Why the English language is so hard to learn

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  • Johnny P
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2009
    • 6258

    #16
    Originally posted by Phloating Phlasher
    please explain.
    Glad to. Nearby town built a multi-million dollar high school to consolidate all the smaller schools and hardly a week goes by that it doesn't make the news for a disruption of classes in one form or another. Recently one student pulling a gun on another.

    Sound normal school environment to you?

    Comment

    • Phloating Phlasher
      Senior Member
      • Apr 2023
      • 508

      #17
      Unfortunately yes.

      - - - Updated - - -

      Submitted for your consideration.
      "An American is visiting Great Britain & decides to visit a local pub for a pint. Something he’s always wanted to do.
      He gets into conversation with a local & the local asks hem this riddle:
      “ A Young lady is taking a stroll along the pavement to the park. At first she meets a pedestrian, walking the opposite way. He politely doffs his hat & says:
      “Good morning! Isn’t it a beautiful morning”?
      “Yes its splendid”!
      She replies.
      After a while she passes a bicyclist & he also says:
      “Good morning! Isn’t it a beautiful morning”?
      “Yes its splendid”!
      She replies.
      Further still she chances to meet an equestrian, He politely doffs his hat & says:
      “Good morning! Isn’t it a beautiful morning”?
      “Yes its splendid”!
      She replies.
      & Now for the riddle which of the three was she familiar with?
      The American thinks for a while & eventually admits he can’t tell.
      “Why, its simple, old chap,: The horseman knew her”!

      After returning stateside he’s in the bar with a buddy, who asks him:
      “What are the Brits like”?
      “They’re strange, their humor is weird”!
      “How so”?
      Well the y told me this riddle & I still don’t get it.
      “Some Dame is walking. Along the way she meets this dude walking the other way. He says:
      “Hi”!
      She says
      “Hi back at ya”!
      Then she meets a biker,
      He says:
      “Hi”!
      She says
      “Hi back at ya”!
      Finally she meets a cowboy,
      He says:
      “Hi”!
      She says
      “Hi back at ya”!
      & The riddle was which dude did the dame know?
      His buddy thinks & gives up.
      “Well! Which one was it she knew”?
      “Beats the hell outta me! The answer was ‘Horse crap”!"
      Last edited by Phloating Phlasher; 11-04-2024, 07:30.

      Comment

      • JohnMOhio
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 1545

        #18
        Speaking a different parts of the US. Grocery bag. Others call it a sack or a poke is often used.
        Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.
        Author unkown.

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        • Allen
          Moderator
          • Sep 2009
          • 10580

          #19
          Did someone say "different parts of the U.S."?
          Attached Files

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          • Oyaji
            Very Senior Member - OFC
            • Oct 2009
            • 4371

            #20
            "You good" Allen!

            Comment

            • Allen
              Moderator
              • Sep 2009
              • 10580

              #21
              And the rules don't always apply.
              Attached Files

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              • JB White
                Senior Member
                • Aug 2009
                • 13371

                #22
                ^^^ That’s a good one!
                2016 Chicago Cubs. MLB Champions!


                **Never quite as old as the other old farts**

                Comment

                • Allen
                  Moderator
                  • Sep 2009
                  • 10580

                  #23
                  Which letter is silent in the word "scent", the S or the C?

                  Comment

                  • JB White
                    Senior Member
                    • Aug 2009
                    • 13371

                    #24
                    Originally posted by Allen
                    Which letter is silent in the word "scent", the S or the C?
                    Cent
                    Sent
                    Scent
                    I reckon we pronounce both because the C is followed by an E.
                    2016 Chicago Cubs. MLB Champions!


                    **Never quite as old as the other old farts**

                    Comment

                    • PWC
                      Senior Member
                      • Aug 2009
                      • 1366

                      #25
                      1957 my fatherwas transferred from Oklahoma City to Jackson, MS. I was in the 8th grade. English teacher asked me to diagram a sentence on the blackboard. Doing so I came to the word "the" which I pronounced as "thee". The class laughed, and I didn't understand. The teacher said never mind and to finish. I listened closely after that, and the Mississippi accent for "the" was "thua".

                      Boy across the street was older and had his driver's license. Once we were standing out front talking and his very large mother came out. He said he had to go, so he could carry his mother to town. Icould not help but laugh, and I don't remember how I played it off. In this case carry = take.
                      Last edited by PWC; 11-26-2024, 02:59.

                      Comment

                      • Allen
                        Moderator
                        • Sep 2009
                        • 10580

                        #26
                        Originally posted by PWC
                        In this case carry = take.
                        Use to hear the word "tote" (carry, pull) a lot. Not any more though partially because I no longer work and mingle around other people now.

                        Comment

                        • Allen
                          Moderator
                          • Sep 2009
                          • 10580

                          #27
                          Then there's the other side of the pond where it all began.

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                          • Phloating Phlasher
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2023
                            • 508

                            #28
                            Lots of mistakes in that I'm afraid.
                            Yes its numerous & written for effect.
                            Like any dialect of a language its frequently about context. If you don't know the context you'll never figure it out! This is why machine translation frequently are ludicrously wrong.

                            "cream crackered," Cockney rhyming slang, actually a criminal code! The word you use rhymes with the word you don't want to say!
                            "cream crackered = "knackered", as in fit for the slaughter house.
                            Use: He's Creamed. = used, exhausted, spent.

                            "Bloody, Bleeding", from medieval English originally a blasphemy, now pretty mild. Jesus blood (on the cross) as a curse.

                            "Bog-standard", a mis speaking of "Box Standard", as in "The way it came from the box when new." (authentic original).

                            "botch job", another mis speak. "bodge job" Americanism would be "Jury-rigged" originally from furniture component makers! "Bodgers" were the cottage industries that made basic unfinished chair legs! the furniture maker bought the half finished forms & finished them!

                            A "mug" is someone who has been made a fool of. "Mug" likely originated in London with Cockney slang.
                            Not sure here I'd need to hear the other word. If it was "tea", like "mug of tee" it would mean "at no charge" (free) for example.

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