Let's face it — English is a crazy language ... - ESL Blogs

IT'S A CRAZY LANGUAGE

We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes;
but the plural of ox became oxen not oxes.

One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
yet the plural of moose should never be meese

You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice;
yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.

If the plural of man is always called men,
why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?

If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?

Then one may be that, and three would be those,
yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
and the plural of cat is cats, not cose.

We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
but though we say mother, we never say methren.

Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
but imagine the feminine, she, shis and shim.

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language when it says ...

The bandage was wound around the wound.

The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

He could lead if he would get the lead out.

A bass was painted on the head of a bass drum on third base.

The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.

I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.

If we explore the paradoxes of the English language, we find ...

There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger;
neither apple nor pine in pineapple.

If you have a rough cough, climbing can be tough
when going through the bough on a tree!

Quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and
a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?

If you have a bunch of odds and ends and
get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wiseguy are opposites?

And finally — if Dad is Pop, how come Mom isn't Mop?

Contributed by Geri in Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Comments

Forget-me-Not May 1, 2011 11:10

Hello Hesam, that's great i could make you laugh while learning english. Thanks for your time here.
hesam May 1, 2011 10:32

vow you are wonderful

your blog made me laugh,and tell myself.oh yes englidh is a crazy language

thank you
Forget-me-Not April 25, 2011 16:17

Heheheh, smiling moon, i am sure we could fine many other funny things in this language. Thanks for your comment.
Forget-me-Not April 25, 2011 16:16

Thanks Mayumi for stopping by on my page and for writting a comment. Yes, sometimes, english can be full of surprises.
Mayumi April 19, 2011 12:39

Ahhhhh, yeah English sometimes is sooo weird. Many times I've been fooled by it.

Thank you Manuela for sharing it...
Forget-me-Not April 17, 2011 8:54

Hello Rose, what is funny is always easier to be remembered ! THanks for stopping by.
Forget-me-Not April 16, 2011 9:58

Hello mAhWiSh, thanks for your opinion on this post. I guess every languages have some crazy things that we have to learn.
Forget-me-Not April 16, 2011 9:56

M. Adaway, what a nice suprise to see you back here again. I am realy happy to see your comment on my post. Thank you for giving me some of your time.
Forget-me-Not April 16, 2011 9:55

Hello Salem, I am glad you like this topic. I will try to add more of this kind. Thanks for your encouragement.
Forget-me-Not April 16, 2011 9:54

Hello Mohiye, i agree, when something we have to learn is funny, it's easier to remember about it.

Thanks for your comment.

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