Jump to content

Is English language too F'ed?


MrAce

Recommended Posts

When I saw the thread title, I thought this was going to be one of GradeAUnderA's rants on the English language.

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

 

I thought we need something to laugh in WC after recent serious topics that lasted forever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

 

I thought we need something to laugh in WC after recent serious topics that lasted forever.

 

Definitely. And as much as I agree with 1eye about transitive and intransitive, I think that we can let it lie. Or let it lay. Or whatever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

heh. There was a guy here some years ago who decided to stick up a local bar. Walked in, pulled his gun, fired a round into the ceiling while looking up, looked around... and froze. He was staring into the muzzles of at least a dozen guns. Moral of the story: if you decide to stick up a bar, don't pick one where off duty cops hang out.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the past couple months there have been a string of bank robberies around here, and the cops dubbed him the "Spelling Bee Bandit" because he hands the teller a note that says "robery". But this didn't amuse the teller enough to not give him the dough.

 

He was caught about a week ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Be fair, the English language has evolved to torment some and delight others. "Ghoti" = "Fish is possibly the best known example but things like read, red reed and read are just unfair for people trying to learn it. The exact same word can have two entirely unrelated meanings (lie and lie, having just come from a discussion about the election) and that doesn't include any of the slang. From extremely limited understanding of the slang in other countries, it seems with only a few exceptions, English language profanity is generally pretty banal and unimaginative in comparison. So it makes up for it with everyday words. One goose -two geese: one moose - two moose: one mouse- two mice; one house -two houses. Maybe English speakers have no mental energy left over for imaginative profanity.

 

As far as pronunciation goes, though, dialects will be vastly different for every language if enough distance/time and sometimes it doesn't take that much. But I have known people from France who spoke no Spanish but claimed it was easier to understand Mexican Spanish than French Canadian French.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The English language is totally ****ed, especially the American strain. [start rant]

 

You've got Awlbany and Al abama

Shouldn't someone from Illinois be an Illinoiser?

And what's up with the 100% beef "Ham"burger

 

And as Meg Ryan pointed out in Sleepless in Seattle, if a man's wife dies he is a widower. but we say he has been widowed. Shouldn't we say he has been widowered?

 

 

...... However.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...