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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UBoB
Reply #42 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:45 AM
Reply #42 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:45 AM
Ah, slang. What would we do without it? Although condemned by purists as a bastardization of language, slang is a monument to the ability of language to evolve. By cutting through its euphemistic and pretentious nature, slang refreshes language by supplying substitutes for words that have grown weary. Over time, too much linguistic familiarity breeds listlessness. Slang is a response to our need for variety.
However, the purity of language is not just a 'concern' of the English speakers. Take French, for example. In 1635, L'Académie Français was established under the auspices of Cardinal Richelieu. Its mandate was "to labour with all possible care and diligence to give definite rules to [the French] language and to render it pure, eloquent and capable of treating the arts and sciences."
How well has it fulfilled its mandate? Well, it certainly has established definite rules, ossified though they may be. And no one can claim that French is not eloquent or capable of treating the arts and sciences. L'Académie, however has not rendered French "pure." To have done so, one would have to have performed linguistic alchemy. The notion of pristine languages is as fictitious as the concept of distinct races.
The French word for language, langue, takes the feminine gender, and if the truth be known, the lady was never pure. French was long ago 'corrupted' by borrowings from Gaulic (a Celtic language) and Germanic and later Italian, Spanish and Arabic. Ironically, many of the 'corruptions' are English words previously borrowed from French. Adulterations such as rosbif, tennis, parquez, and stop were originally French words, smuggled into England centuries ago.
[Message Edited]
However, the purity of language is not just a 'concern' of the English speakers. Take French, for example. In 1635, L'Académie Français was established under the auspices of Cardinal Richelieu. Its mandate was "to labour with all possible care and diligence to give definite rules to [the French] language and to render it pure, eloquent and capable of treating the arts and sciences."
How well has it fulfilled its mandate? Well, it certainly has established definite rules, ossified though they may be. And no one can claim that French is not eloquent or capable of treating the arts and sciences. L'Académie, however has not rendered French "pure." To have done so, one would have to have performed linguistic alchemy. The notion of pristine languages is as fictitious as the concept of distinct races.
The French word for language, langue, takes the feminine gender, and if the truth be known, the lady was never pure. French was long ago 'corrupted' by borrowings from Gaulic (a Celtic language) and Germanic and later Italian, Spanish and Arabic. Ironically, many of the 'corruptions' are English words previously borrowed from French. Adulterations such as rosbif, tennis, parquez, and stop were originally French words, smuggled into England centuries ago.
[Message Edited]
Styl-X Design
Reply #43 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:59 AM
Reply #43 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:59 AM
#7 by Admin Jafo - 8/9/2003 7:55:15 AM
'color' and 'colour' are not 'flavours'...the only correct one is 'colour'....
You're sure about that, check out photoshop
'color' and 'colour' are not 'flavours'...the only correct one is 'colour'....
You're sure about that, check out photoshop
LazyDawg
Reply #45 Monday, August 11, 2003 5:06 AM
Nah, 'srite Fuzzy, I cun understan' it, und ima 'Ampshire 'Og.
Reply #45 Monday, August 11, 2003 5:06 AM
| Eee, tha dunt know nowt. If'a spoke reight 'ere, nobdy'd know wharra'wu talkin abaht. Tha's gorra mek thi'sen understood, no matter we'ar thy art. |
Nah, 'srite Fuzzy, I cun understan' it, und ima 'Ampshire 'Og.
yossell
Reply #46 Monday, August 11, 2003 5:14 AM
Reply #46 Monday, August 11, 2003 5:14 AM
The english language and why IT'S so hard to learn
Doreen
Reply #47 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:06 AM
Reply #47 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:06 AM
the lingo and whether or not it tis spoken properly is not what is important, it is getting your message across to the other person no matter how you speak it. (that's the only purpose I see for it)
Here we go again how ppl judge others by their proper use of language which is why I keep my mouth shut alot in real life, and never even try to communicate much unless I absolutely have to (batting eyelashes works just fine and you don't have to "spoke" one word) hehe
Here we go again how ppl judge others by their proper use of language which is why I keep my mouth shut alot in real life, and never even try to communicate much unless I absolutely have to (batting eyelashes works just fine and you don't have to "spoke" one word) hehe
Doreen
Reply #49 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:19 AM
Reply #49 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:19 AM
whatcho talkin bout fuzzy wuzzy... (insert batting eyelashes here) 
Doreen
Reply #51 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:29 AM
Reply #51 Monday, August 11, 2003 7:29 AM
seeee works everytime and I get to save face (cuz "my" lingo sucks) hehe!
paxx
Reply #52 Monday, August 11, 2003 9:20 AM
Reply #52 Monday, August 11, 2003 9:20 AM
Well, there is an elementary rule in linguistics: the use makes the rule. Which means that in linguistics, the "correct" way is the way most people spell it. So, the question now is, are there more people spelling "colour" or "color"? 290 million Americans, how many English speakers in the rest of the world? 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
sig101
Reply #53 Monday, August 11, 2003 10:21 AM
Reply #53 Monday, August 11, 2003 10:21 AM
You need India to make that argument (where English is not the only language natively spoken by the populace). The combined populations of the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and NZ ain't enough to do it.
The combined populations of the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and NZ ain't enough to do it.
IPlural
Reply #54 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:47 PM
Reply #54 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:47 PM
ain't no diff really cause thems not speaking correctly.
Oh... Canada, eh, we can go for a rid down the road for a 2 fer of Blues and pop a couple, eh?
I used to love going over to St Sthephens and hanging out, but now they get all twitchy about it, kinda sad really. Though the US side is the same way when coming back.
Oh... Canada, eh, we can go for a rid down the road for a 2 fer of Blues and pop a couple, eh?
I used to love going over to St Sthephens and hanging out, but now they get all twitchy about it, kinda sad really. Though the US side is the same way when coming back.
Bangkokboy
Reply #55 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:49 PM
Reply #55 Monday, August 11, 2003 1:49 PM
why is schedule "shedule" when school isn't "shool"??
the archer carried his bow made from a sturdy bough up to the bow of the boat.
as to the comment that english is easier for germanic language types -
if you with a germanic family language started have, then the learning of english in short order undoubtedly very simple will prove.
the archer carried his bow made from a sturdy bough up to the bow of the boat.
as to the comment that english is easier for germanic language types -
if you with a germanic family language started have, then the learning of english in short order undoubtedly very simple will prove.
deleted
Reply #56 Monday, August 11, 2003 2:58 PM
Reply #56 Monday, August 11, 2003 2:58 PM
No one's mentioned the California "stoner" accent yet:
Imypingisonmumputernime LIKE fromalifornia.
Translation: I'm typing this on my computer and I'm from California.
I know many people who have learned English as a 2nd language who have better English than some Californians. Also, on a somewhat related note, we might end up with a native Austrian as Governor. That's right. Ahhnold Schwarzenegger. deleted runs away, ashamed of what California might come to with a movie-star governor.
[Message Edited]
Imypingisonmumputernime LIKE fromalifornia.
Translation: I'm typing this on my computer and I'm from California.
I know many people who have learned English as a 2nd language who have better English than some Californians. Also, on a somewhat related note, we might end up with a native Austrian as Governor. That's right. Ahhnold Schwarzenegger. deleted runs away, ashamed of what California might come to with a movie-star governor.
[Message Edited]
Jafo
Reply #57 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:49 PM
Reply #57 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:49 PM
Good grief...why worry about a Movie star Gov. when you had one for Pres?....
Jafo
Reply #58 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:51 PM
Reply #58 Monday, August 11, 2003 3:51 PM
Paxx....290 million Merrycans makes it 'might is right', of course.....silly me.....
sig101
Reply #59 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:25 PM
Reply #59 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:25 PM
Our last movie star governor *became* the Pres. 
At least that's not possible with Ahhnold thanks to the US Constitution.
At least that's not possible with Ahhnold thanks to the US Constitution.
Jafo
Reply #60 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:56 PM
Reply #60 Monday, August 11, 2003 4:56 PM
If that Constitution was any good you wouldn't get some of the idiot Presidents that you have had to date...
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Reply #41 Monday, August 11, 2003 2:37 AM
I suspect only BoXXi can read that
Yes, we have our own language here in Yorkshire, an' reight prowd we ar'n'all. Of course, I can still speak English when required