The Stupidity of the English Language...
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
To people who are not native speakers, English can be a thoroughly confusing language. English has more words in common use than any other language in the world, and as if that's not bad enough, we choose to use many of them for more than one meaning. Take this short conversation between my own father and Peter, our friend from the Netherlands, as a perfect example of how we succeed in confusing those around us:
<Dad> (As Peter is driving) Ok, take the next left here.
<Peter> Left? Are you completely sure?
<Dad> Yes, left is right.
Not surprisingly, this left Peter completely stumped. Should he turn right or left? (Notice the ironic double use of left in this sentence!)
Slang has to be one of the main times that English is so confusing. Just think of a few slang-like exclamations, and how they could be totally misleading. For example, in many teenager's vocabularies (mine included) the word 'cool'; plays a large part. But what about this conversation in which I was recently included:
<Me> The weather's going to be really hot on Saturday (Well maybe it wasn't *that* recent). I'm going to go and do some shopping if it's sunny.
<Friend> Oh that should be cool!
What are we on about? Do we know what we're saying?
If English is likely to become the single language used world over (i.e. through the www), shouldn't we sort this out first?
I'm very glad I was born speaking English and don't have to learn it now! ;-)
<Dad> (As Peter is driving) Ok, take the next left here.
<Peter> Left? Are you completely sure?
<Dad> Yes, left is right.
Not surprisingly, this left Peter completely stumped. Should he turn right or left? (Notice the ironic double use of left in this sentence!)
Slang has to be one of the main times that English is so confusing. Just think of a few slang-like exclamations, and how they could be totally misleading. For example, in many teenager's vocabularies (mine included) the word 'cool'; plays a large part. But what about this conversation in which I was recently included:
<Me> The weather's going to be really hot on Saturday (Well maybe it wasn't *that* recent). I'm going to go and do some shopping if it's sunny.
<Friend> Oh that should be cool!
What are we on about? Do we know what we're saying?
If English is likely to become the single language used world over (i.e. through the www), shouldn't we sort this out first?
I'm very glad I was born speaking English and don't have to learn it now! ;-)
