Isn't English a Funny Language
- කිත්සිරි ද සිල්වාTop contributor
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Isn't English a Funny Language
Is cheese the plural of choose?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
In what language do people recite at a play, and play at a recital?
Ship by truck, and send cargo by ship?
Have noses that run and feet that smell?
Park on driveways and drive on parkways?
Sweetmeats are candies, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write, but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce, and hammers don't ham?
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?
One goose, 2 geese. So, one moose, 2 meese?
One index, two indices?
How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another?
When a house burns up, it burns down.
You fill in a form by filling it out, and an alarm clock goes off by going on.
When the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it?
English muffins were not invented in England or French fries in France.
How can 'slim chance and a fat chance' be the same, while ' wise man and a wise guy' are opposites?
Source
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- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Its good that at least we Sri Lankan's don't speak the way the British do. They speak the Cockney language which is wild and vile.
What was once aweful is now awful.
Many years from now, the written English would be like Hebrew. in Hebrew, only the consonants are written and the vowels are added by the reader or pronounced while speaking.
Texting and the use of abbreviated terms in written communication will make the English language more difficult to learn.
Ultimately, it may end up like Latin and Greek.
Nevertheless, English will be spoken globally even by the French and Germans for at least another two decades.
So we may have to bear with the idiosyncrasies of the language.
- slstockVeteran
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Hybrid wrote:
Nevertheless, English will be spoken globally even by the French and Germans for at least another two decades.
So we may have to bear with the idiosyncrasies of the language.
a) What will happen after 2 decades to english?
b) How do you see the American english version?
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- yellow knifeTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Thankx kith ... very funny...
- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
slstock wrote:Hybrid wrote:
Nevertheless, English will be spoken globally even by the French and Germans for at least another two decades.
So we may have to bear with the idiosyncrasies of the language.
a) What will happen after 2 decades to english?
b) How do you see the American english version?
Language (like many other inventions) is used by the powerful nations to "throw their weight around". The French, Germans, British and others used their languages to subjugate and keep the layman and foreigner alike from interfering with their way of governance.
The British or former English did it in style with all forms of pomp and pageantry. they also 'ruled the seas' after the defeat of the Spaniards. The likes of Shakespeare, poets, writers and the Royal Family created a demand and held in prominence the possession of the English Language.
Howe ever,there is a saying " Siyaluma Dhey Annithiyai" and now the English language is losing its once prominent and glamorous position as the worlds International Language belonging exclusively to the English (England).
What has happened is that the language is 'bastardized' ( ) to use one of the English language's Anglo-Saxon words. Thousands upon thousands of words are being added each year to the English Language making it the most complex and difficult languages to learn. I would liken this English Language to a whore ( ) who has no owner. Everyone and every nation has contributed to the birth and sustenance and growth of the English Language.
On the positive angle, this language is one of the most expressive and you could kill a man without him knowing it if one has the full command of the English Language.
Anyway, the English will not be owned by the English and will eventually be localized to suit the usage and practices of each nation. No one Nation will dictate the norms or its usage. However, there is a trend developing within corporate organizations to stick to a consistent language among all its entities, branches, vendors and customers. At the moment it is only in English.
Hope that answers your question about what will happen to the English Language very soon. The next question will be answered after a break!
- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
[/quote]slstock wrote:
b) How do you see the American english version?
Americans aren't copy-cats by choice.
They will always do things differently in an affected manner.
The English that the US citizens use is different in three prominent ways:
1) Grammar
2) Pronunciation
3) Spelling
The Grammar used is not as complicated as the English, English! The USA uses simple forms of the present and past tenses.
The English Pronunciation is more conceited than the US. Any Dick, Tom, or Harry Jayawardena cannot pronounce many English words as they are termed 'above par'.
Spelling of English words by the US is far more simpler. They choose to knock down the additional flavour by taking off the "U" and spelling it " Flavor". Same goes for "Honour", " Favour", "Colour" etc.
What the US has done is simplified the usage of the English Language so that the common man could use it more freely.
Anyway, the education level of many an American is poor and the soldiers in its armies have to be given written instructions in simple English and diagrams or pictures adjacent to the instructions as they are unable to read well. Imagine what will happen to the Syrians if an uneducated soldier lets go a bomb on the Syrians because he couldn't understand the instructions?
The best usage of the English Language I like is when I watch a Japanese or Chinese Film or Video. The Sub-titles are hilarious.
Anyway, we also learned the English language with great difficulty. So we should be patient with others.
IT and software is developed using the US English.
Hopefully, the Japanese will not use their version of the English language for the many electronics and manuals. I think I might murder them instead of murdering the Queen!
- BackstageTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
- slstockVeteran
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Many thing you said I can testify and agree.
Other can be topics for a discussion.
2)
But will not add anything much.
I like others to read you erudite version without burying it behind detailed replies .
Just to arouse interest, will say this.
Sometimes there were some other mediums ( like music, beats, and humming) that was used by people of certain countries/ethnicities to communicate or pass signals
I guess in Sri lankan we had/have the "Hokki Hooowa".
3)
So what language has the probability to replace English after 2 decades ?
( actually that too soon I think anyway)
In the country am in presently, certain 2 languages ( and people who use it )is growing.
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- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
As an example, I would take the English spoken by the Indians. Its utterly, mutilated and what is now used as "so called English" is a massaged version that the Hindhi speaking population use.
The same goes for the Sinh-Lish that we some times use unwittingly. We have the 'ne the', 'come co', ' kadannefy', 'pahadilify' , 'kudufy' etc.
Also, I see a trend in mixing sinhala and english words alternatively in any conversation which irritates me to the giddy limit.
I like both languages and use both effectively for clarity and purpose.
I speak to the cops in Sinhala when I have to.
I speak to my Boss in English when I have to.
A also speak my friends in the presence of my Boss in Sinhala when I have to.
So that's what will happen to the English Language in Sri Lanka and India
As for the rest of the world, it will not be English any more. May be I could coin a word for your benefit or curiosity. We can call the new language "UN Inter-Lingo" which will be the generic language and each country would adapt its own localized version sticking closely to the generic rules.
- කිත්සිරි ද සිල්වාTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
However, it will be mutilated to such an extent that you will not think it as English anymore.
(What is the opposite of postponement? To most south Indians it is "Prepone". With over billion taking on such words, soon Oxford and other dictionaries have to include them in their publications, even if they are not English, because at the end numbers matter).
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- yellow knifeTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
By now we have to accept Indian accent as mentioned above. Even in the movie Jurasic World the Indian speaks in Indian accent and since the numbers matter we have to accept it.
Earlier there was a trend to speak English as an Enlishman.. Now as a local ... No more elocution is needed to form the accent..
the discussion reminds me My Fair Lady..
The rain in Spain was never on plains...
- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
yellow knife wrote:Very good discussion..
By now we have to accept Indian accent as mentioned above. Even in the movie Jurasic World the Indian speaks in Indian accent and since the numbers matter we have to accept it.
Earlier there was a trend to speak English as an Enlishman.. Now as a local ... No more elocution is needed to form the accent..
the discussion reminds me My Fair Lady..
The rain in Spain was never on plains...
Yes, That is true these Indians really annoy me with their speech.
Anyway, I hope I do not have to learn another blooming language all over again. I managed to painstakingly learn English and Sinhala and still learning as I do not know even 5% of the words that are in the Dictionary. maybe 40,000 or so roughly of the English and 5000 of the Sinhala.
- BackstageTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Backstage wrote:Coding is one of the languages of the future.
I did not commit myself initially. That's why I coined the name "UN-Inter-Lingo".
Things are going to be Bar coded, QR read, Symbolized, Characterized, Numerated and quantified in the future.
Risk Management will verify them!
- rameez
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
The indians never thought us english...although our background which we try to hide is Indian
Sri lanka was exposed to speaking traditional English but that stupid decision to nature English as a secondary language screwed those opportunities and this is the outcome....
Results as seen on this forum don't come overnight.
At least we should have learnt form the Indians when they faltered in their accent .
Some of us never changed though! .....because we knew its values at a very tender age even when we were compelled to learn sinhala or tamil..in school.
However We can still be what we should be....easily with the present generation where english is widely spoken thanks to the openings in the educational sector if one and all really understands the value of speaking English from a very tender age and mind you ...the best place to do it is at home. We never attended elocution classes! but we still pronounce 'success' and 'saw' the english way... So lets work for the better of the future by regaining that real english sri lankan accent. Just be sri lankan and 'lets do it'.
- BackstageTop contributor
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
Verified in Singlish.....
- pee ratioActive Member
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=h67k9eEw9AY
- Hybrid
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Re: Isn't English a Funny Language
However, I note that he himself uses one religious and superfluous word in every other sentence of his.
I think he does that for effect and attracting attention just the same thing other people do.