The English language
Posted by Bob on December 03, 2001
In Reply to: The English language posted by James Briggs on December 03, 2001
: For non English
speakers English is an easy language to learn at a basic level. Afterwards, according
to my many non English speaking friends and family, there is 'an enormous mountain
to climb'. Some of this is related to the widespread use of Idioms - this site
is a good example! There is also the difficulty of not being able to work out
from the spelling how a word is pronounced.
: Another small, but very odd,
feature is the occasional use of words, which are usually the opposite in meaning,
to mean the same thing! An example is 'Up' and 'Down' - obviously opposite until
you tell someone to 'slow up' or 'to slow down'. In a similar vein is to 'wind
up a company' or to' wind down a company'.
: Over the years I've thought of
a few other examples, but I can't remember them now (?old age?). Thus, a little
pre-Christmas quiz. How many other such expressions can people contribute?
First you chop a tree down, then you chop it up.
- The English language R. Berg 12/03/01
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ESC 12/04/01
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Kahl 12/04/01
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12/05/01
- Sounding the pink siren James Briggs 12/06/01
- Sounding the pink siren James Briggs 12/06/01
- Sounding the
pink siren Barney 12/06/01
- Sounding the pink siren Tiko 12/07/01
- Sounding the
pink siren Barney 12/06/01
- Sounding the
pink siren Tiko 12/05/01
- Sexist-assumption alert Two sides to the story 12/05/01
- Sexist-assumption alert ESC
12/05/01
- Sexist-assumption
alert ESC 12/04/01
- Sexist-assumption alert Barney 12/04/01
- Sexist-assumption alert R. Berg
12/04/01
- Ba dum ESC 12/04/01
- Ba dum Bruce
Kahl 12/04/01
- The English language R. Berg 12/04/01
- The English language
ESC 12/04/01