That's pretty cool about the languages. I'm always interested in learning about them.
It's said that English is one of the hardest languages to learn because it's a hodge-podge of different languages and even purpose-made words. The grammar rules are a tad schizo and there's almost always an exception to every rule along with the wonky pronouncation/spelling depending on where you happen to be in the English speaking world. Personal favourites are the homonyms as we've had quite a few people through our office with English as a second language and that completely confused them.
Yeah, in a way English is doing for the Americas what Chinese did for China, and it *shows* it by conmingling things that weren't originally meant to be mingled. *laughs* It's a lovely big stew of words and meanings that various folks can suddenly get as their part of the language.
And, yeah, the homonyms are amazing. We're teaching Jet how to spell now and when his teacher gave out a list of homonyms as his spelling words we were all giggling like crazy over them all.
And now, of course, European languages are deviating more and more from their written form whose evolution was halted with the advent of the printing press. Interestingly, spoken language continues to change despite sound recordings, though I imagine it's slowed down somewhat. *ponders*
lol what you wrote here is not news to me because of my uncle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_G._Pulleyblank - brilliant man. I don't know him nearly as well as I would like. He's my mother's oldest brother and she was kind of a late surprise XD not to mention he lives across the continent. He's dying of Parkinson's now.
Mmmm... That makes a lot of sense that first. That the printing press would suddenly freeze what was there.
Oh WOW... Now THAT is an uncle to be amazed by. I love his bibliography just to *start* and no wonder you're not surprised! *grins*
Thank you, so much!! For stuff for me to delve into a bit more. Sad about him dying now, but that's quite a body of work... he sounds like he'd have been amazing to know.
It is pretty fun to look at it from a conceptual level as to what's going on. It intrigues me... and makes me think a bit, as part of why Deaf people don't read English very much or very well is that the written language, for English, really depends on being able to "sound out" the words. But with Chinese they wouldn't have that problem... so would Chinese deaf people be able to pick up their written language more easily? *laughs*
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It's said that English is one of the hardest languages to learn because it's a hodge-podge of different languages and even purpose-made words. The grammar rules are a tad schizo and there's almost always an exception to every rule along with the wonky pronouncation/spelling depending on where you happen to be in the English speaking world. Personal favourites are the homonyms as we've had quite a few people through our office with English as a second language and that completely confused them.
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And, yeah, the homonyms are amazing. We're teaching Jet how to spell now and when his teacher gave out a list of homonyms as his spelling words we were all giggling like crazy over them all.
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lol what you wrote here is not news to me because of my uncle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_G._Pulleyblank - brilliant man. I don't know him nearly as well as I would like. He's my mother's oldest brother and she was kind of a late surprise XD not to mention he lives across the continent. He's dying of Parkinson's now.
Reply
Oh WOW... Now THAT is an uncle to be amazed by. I love his bibliography just to *start* and no wonder you're not surprised! *grins*
Thank you, so much!! For stuff for me to delve into a bit more. Sad about him dying now, but that's quite a body of work... he sounds like he'd have been amazing to know.
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Still it's interesting to know how different languages came into existence.
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It is pretty fun to look at it from a conceptual level as to what's going on. It intrigues me... and makes me think a bit, as part of why Deaf people don't read English very much or very well is that the written language, for English, really depends on being able to "sound out" the words. But with Chinese they wouldn't have that problem... so would Chinese deaf people be able to pick up their written language more easily? *laughs*
The things I think about....
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