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Author Topic: English is weird  (Read 304107 times)

jwhouk

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #500 on: 20 May 2015, 06:23 »

And on the bright side, LoB doesn't just... fizzle out.

Fixed.

And with that, Mister Hodges showed to the world why he wins the internet daily.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #501 on: 21 May 2015, 17:59 »

Has anyone put together a magazine which, every month, gives ESL students more information about when to use "a" and "the"?

See the pun thread in a few hours.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #502 on: 21 May 2015, 20:34 »

I saw the pun thread first, ha. I'm disappointed I didn't see this before you put the punchline there, I would've guessed it.
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Sorflakne

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #503 on: 04 Jun 2015, 07:59 »

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #504 on: 04 Jun 2015, 11:08 »

Then there's all the words with multiple meanings. A question about the durability of a retired shoemaker's final template could be "Will the last last last?".
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chaospersonified

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #505 on: 04 Jun 2015, 13:11 »

Police police police police police.

That's a grammatical sentence, and I hate it.

Fucking look at that monstrosity.

I think it's possible to add 'police' a few more times with it continuing to be grammatical, but for the love of fuck, I'm not familiar enough with the definitions and subtleties of the word 'police' to determine what the hell that would mean. Five repetitions makes it a statement on the job description for those who keep an eye on their co-workers, but I think it can be done with eight

It might have shown up in this thread at some point, I don't know.

I read a book once on the weirdness of language, 'Mother Tongue,' by Bill Bryson. Fantastic read.

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #506 on: 04 Jun 2015, 13:12 »

It may be grammatically correct, but it's devastatingly false (although that's a topic for another thread).
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chaospersonified

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #507 on: 04 Jun 2015, 13:35 »

It may be grammatically correct, but it's devastatingly false (although that's a topic for another thread).

Accurate, but an imprecise statement, using the scientific definitions, which is my way of bringing this back to the topic.

What you say hits its target' makes a general point, but is left intentionally vague.

Precision is what makes it need its own thread, being precise would require names of police officers who have been left notably undisciplined for their actions.

Science!
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #508 on: 04 Jun 2015, 15:40 »

being precise would require names of police officers who have been left notably undisciplined for their actions.
It would be a very long list, though in some cases their names are a state-secret... I'm not sure that I buy the idea anyway. Does one have to know the exact properties of each individual atom in a steel bar (impossible anyway according to Quantum Theory), in order to speak precisely of the properties of the metal when it is swung into a man's face?

How about "A supermarket manager wearing a stock, was put in the stocks, and beaten with a rifle stock, as punishment for failing to maintain a stock of meat and vegetable stock on his supermarket's shelves, because he was too busy following his investments in penny stock." The many uses of the word "stock" occurred to me while out shopping...
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #509 on: 04 Jun 2015, 15:42 »

She sells sea shells by the sea shore
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #510 on: 04 Jun 2015, 16:22 »

Quote
English is weird. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #511 on: 04 Jun 2015, 20:28 »

Quote
English is weird. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.

This quote of a quote is an example of the demon that is English language, and thereby thought, creeping into the internet
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #512 on: 04 Jun 2015, 22:14 »

Buffalo buffalo, Buffalo buffalo buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalo. James, while John had had "had", had had "had had"; "had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #513 on: 04 Jun 2015, 22:42 »

My brains are going into my feet!
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Sorflakne

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #514 on: 05 Jun 2015, 17:28 »

Buffalo explained:


PN = proper noun
N = noun
V = verb
NP = noun phrase
RC = relative clause
VP = verb phrase
S = sentence

Edit: why would they .png that? :(
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chaospersonified

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #515 on: 05 Jun 2015, 17:34 »

Buffalo explained:


PN = proper noun
N = noun
V = verb
NP = noun phrase
RC = relative clause
VP = verb phrase
S = sentence

Edit: why would they .png that? :(

So basically, I could say buffalo twenty-seven times in a row and be correct.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #516 on: 05 Jun 2015, 18:04 »

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #517 on: 05 Jun 2015, 23:33 »

In the grocery store today, I saw a package labeled "Frozen Alaska Cod Pieces".
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #518 on: 05 Jun 2015, 23:42 »

Sounds like pollocks to me.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #519 on: 05 Jul 2015, 18:08 »

Anyone know what the difference between a bay and a gulf is?

The Gulf of Mexico is bigger than San Francisco Bay, but the Bay of Bengal is bigger than the Persian Gulf.  Where is the size order?
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #520 on: 05 Jul 2015, 19:31 »

It's not a matter of size, the two are apparently created differently (which shapes them differently I guess?)
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cesium133

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #521 on: 05 Jul 2015, 19:34 »

According to the Wikipedias, a gulf is a large bay that is part of an ocean or sea. Which means the Bay of Bengal by that definition is a gulf.

So I'm gonna go with the difference between them being the name.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #522 on: 05 Jul 2015, 19:39 »

Considering it's also been referred to as "Gulf of the Ganges", you probably have something there.
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

chaospersonified

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #523 on: 05 Jul 2015, 19:51 »

All about alliteration. Awesome.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #524 on: 05 Jul 2015, 19:54 »

Brilliantly bellowed, brother.
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

celticgeek

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #525 on: 05 Jul 2015, 20:08 »

Creatively constructed, Chaospersonified.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #526 on: 06 Jul 2015, 00:15 »

Word association!!!

Chaospersonified???


Hmmm


Ahhh!  I know!!!!!!!

Zintiel!!!! :-D
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James The Kugai 

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #527 on: 16 Jul 2015, 20:05 »

Deliciously designed, dudes!

Attention! Alliteration attracts Akima.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #528 on: 17 Jul 2015, 06:47 »

Typically, that tendency tempts this tiny termagant to trawl thoroughly through the thesaurus, targeting textual treasure.

Edit: Textural is pertaining to textures and fabrics. I meant textual, pertaining to texts. I have fixed my blunder.
« Last Edit: 17 Jul 2015, 18:53 by Akima »
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #529 on: 17 Jul 2015, 11:39 »

(Looks up termagant) You're not a termagant!
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #530 on: 17 Jul 2015, 13:51 »

I'm more of a Genestealer, really...
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #531 on: 17 Jul 2015, 14:41 »

The Bureau would like a word with you.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #532 on: 17 Jul 2015, 15:36 »

I'm more of a Genestealer, really...

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #533 on: 21 Jul 2015, 22:43 »

Why is there so much difference between "save the date" and "save the day"?
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #534 on: 22 Jul 2015, 01:56 »

Well, one is a unit of time and the other is a delicious fruit of the genus Phoenix dactylifera.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #535 on: 22 Jul 2015, 09:55 »

I think my favorite example of the weirdness of the English language is the following question/answer pairing:

Will Will Smith smith?
Will Smith will smith. 

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #536 on: 22 Jul 2015, 14:00 »

Smith Will Smith will smith...willingly.
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #537 on: 22 Jul 2015, 16:16 »

Edward Would Wood
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #538 on: 28 Jul 2015, 09:57 »

Not as spectacular but "tin tin tin" is a completly acceptable and common sentence around here.
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cesium133

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #539 on: 28 Jul 2015, 10:13 »

Smith Will Smith will smith...willingly.
How many wills will Will Smith smith if Will Smith will smith wills?
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #540 on: 28 Jul 2015, 10:14 »

Not as spectacular but "tin tin tin" is a completely acceptable and common sentence around here.
How?
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #541 on: 28 Jul 2015, 10:32 »

It conveys that an object that was sought for is not in it's expected metal container.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #542 on: 28 Jul 2015, 10:58 »

I was trying to find that Jimmy Carr clip but there's no good one's of it.

It's a very shortened version of, "It is not in the tin." and would probably more accurately be written as, "T'in't in tin."

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #543 on: 28 Jul 2015, 11:20 »

It conveys that an object that was sought for is not in it's expected metal container.
"Tin (isn't in the) tin"?
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They call me Mr. Madness.

Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #544 on: 28 Jul 2015, 12:39 »

(I)t i(s)n't in (the) tin.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #545 on: 28 Jul 2015, 12:40 »

...are we sure that's still English at this point?
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Quote from: Polonius
Though this be madness, yet there is method in't.
MR ARCHIVE-FU MADNESS
Does anybody really know what time it is?
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #546 on: 28 Jul 2015, 13:13 »

Given that some accents/dialects in the north of England can be more easily understood by people from Scandinavia than people from central/southern England[citation needed]...maybe?

At least, so I've heard from relatives up that way.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #547 on: 28 Jul 2015, 14:50 »

It would br best described as Yorkshire. It's like English but better.
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Re: English is weird
« Reply #548 on: 28 Jul 2015, 14:55 »

The audio is out of sync for most of the video which makes it hard to fully understand even with subtitles.

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Re: English is weird
« Reply #549 on: 28 Jul 2015, 18:25 »

I wonder just how diluted the Yorkshire accent has become since that Video was made
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