BetterMost Community Blogs > My "Great White North"
Bitch, Bitch, Bitch
opinionista:
English is a very hard language to learn when it comes to pronounciation and spelling. It's grammar however is not as hard as Spanish grammar, IMO. Spanish grammar is quite difficult, partly because we have two verbs to be (ser and estar), gender (el , la) and too many adverbs. There's also the accents rules. But when it comes to pronounciation and spelling we keep it simple. Words are spelled exactly as they are pronounced. We have only five standard sounds for vowels. Sometimes, I don't understand the logic of English pronounciation and spelling. For example the word through. Seven letters just to pronounce three. In Spanish, it'll be something like "tru".
MaineWriter:
--- Quote from: opinionista on September 03, 2007, 11:04:16 am ---English is a very hard language to learn when it comes to pronounciation and spelling. It's grammar however is not as hard as Spanish grammar, IMO. Spanish grammar is quite difficult, partly because we have two verbs to be (ser and estar), gender (el , la) and too many adverbs. There's also the accents rules. But when it comes to pronounciation and spelling we keep it simple. Words are spelled exactly as they are pronounced. We have only five standard sounds for vowels. Sometimes, I don't understand the logic of English pronounciation and spelling. For example the word through. Seven letters just to pronounce three. In Spanish, it'll be something like "tru".
--- End quote ---
through is throo (that would be the phonetic spelling)
But you are right. Think of "tough" and "rough." Why isn't "stuff" spelled "stough"? (and looking at "stough" I would pronounce it "sto" with a long o). Or the other words should be spelled tuff and ruff?
This is the reason why we had to memorize spelling words all through elementary school!
L
ifyoucantfixit:
--- Quote from: David on September 03, 2007, 05:23:03 am ---Here's a few more, Susie!
Bonnet = Hood (the cover over the engine of a car)
Petrol = Gas
Tyre = Tire
Windscreen = Windshield
Engaged = Busy
That's another one Alex did to me! :laugh: I've been having these terrible headaches, and Alex was trying to call my doctor to make an appointment. He would dial and then hang up and tell me their phone was "engaged".
Huh? ???
:laugh: :laugh:
[/quote}
When you made that statement, I could just visualize the two phones looking at (rings, of the diamond
, variety_) ???
--- End quote ---
David In Indy:
Yeah, the English language is weird. Like with the word "limb". Why is the b silent? And then, if you add a "c" (climb) the "i" becomes long! Why? This shatters all the rules of English phonetics.
Check these out!
Tough (tuf)
Trough (troff)
Though (thoe) add an h, and you get a long O sound.
Through (throo) stick an r in it, and the diphthong sound changes again! Why?
Thought (thawt)
If we replace the "t" with a "b" we get bough (bow)
Huh? ???
Maybe it's because the English language has borrowed so many words from other languages. Do you think? That's the only explanation I can come up with! :D
David In Indy:
--- Quote from: Susiebell on September 04, 2007, 04:34:42 am ---
Hehehe! I didn't realise that you don't use the word "Engaged" when referring to a busy line ... I thought everybody did! And talking of cars, we say "boot", you say "trunk": we say "lorry", you say "truck"!
And what about men's .... em .... doodars?? We often refer the them as his "Meat and two Veg" or his "Lunchbox"!!
And what ever you do, don't comment on a British woman's "fanny" or you'll get a swift kick in the goolies!! :o
Susie
--- End quote ---
I found out about that one the hard way.... well sort of. I once told Alex it was time to get his fanny in bed, and he gave me a weird look. :laugh:
I had NO idea! Over here, fanny means "bottom" or "butt". My MOTHER talked about my "fanny" when I was 3 years old, for God's sake!!
:laugh: :laugh:
Fanny is a very non offensive word over here. But say it to a British person and you nearly get your ass kicked for it! ;) ;) :D
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