Funny things about the English language!

UU

Hey everyone!

As English is the most important language in the world these days, it's also the most muddled up language! Did you know that it's considered a Germanic language even though most words in it come from French? And it's basically a conglomeration of French, German, Dutch, Latin and Greek.

For these reasons and others, English spelling in relation to it's pronunciation is very confusing for a non-native speaker. For example, if 'GH' stands for 'P' as in 'Hiccough' and if 'OUGH' stands for 'O' as in 'Dough' and if 'PHTH' stands for 'T' as in 'Phthisis' and if 'EIGH' stands for 'A' as in 'Neighbour' and if 'TTE' stands for 'T' as in 'Gazette' and if 'EAU' stands for 'O' as in 'Plateau' then wouldn't the right way to spell 'POTATO' be 'GHOUGHPHTHEIGHTTEEAU'?

There are many more on Link.

Of course it's loose spelling allows for diversity in pronunciation or (pronunsee-eyshin). But it's just humorous to actually stop for a moment a look at the vast range of funny and peculiar things in the language most of us in this country speak every day without noticing. If English has one worthy thing, it allows for a good source of entertainment.

UU

A POEM ABOUT PLURALS

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes;
but the plural of ox became oxen not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice;
yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men,
why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I spoke of my foot and show you my feet,
and I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?
Then one may be that, and three would be those,
yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
and the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
but though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
but imagine the feminine, she, shis and shim.

Royale with Cheese

I've always noticed the pronounciation of English words is all over the place.

I speak a bit of German, having lived there for a year, and was talking to a friend on MSN while I was there and she jokingly wrote one of the only German words she knew. Scheisse (shit). She spelt it shiza, after I told her the correct way to spell it she told me it was ridiculous and and doesn't look anything like it sounds. I said it looks exactly how it sounds if you speak German. Unlike in English, e.g. tough, dough, etc.