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!
Ah yes these are all great ones. How do you pronounce yer name?
Thanks for the great laugh! It's came in good time!
BTW, how come time flies when it doesn't have wings?
Its quirkiness is what I love about the English language.
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.
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?
by Eugene Brennan 7 years ago
Why is There No Plural of "You" in the English Language?
by John Hollywood 9 years ago
If you held in the palm of your hand one magic wish that could only be used to change one thing about your writing, what would it be?Abracadabra - poof!!
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I was just HubHopping, and really enjoying it, when I saw one that sure looked familiar. Guess what?? It was mine that I just published. Don't worry, I didn't vote it UP or anything.....Just thought it comical.
by Laura Schneider 10 years ago
What's your favorite thing about writing?
by Sondra Rochelle 9 years ago
I'm sorry if this post offends anybody, but I am really getting tired of people who basically are non English speakers showing up, throwing a hub together without expending any effort to read the forums or the learning center to find out what they should be doing, and then asking for help to...
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I just walked past the bathroom, and the three little tackers were in the bath.I knew my lovely 13 year old granddaughter was bathing them, so went down to her room and said. "So you've finally decided to drown them then?"My granddaughter answered. "It was a last resort...
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