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Morning Open Thread: English Is Weird [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2024-04-03  

English is a Germanic language, and yet about ¼ of its words have been imported from France, thanks to William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings. (1066! 1066!) Almost ½ of English seems to come from a bunch of other languages. Or as James D. Nicoll said,

The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.

Gallagher Explains Pronunciation (The New Smothers Brothers)

[2:50]

x "A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold." -- writer Elwyn Brooks #EBWhite, born OTD in Mount Vernon, NY (1899-1985). He wrote several popular books for children, including #CharlottesWeb (1952). pic.twitter.com/GPI2jjHrRp — Dr. Paul (@DrPnygard) July 11, 2023

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Don’t Call the Grammar Police!

[9:38]

English is flexible: you can jam it into a Cuisinart for an hour, remove it, and meaning will still emerge. — Douglas Coupland

Four Ways American English is Pretty Weird

[9:40]

Writing in English is like throwing mud at a wall. — Joseph Conrad

Foreign Words We Need in English

[7:16]

There is no such thing as the Queen’s English. The property has gone into the hands of a joint stock company and we own the bulk of the shares! — Mark Twain

Ten Reasons English is Ridiculously Hard

[11:12]

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Wishing you a wonderful day!

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