Why ENGLISH is so Hard to Learn

[Ace Boobtoucher]

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

 

[anomaly]

^^Good stuff!

 

[habo9]

I thought English was easy to learn , it just comes naturally to me

Ps Good examples , I never really thought what it would be like to learn it if it wasnt your first language

 

[SiCo]

Once upon a moon I found myself in the awkward position of trying to explain the use of "that that" to my Chinese friend. Example: "I knew that that was the problem." Repeatedly I was asked, 'Why not just say it once?' A good understanding of English and why we use it the way we do is paramount for being able to communicate, properly and concisely.

Just as a point of interest, consider how many times you hear people ask, "Can I have that please?" When really they ought to say, "May I have that please?"

 

[ezteban]

Especially for frenchies !!!!! lol

 

[mrtrebus]

I thought English was easy to learn , it just comes naturally to me

Ps Good examples , I never really thought what it would be like to learn it if it wasnt your first language

Not having english as your first language doesn't bear thinking about!! :hatsoff:

 

[Ace Boobtoucher]

"Well the Pope may be French but Jesus was English."

Mark Addy delivered that gem in A Knight's Tale and I thought it appropriate after Trebus' astute quip.

 

[bandanoantri]

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
...

HA HA HA...it is kinda funny how you obviously think those things are exclusive to the English language.

 

[vaasta1987]

English basics are easy, mastering it however, is as hard as any other language.

 

[BlueBalls]

Huh?

 

[Chumo]

Nice examples, but it doesn't match Chinese

They have a sentence: "ma ma ma ma ma" which means something like Mama scolds the stupid horse. Ask Evelyn Lin or Mai Ly Mao

 

[SiCo]

…and yet every Englishman speaks perfect Chinese.

 

[BlueBalls]

…and yet every Englishman speaks perfect Chinese.

I know I do :hatsoff:

 

[Baill Inneraora]

Polish furnature?

 

[Lucky7000]

Nice examples, but it doesn't match Chinese

They have a sentence: "ma ma ma ma ma" which means something like Mama scolds the stupid horse. Ask Evelyn Lin or Mai Ly Mao

This is correct, very slight variations on the accent make it a completely different word.

English is kind of a bastard language. I haven't met anyone with truly perfect English; it just has too many nuances that have been lost amongst us casual speakers.

 

[SiCo]

Edit

 

[Rey C.]

They have a sentence: "ma ma ma ma ma" which means something like Mama scolds the stupid horse. Ask Evelyn Lin or Mai Ly Mao

I'd love to be able to ask Evelyn Lin several things... the eccentricities of Chinese not being among them. We might even make up some new words...

Cool OP, BTW. I guess the "cool" thing about English is that it's now become socially acceptable to butcher it in polite society, unlike Spanish, French and Italian (in the same circles). Misuse of certain words is a way to put a harder edge on your intended meaning. I wonder which other languages are like that?

 

[SiCo]

I'd love to be able to ask Evelyn Lin several things... the eccentricities of Chinese not being among them. We might even make up some new words...

Cool OP, BTW. I guess the "cool" thing about English is that it's now become socially acceptable to butcher it in polite society, unlike Spanish, French and Italian (in the same circles). Misuse of certain words is a way to put a harder edge on your intended meaning. I wonder which other languages are like that?

That is so not the case. NOT!

 

[Funkwerkz]

How much wood would a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck, could chuck, wood?

 

[Ray Ecks]

Good stuff.