English is Cool

sexta-feira, janeiro 9

language

there is no egg in the eggplant
nor ham in the hamburger
and neither pine nor apple in the pineapple
English muffins were not invented in England
French fries were not invented in France
.
we sometimes take English for granted
but if we examine its paradoxes we find
that quicksand takes you down slowly
boxing rings are square
and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig
.
if writers write, how come fingers don't fing
if the plural of tooth is teeth
shouldn't the plural of phone booth be phone beeth
if the teacher's taught
why hasn't the preacher praught?
.
if a vegetarian eats vegetables
what the heck does a humanitarian eat!?
why do people recite at a play
yet play at a recital?
park on driveways and
drive on parkways?
..
you have to marvel at the unique lunacy
of a language where a house can burn up as
it burns down
and in which you fill in a form
by filling it out
and a bell is only heard once it goes off!
.
English was invented by people, not computer
and it reflects the creativity of the human race
which, of course, isn't a race at all
.
that is why
when the stars are out they are visible
but when the lights are out they are invisible
and why it is that when I wind up my watch
it starts
but when I wind up this observation
it ends
.
sweet nice weekend, folks :)

6 Comments:

  • Oi, Joquita..

    tecla sap please!!!!

    kisses

    the "joungoldwoman" ( rsrssrsr)

    By Blogger Cris, at sexta-feira, janeiro 09, 2009 3:37:00 PM  

  • Ah Kikote, esta é uma brincadeira "insapeável" (lol) porque é justamente uma grande e divertida lista de idiossincrasias no inglês. A primeira linha diz que não tem ovo na planta ovo... pois bem, planta ovo nada mais é que berinjela. Sentiu que o sap vira sapo?
    Kisses

    By Blogger Jonice, at sexta-feira, janeiro 09, 2009 9:45:00 PM  

  • Food for thought! :-)

    Thanks for the comment on my blog.

    By Anonymous Anônimo, at sexta-feira, janeiro 09, 2009 10:30:00 PM  

  • Je me suis régalé avec ces mots.
    Bon week-end à toi Jonice!
    Bisous

    By Anonymous Anônimo, at sábado, janeiro 10, 2009 1:24:00 PM  

  • This sums up what I also think is wonderful about English..it's so illogical and quirky.i've been learning it for 47 years..I have quaifications in writing and speaking it, and yet I continue to learn more about words,their use and meanings all the time.No wonder I never learned to speak another language...I still haven't mastered my own yet!

    By Blogger Niall young, at sábado, janeiro 10, 2009 2:58:00 PM  

  • NL Camo: thank you for dropping by.

    Richard: :)

    Niall: maybe this feature of it being so quirky is the very reason why it's so interesting to plunge into getting to know it further and deeper when it's your second language. It may be the reason why one can take great pleasure doing it. Isn't it crazy that it's a lovely thing to do?

    By Blogger Jonice, at terça-feira, janeiro 13, 2009 4:38:00 PM  

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