Category: English Language

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Class & Language: A 1950s British Paradox

In the 1950s, it was observed that the British middle class often employed intricate language in an effort to appear more sophisticated. In contrast, the genuine upper class favored the simpler vernacular of the working class, opting for terms like “scent” rather than “perfume.”

A 1940 study examining the linguistic disparities between the American upper and middle classes found similar results. For example, the American upper class preferred the term ‘curtains,’ while the middle class opted for ‘drapes’. Interestingly, the affluent class in the US used the word ‘toilet,’ while their less wealthy counterparts said ‘lavatory’—a reversal of the British pattern.

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Zed vs. Zee: Pronunciation Variations Across English-Speaking Countries

In the majority of English-speaking countries across the globe, the letter “Z” is pronounced as “zed.” However, the United States stands out as the sole exception, opting for the pronunciation “zee.” This divergence can be traced back to the late 17th century, when American lexicographer Noah Webster decided to simplify certain aspects of the English […]

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Isolated Tangier Island: A Dialect Preserved from the 1700s

Tangier Island, located 12 miles off the coast of Virginia, has maintained its isolation to such an extent that its inhabitants still speak a dialect similar to the one used by the island’s original colonists in the 1700s. This distinct dialect features a significant example of the Big Vowel Shift, with the word “house” pronounced […]

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Here’s a Defense of the English Language as Told by a Very Passionate Tumblr Blog

People who learn English as a second language will often tell you that it’s not exactly easy. There are a lot of things about English that just don’t make sense at all, especially when you’ve grown up speaking something else.

However, the same can be said for other languages… it’s just really fun to make fun of English since it’s still globally a very powerful language.

One person recently took to Tumblr to offer up a quick defense of English. It’s a great thing to keep in your back pocket if you feel like you might ever need it.

For starters, there are a few things about English that actually make it kind of easy. Take tone, for example: unlike Cantonese, the meaning of words in English don’t change based on how you say them.

English also doesn’t concern itself with whether or not “they” is male or female, unlike Spanish and French.

As someone who has been trying to learn both for years, I can confirm that this can be mighty confusing.

And unlike Arabic, English doesn’t have a separate tense for speaking to two people at the same time.

While the tone of this post is harsh, the person manages to get their point across: English is just as tricky as any other language, but possibly not any more so.

Of course, people had a lot to say about all of this. Mostly, they were surprised that the original poster didn’t really explain just how confusing some languages can be.

They also shared more details about other languages not mentioned.

And, of course, the word y’all somehow made it into the conversation.

What do you think of this person’s thoughts? Have you ever tried to learn another language?

Let us know how it went in the comments!

The post Here’s a Defense of the English Language as Told by a Very Passionate Tumblr Blog appeared first on UberFacts.

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8 Nouns That Only Have a Plural Form

English, as you might have realized by now, can be a difficult language (if you’re trying to learn it, anyway). The rules are fluid, there’s always an exception, and common sense doesn’t really apply the way it does to the “other” romance languages, or even German.

In that vein, I present to you 8 nouns that only come in multiples – meaning you can’t have just one of them, because there is no singular form.

8. Jitters

Some moods or feelings, like jitters, blues, doldrums, are only available in multitudes, sadly. You’re not allowed to have a single willy (of the creeped-out variety) or one heebie-jeebie (even if you’d rather stop there).

7. Scissors

You say “give me the scissors,” not “hand me a scissor,” even though it’s a singular tool. Others are similar (pliers, tongs, tweezers) but not all – you can have one clamp, one bear trap, and one flat iron, even though they, too, are made of joined parts.

Have fun figuring that one out.

6. Shenanigans

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If you’d rather have one shenanigan instead of several, well, you’re out luck. You also cannot have a heroic, or go into a hysteric. Womp-womp.

5. Glasses

Like goggles and binoculars, the word is only plural, even though a “pair of” can be singular. They’re considered a unit made of connected parts, yet only referred to in the plural form.

4. Remains

There’s a small group of words for things that are left behind – remains, leftovers – and you’re not allowed to have a single one of them.

3. Pants

You’d be hard pressed to find a word for clothing that provides separate holes for two legs that’s a singular noun – shorts, jeans, skinnies, leggings, capris, panties, etc, all follow the plural rule even though they’re a single cut of fabric.

Fun fact: We also refer to brands in the same manner, like Levis, even though it’s actually a possessive – Levi’s – not a plural.

2. Suds

This is a strange one, because most words for masses of stuff made of other, smaller stuff will be a singular noun (rice, sugar, salt), but not suds – it’s a plural noun and has plural agreement (the suds are all over the bathroom), perhaps because a single sud is…what? No one is sure.

Or perhaps just because the people who invented English like to screw with us.

1. Riches

There are a few nouns that refer to possession or ownership – furnishings, belongings, earnings, valuables – and they’re all plural. So score one for consistency, at least.

 

Interesting, right? I thought so!

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