Periodic rant about English

[benhall.1]

Who you callin' ho?

Wah, you bo-y-y-y!

Now, quit yer messin' an' hav' AT them!

[Nanohedron]

Now, quit yer messin' an' hav' AT them!

Faith, but thy street cred is a wisp, sirrah.

[benhall.1]

Now, quit yer messin' an' hav' AT them!

Faith, but thy street cred is a wisp, sirrah.

Verily.

[Nanohedron]

I'll tell you what: let us put aside our e-swords, for not being doughty I am loath to be prick'd. Take thou then a goodly drink, have one for me as well, and marry, I'll do the same for thee.

[fearfaoin]

If this rant were truly periodic, it'd be due for a swing in the other direction by now.

[I.D.10-t]

After failing to become proficient in 2-4 non-English languages, talking to numerous ESL individuals, and hearing more US regional variations of English I can count I really don't mind these things. At least for the most part the person is trying to communicate. Although some of those things may cause momentary confusion, I find it most annoying when those proficient with English use their knowledge of the language to obscure meaning. News broadcasts annoy me to no end in this way.

Give me earnest communication with clumsy words over a polished sentence with no meaning anytime.

How's that for a swing in the other direction?

[Nanohedron]

I find it most annoying when those proficient with English use their knowledge of the language to obscure meaning.

I agree. Having fun with it is one thing, but small people use it to rank others.

[fearfaoin]

How's that for a swing in the other direction?

It's the bee's knees.
(Does idiom count as obfuscation? Most of my ESL friends seem to think so.)

[benhall.1]

How's that for a swing in the other direction?

It's the bee's knees.
(Does idiom count as obfuscation? Most of my ESL friends seem to think so.)

Before this thread, I had never come across the TLA "ESL". Does it stand for "English as a Second Language"?

[Nanohedron]

How's that for a swing in the other direction?

It's the bee's knees.
(Does idiom count as obfuscation? Most of my ESL friends seem to think so.)

Before this thread, I had never come across the TLA "ESL". Does it stand for "English as a Second Language"?

Yes, it does.

[benhall.1]

Out of interest my favourite TLA is "TLA". I said that to someone yesterday and they replied "Right. So what does the three-letter acronym 'TLA' stand for?"

[Brus]

Out of interest my favourite TLA is "TLA". I said that to someone yesterday and they replied "Right. So what does the three-letter acronym 'TLA' stand for?"

Don't forget TIC.

Three Initial Corporation.

Y'know, like IBM ...

[mutepointe]

If you're still ranting about English, take a break to enjoy the good news about German.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/0 ... 51843.html

[fearfaoin]

I can't believe the Germans, of all people, didn't already have such a word.
I would have accepted, parhaps, Scheißesturm...

[farmerjones]

Generally, people who pick up a second language speak it in a more grammatically correct way than native speakers. We're too influenced by slang, dialects, and regional culture. I knew a kid in high school from Ecuador who thought he's take Spanish for his foreign language requirement as an "easy A". He got railed by the teacher because he didn't speak "proper" grammatically-correct Spanish!

The little Spanish I know, I probably speak it better than a native because the grammar was drilled into me from the start (and my grade depended on it!).