English is not that easy so I only speak Dorenglish (much better for me)
Cavanaugh
Reply #28 Sunday, August 10, 2003 7:09 AM
Reply #28 Sunday, August 10, 2003 7:09 AM
Error keyboard not attached ... Press F1 to continue.
I.R. Brainiac
Reply #29 Sunday, August 10, 2003 7:56 AM
Reply #29 Sunday, August 10, 2003 7:56 AM
Texas...its a whole other country,..and a whole other language. 
(any similarities to english are purely coincidental)
(any similarities to english are purely coincidental)
UBoB
Reply #30 Sunday, August 10, 2003 10:55 AM
Reply #30 Sunday, August 10, 2003 10:55 AM
I once took a 'bird' course at University called "English as a second language"............I convinced them I needed it by telling them I was Australian.
wombat_1
Reply #31 Sunday, August 10, 2003 11:20 AM
Reply #31 Sunday, August 10, 2003 11:20 AM
| I convinced them I needed it by telling them I was Australian. |
UBoB
Reply #32 Sunday, August 10, 2003 11:24 AM
Reply #32 Sunday, August 10, 2003 11:24 AM
You can "pop" a baby in Cambridge, England, but not in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
And then there are the obsolete words in our language:
Which of the following two sentences, featuring underlined words, is obscene?
A) When he was a piss-prophet he was a shittle fartles, but now that he makes spiss pissabed wine he is generally regarded as geason and by no means unpregnant.
B) The bronstrops inquired whether the franion would like to smick and halch a tentiginous thuften, but he refused because he had no desire to commit eaubruche against his muskin with a drossell.
The correct answer is B.
The first sentence relates that a man who earned his living diagnosing urine samples (piss-prophet) was an unstable, troublesome person (shittle fartles), but now that he has switched careers and is making thick dandelion (spiss pissabed) wine, he is considered to be a wonderful (geason) man and by no means inept at business (unpregnant).
The seemingly innocuous second tale has a prostitute (bronstrops) approach a ladies' man (franion) and try to entice him to kiss and embrace a lusty maiden (smick and halch a tentiginous thuften). He refuses becuse he doesn't want to commit adultery against his sweetheart with a slut (eaubruche against his muskin with a drossell).
The underlined words are absent from most dictionaries. They can all, however, be found in The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), followed by the notation "obs.," the lexicographic abbreviation for obsolete (not obscene )
And then there are the obsolete words in our language:
Which of the following two sentences, featuring underlined words, is obscene?
A) When he was a piss-prophet he was a shittle fartles, but now that he makes spiss pissabed wine he is generally regarded as geason and by no means unpregnant.
B) The bronstrops inquired whether the franion would like to smick and halch a tentiginous thuften, but he refused because he had no desire to commit eaubruche against his muskin with a drossell.
The correct answer is B.
The first sentence relates that a man who earned his living diagnosing urine samples (piss-prophet) was an unstable, troublesome person (shittle fartles), but now that he has switched careers and is making thick dandelion (spiss pissabed) wine, he is considered to be a wonderful (geason) man and by no means inept at business (unpregnant).
The seemingly innocuous second tale has a prostitute (bronstrops) approach a ladies' man (franion) and try to entice him to kiss and embrace a lusty maiden (smick and halch a tentiginous thuften). He refuses becuse he doesn't want to commit adultery against his sweetheart with a slut (eaubruche against his muskin with a drossell).
The underlined words are absent from most dictionaries. They can all, however, be found in The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), followed by the notation "obs.," the lexicographic abbreviation for obsolete (not obscene
)
UBoB
Reply #33 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:02 PM @ wombat_1
I threw that out there for Jafo. Let's see if he takes the bait.
Reply #33 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:02 PM
@ wombat_1I threw that out there for Jafo. Let's see if he takes the bait.
craeonics
Reply #34 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:23 PM
Reply #34 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:23 PM
I speak a mixture of English and American English based on far too many import tv-series and movies, enhanced with random anglifications of Dutch to keep the mind occupied.
themorphium
Reply #35 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:41 PM
Reply #35 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:41 PM
When I were in Great Britain, I didn't have problems with english language. Only British had problems with my english
LazyDawg
Reply #36 Sunday, August 10, 2003 1:00 PM
And why was there a smilie after "us Brits"???
Reply #36 Sunday, August 10, 2003 1:00 PM
| 'we Brits'.....Get it right... |
And why was there a smilie after "us Brits"???
Lady_Akasha
Reply #37 Sunday, August 10, 2003 9:43 PM
Reply #37 Sunday, August 10, 2003 9:43 PM
As someone who origates from Europe, I have needless to say many in my family that had to 'learn' the American-english language, and every single foreigner I have known or come to know all say that it is truly the hardest language to learn from any other. Simply for the manner in which letters are grouped together to forn a particular sound. As most other languages, words are simply and plainly pronounced as they are spelled. While we have that, but not in all cases...there are many expections, by the letters that are grouped and the like. It really is a hard language. However...
English is no longer spoken. It should be called 'slangish' at least here in the states.
It's all slang...and modern man in this technological day with all of it's feats and accomplishments has managed to make a mockery of the language. Truly incredible, we can take computers to the levels we have...taken science to stages unimaginable at one time...yet we have somehow managed to take a language and do horrifying things with it. And I do speak for most of us that speak American-English. I don't when was the last time I've heard words that were spoken as they should be.
"gonna"--'should'a'--'yup'--'lemme'--'we'd'a'--'bout'--'he/she'd-a" and that's just a minute few.
It's a disgrace.
English is no longer spoken. It should be called 'slangish' at least here in the states.
It's all slang...and modern man in this technological day with all of it's feats and accomplishments has managed to make a mockery of the language. Truly incredible, we can take computers to the levels we have...taken science to stages unimaginable at one time...yet we have somehow managed to take a language and do horrifying things with it. And I do speak for most of us that speak American-English. I don't when was the last time I've heard words that were spoken as they should be.
"gonna"--'should'a'--'yup'--'lemme'--'we'd'a'--'bout'--'he/she'd-a" and that's just a minute few.
It's a disgrace.
craeonics
Reply #39 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:28 AM
Reply #39 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:28 AM
Whether or not English is easy depends on your native tongue. If you speak a germanic language English is easy, if you speak a roman language it gets a bit harder, but it's still the same language family.
If, on the other hand, you speak Mandarin, English can indeed be damn hard, because it completely unreleated to your own tongue.
If, on the other hand, you speak Mandarin, English can indeed be damn hard, because it completely unreleated to your own tongue.
sig101
Reply #40 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:32 AM, Lady A: have you listened to some Brits who definitely do not speak the Queen's (or BBC) English? Some of them are almost virtually unintelligible except perhaps to each other. So it's just not an American "thang."
I've wondered if some of the difficulty of English for some is due to its origins. From Old English (a Germanic language) with the later influx of French (from the Normans). And then there was the "Great Vowel Shift" which where pronunciation of vowels drifted away from those of the continental languages as explained here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/hub/A964578 and http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~gene/languages/vowelshift.html .
And add to that the fact that standardized spelling and pronunciation was a development that never entirely worked out the way it should have (in some people's opinions anyway): http://www.unifon.org/trouble-with-spelling1.html
Slang, whether English or American, is not a new thing by any means. There has always been a common vernacular (with regional differences and dialects whether in England or America and then of course there are the Aussies ) along with whatever formal standard of language and pronunciation considered "proper" at the time.
For example, many years ago an English professor of mine averred that if one wanted to have an idea of how the great Shakespeare's words were pronounced in his own time one should go to Appalachia. For certainly Shakespeare's actors weren't speaking with the plummy pronunciations we now associate with "Oxbridge" graduates and BBC productions of his plays. For example, one could practice here: http://www.renfaire.com/Language/
In Shakespeare's time spelling wasn't standardized and furthermore, word smithing was a truly creative act: Shakespeare is credited with the introduction of approximately 3,000 words into the English language. And just to think, all that beautiful English prose spoken with the pronunciation of American hillbillies.
[Message Edited]
Reply #40 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:32 AM
, Lady A: have you listened to some Brits who definitely do not speak the Queen's (or BBC) English? Some of them are almost virtually unintelligible except perhaps to each other. So it's just not an American "thang." I've wondered if some of the difficulty of English for some is due to its origins. From Old English (a Germanic language) with the later influx of French (from the Normans). And then there was the "Great Vowel Shift" which where pronunciation of vowels drifted away from those of the continental languages as explained here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/hub/A964578 and http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~gene/languages/vowelshift.html .
And add to that the fact that standardized spelling and pronunciation was a development that never entirely worked out the way it should have (in some people's opinions anyway): http://www.unifon.org/trouble-with-spelling1.html
Slang, whether English or American, is not a new thing by any means. There has always been a common vernacular (with regional differences and dialects whether in England or America and then of course there are the Aussies
) along with whatever formal standard of language and pronunciation considered "proper" at the time. For example, many years ago an English professor of mine averred that if one wanted to have an idea of how the great Shakespeare's words were pronounced in his own time one should go to Appalachia. For certainly Shakespeare's actors weren't speaking with the plummy pronunciations we now associate with "Oxbridge" graduates and BBC productions of his plays. For example, one could practice here: http://www.renfaire.com/Language/
In Shakespeare's time spelling wasn't standardized and furthermore, word smithing was a truly creative act: Shakespeare is credited with the introduction of approximately 3,000 words into the English language. And just to think, all that beautiful English prose spoken with the pronunciation of American hillbillies.
[Message Edited]
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Reply #21 Sunday, August 10, 2003 12:04 AM
BTW, isn't it "grammar?"