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Andrew Owen
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 Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Liffrok wrote: | | Why is the spelling of the English language so inconsistent? For example, why is someone who writes humour for a living a humorist? |
It's something that's always bothered me.
English teachers often use the maxim I before E except after C. Which is a weird and frustrating rule, really the height of annoyance. I do wonder if it's the same in foreign countries. I can think of about eighty very common words that contradict the rule. |
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oddball
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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and the word centre...every where I go I see the word center....and metre...every where I go I see the word meter....and the word colour...every where I go I see the word color.....
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Andrew Owen
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| Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2010 10:42 pm Post subject: |
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| That'll be Americanisation. Or is that Americanization? |
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tuscaloosa
Joined: 13 May 2010
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Mike_gss (yet again) and Shadownight. Happy days.  |
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Gareth Nicholson
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:26 am Post subject: |
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| Andrew Owen wrote: | | That'll be Americanisation. Or is that Americanization? |
It's not even that, really. Their version of English, at its root, is probably 'purer' than ours. Bill Bryson wrote a really good book about the progress of 'American' English.
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Liffrok
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Joined: 17 Jun 2006
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Location: Cornwall or northern Scotland
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Gareth Nicholson wrote: | | Andrew Owen wrote: | | That'll be Americanisation. Or is that Americanization? |
It's not even that, really. Their version of English, at its root, is probably 'purer' than ours. Bill Bryson wrote a really good book about the progress of 'American' English. |
The 'Americanisation' of English is certainly not worth getting in a flap over. Shakespeare used many terms which would today be considered Americanisms (i.e. 'fall' instead of 'autumn'). Modern-day American English is probably closer to 17th-century British English than current British English is.
Another point worth making is that without American influence the English language would be nowhere near as universal as it is at the moment. The reason we can get away with going on holiday without bothering to learn the native tongue is more to do with American culture and influence, rather than British.
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IJN
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| Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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Yes you're right, we all speak Microsoft.
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bringonthemilkman
Joined: 30 Aug 2006
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Location: Sheffield
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| Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 9:40 am Post subject: |
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| The i before e rule generally only applies to words with an elongated ee sound. (Of course, weird is the exception to this rule.) |
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Babararacucudada
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Joined: 14 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:49 am Post subject: |
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In the days before modern refrigeration how did they make ice?
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tonycholwell
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| Babararacucudada wrote: | | In the days before modern refrigeration how did they make ice? |
Without rechecking (always more fun) I believe it came back in huge blocks from the Arctic.
Even if incorrect, make a great picture in my mind |
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Humphrey Dumpty
Joined: 01 Jun 2007
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:47 am Post subject: |
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| Babararacucudada wrote: | | In the days before modern refrigeration how did they make ice? |
They couldn't make it, but the large estated used to store it in an underground icehouse.
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GreenMatt
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 10:34 am Post subject: |
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| Andrew Owen wrote: | | Liffrok wrote: | | Why is the spelling of the English language so inconsistent? For example, why is someone who writes humour for a living a humorist? |
It's something that's always bothered me.
English teachers often use the maxim I before E except after C. Which is a weird and frustrating rule, really the height of annoyance. I do wonder if it's the same in foreign countries. I can think of about eighty very common words that contradict the rule. |
Shouldn't that be wierd, foriegn and ieghty.
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Liffrok
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:28 pm Post subject: |
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What is the lowest individual score that has never been made in a Test match? I.e. has anyone ever been out for 231, for instance?
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Andrew Owen
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| Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Liffrok wrote: | | What is the lowest individual score that has never been made in a Test match? I.e. has anyone ever been out for 231, for instance? |
You're very close actually...it's 229. |
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NorfolkGreen
Joined: 16 Aug 2006
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Location: Norfolk
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| Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:01 am Post subject: |
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Why did Heskey come on for Defoe in the World Cup against Germany?
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