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Funny phenomenons in english language?

Asked by lisalisalisa 5 months ago, 5 answers.
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Do you know any (funny) phenomenons in the english language use? I think of different pronunciations, words or other funny things!

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Whiteboard portrate Answered by filletofspam on Apr 08, 2008, 01:07PM
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The English language is and has been changing.

No doubt spellings will be simplified. Today spelling often follows a word's eptomology. We use the spelling rules from the originating language of a word even when it is much different from English. When we encounter a new written English word we often don't know how to prounounce it because we don't know which set of rules to use. The word 'through' is too long for traffic signs so here it is often spelled 'thru' which will eventually become accepted. Over time spelling will become more phonetic (fonetic?). The Unifon alphabet was proposed as a new alphabet and spelling system in English but it never caught on. The advantage here is that Unifon is quickly learned and once mastered you can spell any word you know how to prounounce correctly. Grammer school students master Unifon in months while those struggling with standard English spelling can spend their whole life learning to spell. Perhaps someday Unifon or something like it will become our standard alphabet.

Another trend is loosing the distinction between adjectives and adverbs. It is correct to say, 'he writes well' or 'his writting is good.' Today outside of English class most people say 'he writes good.' Technically 'well' is an adverb and 'good' is an adjective but the distinction is becoming lost in modern English. An example where the transformation is complete is the word 'fast' where it can function as either an adverb or adjective.

We are also in the process of turning nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns.

Install is a verb but people say 'I performed the install' We also 'go for a run' Similarily 'access' is a noun but it is common for people to say 'I need to access something.'

Eventually we will have no distinction between adverbs and adjectives and little distinction between nouns and verbs.

BTW, I feel compelled to point out that the plural of 'phenomenon' is 'phenomena' not 'phenomenons.' Perhaps English plurals will also be simplified eventually.

eleniavatar Answered by eleni on Apr 08, 2008, 05:12PM
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In the spirit of friendship and in the hopes that Unifon wins the day:

grammer = grammar

loosing = losing

Good post, Fillet!

Answered by lisalisalisa on Apr 09, 2008, 10:18AM
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ok, I've got to admit: I'm from austria and I'm studying english and we have find data for a linguistic course and we've to analyse this data!
and it's really hard to find good data, and maybe one native speaker has one example, for example, people in the south make a special sound before a you or something, I don't know...

the beatles Answered by iamcool on Apr 10, 2008, 12:04AM
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the english language is a funny phenomenon in it's self.

Answered by lisalisalisa on Apr 10, 2008, 05:33AM
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and does anyone know concrete examples?

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