English is Cool

segunda-feira, novembro 20

Pronunciation poem



When the English tongue we speak
why is break not rhymed with weak?

Won't you tell me why it's true
we say sew, but also few?

And the maker of a verse
cannot rhyme his horse with worse?

Beard is not the same as heard,
cord is different from word,
cow is cow but low is low.

Shoe is never rhymed with foe.

Think of hose, dose and lose
and think of goose and choose.

How about comb and tomb and bomb,
doll and roll and home and some ...

And since pay is rhymed with say
why not paid with said, I pray?

Think of blood and food and good,
mould is not pronounced like could ...

Why is it done, but gone and lone?

Is there any reason known?

To sum it up, it seems to me
that sounds and letters don't agree.

By P.Thomas O'Dea

4 Comments:

  • "It seems to me
    that sounds and letters don't agree" - estes rimam e parecem rir-se de muitos outros...
    Que coisas curiosas tens para contar!...
    Diverti-me, podes crer!

    By Blogger Amaral, at terça-feira, novembro 21, 2006 2:15:00 PM  

  • Amaral: English is a crazy language, isn't it?

    By Blogger Jonice, at terça-feira, novembro 21, 2006 2:36:00 PM  

  • English is NOT logical - similiar to many other languages.

    In American English, we say "2 weeks".
    In British English, they often say "a fortnight".
    In French, they say "quinze jours" or 15 days.

    Is that logical? :)

    By Blogger Terry Kaufman, at quarta-feira, julho 18, 2007 7:43:00 AM  

  • Hi, Terry!

    And in Portuguese we also say "quinze dias", or 15 days.

    Yes, each language has got its own ways.

    I hope you haven't taken me wrong for saying English is a crazy language.
    Actually, I say this in a very well-humoured and positive way just to show my students they are not to blame when they find difficulties in crossing the path that travels between spelling and saying words.
    By the way, I haven't written to you yet because this week I've been atipycally busy.But I will!!!

    By Blogger Jonice, at sexta-feira, julho 20, 2007 1:42:00 PM  

Postar um comentário

<< Home