Fun Stuff > CHATTER
English is weird
bainidhe_dub:
But some of those "rootless" de- words do have a counterpart that begins with re-, suggesting a common etymological root at some point, even if the root is no longer in use as a standalone word. Such as: reflect, receive, reduce, reject, recant, revise, repress, resist.
See also: (click to show/hide)
LTK:
How many profane verbs are used as positive adjectives? It occured to me that "bitching" (or "bitchin'" as it's more commonly used) as an adjective is often a good thing. "That wave was totally bitchin'." (It looks like a gerund but it's really an adjective, like 'awesome'.) But you can't do that with other profane verbs-as-adjectives. "Totally fuckin'/shittin'/pissin'/dickin'" are never used. Nor are "Cuntin'/Whorin'/Assin'"... fuck, I'm running out of profanity.
pwhodges:
--- Quote from: bainidhe_dub on 15 Nov 2013, 18:54 ---See also: (click to show/hide)
--- End quote ---
Yes.
From OED (heavily précied):
whelm verb & noun. verb intrans: Overturn, capsize. verb trans: Turn (a hollow vessel) upside down, cover with an upside-down vessel; submerge, drown, bury. noun: A wooden drainpipe originally made from a hollowed tree trunk; a surge (of activity, water, etc) poet.
Is it cold in here?:
I don't know how accurate this is:
http://www.cracked.com/article_20713_5-reasons-english-language-makes-no-freaking-sense.html
pwhodges:
I think the motivations for the changes are a bit cherry-picked - but the one about changes to match an incorrect Latin etymology is true enough. But basically it can be summarised by saying that English has been hacked together and bashed about more than most languages, and it shows.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version