funny thing about the english language!

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   blbhhdcnposted 14 years ago

   The English language can be unpredictable and confusing- but at least we can have fun with it! Here are some unique language oddities to wrap your mind around:
   
   Paradoxies
   
   In the English language...
   
             ...quicksand works slowly...
   
              ...boxing rings are square...
   
             ...a human race is not a race...
   
            ...a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig...
   
   
   
   Did you also know that a house can burn up as it burns down?...
   
          ... you fill in a form by filling it out...
   
          ...and an alarm goes off by going on?
   
   
   
   Also, don't forget that people recite at a play and play at a recital...
   
             ....we ship by truck and send cargo by ship....
   
            ....we park a car on a driveway and drive a car on a parkway....
   
   
   
   And why is it that a slim chance and a fat chance are the same thing...
   
            ...while a wise man and a wise guy are opposties?
   
   
   
   As if isn't enough, when the stars are out, they are visible...
   
              ...but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
   
   
   
   Do you notice that there is no egg in eggplant?...
   
       ...or ham in the hamburger...
   
      ....nor apple or pine in pineapple!
   
   
   
   The masculine pronouns are he, his, and him...
   
        ....but imagine the feminine pronouns being she, shis, and shim!
   
   
   
   The plural of box is boxes... but...
   
          .... the plural of ox is oxen, not oxes!
   
   The plural of goose is geese... but...
   
           ....the plural of moose isn't meese!
   
   The plural of mouse is mice... but....
   
            ...the plural of house isn't hice!
   
   The plural of foot is feet.... but....
   
            .....the plural of boot isn't beet.
   
   The plural of tooth is teeth... but...
   
         ....the plural of booth isn't beeth!

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   ralwusposted 14 years ago

   Ah yes these are all great ones. How do you pronounce yer name?

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      blbhhdcnposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      hello ralwus. Thanks. That's an acronym for my real name . I don't even know how to pronounce it lol

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   awareposted 14 years ago

   Two Words ...Very Nice.

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   R P Chapmanposted 14 years ago

   love a bit of linguistic fun. Thanks for sharing.

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   Beth100posted 14 years ago

   Thanks for the great laugh!  It's came in good time!
   
   BTW, how come time flies when it doesn't have wings?

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   Laura du Toitposted 14 years ago

   Thanks for sharing

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   pioneer_writer5posted 14 years ago

   Its quirkiness is what I love about the English language.

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   megs78posted 14 years ago

   I used this piece in my english classes for my ESL students a couple years ago and they were completely stumped.  I love it though.

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   ralwusposted 14 years ago

   LOL I figured as much. bulbhhedcin sounds right. hehe

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      blbhhdcnposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ur'e funny! and crazy lol *wink*

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    Daniel Carterposted 14 years ago

    I've had so much fun poking fun at the English language. I'm from the west, and my mother's side are all southerners, and then when I was younger spent time in England. Wow. I even wrote about it. I hope my southern relatives don't think I'm mocking them, which I'm not, but there are so many funny stories about the pitfalls and foibles of language.
    
    Like in the south, the plural of "ya'all" is "all ya'all." As if "ya'all" really was singular. LOL
    Ain't no fridge, it's a "icebox" which pronounced more like "assbox." And so it goes.
    
    Fun thread, blbhhdcn. Yes, btw, how do you prounounce that name? It can't be as pretty as your picture!! But since it's an acronym, I propose that we find a prettier acronym that's more suitable.
    
    Any ideas?

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