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#1 Calamity_Jones

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 12:59 PM

Am I the only person who gets irritated with the AmericaniZation of certain words, in particular things that end in "iZe" with a Zed (not "Zee" O_o) instead of an "s" crammed in. Okay, the pronounciation of the "s" in these words does sound a bit like "z", but it isn't as clear as it is in something like "lazy" which does have a zed.

Another thing that drives me mad is missing out the "u" in words like Armour, Colour, Favour etc. Color to me looks like it should be pronounced KOLOR... sounds klingon or something...

"Aluminum" is just wrong, it seperates it from other metals. Many other metals end with "ium".. Titanium, Sodium, Magnesium, Lithium, Calcium etc... Shove that "i" back in!

It's the over use of zed which irritates me the most though :p
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#2 CodeCat

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 01:28 PM

The spelling of English needs a major overhaul. So many words are pronounced differently from how they are spelled, it's just stupid. Americans tried to fix a few things, but they missed the point in how rigorously the spelling needs to change. Most of the spelling dates back over 500 years ago.
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#3 Ash

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 01:39 PM

And they've lasted this long unchanged. Why should we, all of a sudden, bother to change the spellings we've had for centuries or even longer? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But yes, I do get annoyed with American spellings. :p

#4 CodeCat

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 02:16 PM

It IS broke, that's the problem. Research has shown that there are far more dyslexics among English speakers than among, for example, Italian or German speakers.
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#5 Calamity_Jones

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 02:31 PM

The language is a mix of all sorts of other things, we've picked up words from here there and everywhere. We've been invaded so many times and invaded other people so many times that the language has assimilated fragments of many others. That's probably why there's so many synonymns for almost everything. There are advantages though, you can write anything in a whole range of ways thanks to the flexible grammar and huge range of words. The language is part of our history, which is why it should stay as it is!

Edited by Calamity_Jones, 09 January 2007 - 02:33 PM.

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#6 CodeCat

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 02:37 PM

The problem is that the spelling no longer reflects the pronunciation. It originally did, when it was first made, but since then the spelling has stayed the same while the language evolved. Most languages let the spelling evolve WITH the the pronunciation, rather than keeping it rigid and archaic like English does. And because of this, English is one of the harder languages to learn.
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#7 OmegaBolt

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 03:25 PM

American spelling is very annoying, they just try and make it simple like they are all tiny children. "Gray" wtf is that about? I like our language the way it is, i say they should go and make their own, not a variation of ours.

Another thing is how Americans think we are the ones spelling it wrong. Personally I think they should be removed from the earth, but thats just my thoughts. :?:

Another thing. :p My Science teacher said that we are now supposed to use American spelling of certain chemicals now. That really pissed me off, so if a lose marks because of it then i shall be proud.

Edited by OmegaBolt, 09 January 2007 - 03:28 PM.

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#8 chemical ali

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 03:47 PM

Damn right, bloody colonials they should learn to accept that Brittania rules and start the back payment of taxes. But sadly, because of English being the international language and the USA dominace in the world of business people are told the American way. Its scary seeing Chinese and South Koreans people speak like Americans because they have picked it up from films and culture.
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#9 Blodo

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 04:06 PM

Immo: How can it be broken when it is still officially the easiest language to learn on earth? Try learning Polish. Far less dyslexics in Poland, and yet - try it ;)

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#10 CodeCat

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 04:16 PM

As a language, English might be a bit easier. But once you start to write it down, that's when the trouble starts. And then people wonder why so many people mess up the spelling online.

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#11 duke_Qa

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 06:33 PM

Kane learned me english, so thats that ;) (well probably a bit of knight rider and macgyver and other series but they don't count as much as Kane)

BAH? i was about to claim that aluminium is written aluminium but the dictionary tells me noes!? wtf's... al·u·min·i·um, not a·lu·mi·num. thats a perfect example of lazyness. no wonder the yankees are still using imperial measurements and not metrics.

anyways, bloody normans from frenchieland invaded england too soon for us norsemen to integrate our language more thoroughly. its the frenchies fault that there isnt more coherency between text and words.

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#12 Calamity_Jones

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 06:33 PM

The problem is that the spelling no longer reflects the pronunciation. It originally did, when it was first made, but since then the spelling has stayed the same while the language evolved. Most languages let the spelling evolve WITH the the pronunciation, rather than keeping it rigid and archaic like English does. And because of this, English is one of the harder languages to learn.


Good point, but then, there's a lot of letters that are not pronounced, but inserted into the words to differ their spelling from others, or to tell you that you shouldn't pronounce it in another way. Anyways, it's how it's always been, and how it should be. Changing the spelling confuses people. Why fix what isn't broken? ;)

Chips and fries completely defeats the supposed logic of making the language more.. logical... Crisps are... crisp and that's why they're called that. Chips are long chips of spud, hence the name! Bah humbug!

Edit: yeh duke, I would rather the vikings took us over than the BLOODY FRENCH! (:)) Imperial measurement is just stupid, it makes no bloody sense and is well past its sell-by date. Huzzah for the french guy who created the metric system.

This should make you laugh Ali

Edited by Calamity_Jones, 09 January 2007 - 06:37 PM.

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#13 Mastermind

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 07:14 PM

You guys lost. Get over it. We don't try to tell you to use our version of english, because we believe in your right to use a version of the language similar to ours so that we can at least understand each other. Languages evolve. Just because you can't keep up with the times doesn't mean the rest of the world has to stay mired in the 16th century.

(Note: This is at least mild sarcasm, as it comes from a person who uses grey when the mood strikes, and has been known to ise a word or three now and then).
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#14 Calamity_Jones

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 08:08 PM

Send in the Redcoats! They're getting unruly over the Atlantic, they might try to throw off the shackles of opression soon ;)
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#15 Ash

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 08:48 PM

It IS broke, that's the problem. Research has shown that there are far more dyslexics among English speakers than among, for example, Italian or German speakers.


Dyslexia has nothing whatsoever to do with the language used. There are far less people have CHD among Japanese speakers. Should I start speaking Japanese so I don't die of heart failure? That research is pure coincidental evidence, there's no real correlation between the two.

The language has remained this way for this long, and we do okay with it. As said, it's not as if people are going to go and change things...there's no direct authority for such a thing. Things change gradually over time, or they do not.

And try asking the French to change their language. Or the Germans. They're far, far more prescriptive than we are.

#16 MSpencer

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 09:01 PM

You knock our spelling one more fucking time, we'll nuke the shit out of you.
Seriously, it is what Dick Cheney would say.
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#17 Ash

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 09:05 PM

There is a reason his first name is dick.

#18 MSpencer

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 09:14 PM

Well yes, but the reason why is because he has a penis which could literally be considered the size of Rhode Island.
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#19 Copaman

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 09:18 PM

There is a reason his first name is Dick.



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I think that the English language should get a good overhaul in spelling. For instance, I think Aluminium is not Aluminum. But Color is not Colour. I also think that USA should get on with the transition to Metrics. (Yes, it is on the way- hence why you get a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi and not a 2-Gallon at your neighborhood grocery)

Think about it for a second- color / colour = kuhl-er. Colour logically should = Kuhl-eur. It's more French sounding than English. However, traditional scientific spelling should be kept. That way, the Americans and American-speakers don't go off nuking the British and British-speakers and vice-versa. Both sides get something they want.

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#20 Hostile

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Posted 09 January 2007 - 09:19 PM

The problem is that the spelling no longer reflects the pronunciation. It originally did, when it was first made, but since then the spelling has stayed the same while the language evolved. Most languages let the spelling evolve WITH the the pronunciation, rather than keeping it rigid and archaic like English does. And because of this, English is one of the harder languages to learn.


Good point, but then, there's a lot of letters that are not pronounced, but inserted into the words to differ their spelling from others, or to tell you that you shouldn't pronounce it in another way. Anyways, it's how it's always been, and how it should be. Changing the spelling confuses people. Why fix what isn't broken? :)

Chips and fries completely defeats the supposed logic of making the language more.. logical... Crisps are... crisp and that's why they're called that. Chips are long chips of spud, hence the name! Bah humbug!

Edit: yeh duke, I would rather the vikings took us over than the BLOODY FRENCH! (:p) Imperial measurement is just stupid, it makes no bloody sense and is well past its sell-by date. Huzzah for the french guy who created the metric system.

This should make you laugh Ali

Hey now, crisps were invented in the US by an angry chef in Pennsylvania. A customer said his potatoes were too thick, so the smart ass chef shaved the potato and fried them into crsips.

(Why does plural need to add "es" instead of just "s")

I love the history channel. I learned more from there than I did school. Useless, but learned more none the less.

And why would you spell armor "armour?" What is the purpose of the "U" And gray is the letter "A" with a "gr" in front. Hell why should it even have a "Y" at the end TBH. It should be gra, but they that's a short "a" Doesn't work. ;)

See english is stupid, spanish is pronounced the same way everytime in every sense. Now that makes sense, And why is "sense" used twice in two differant ways. I believe italian, french, and porteguese might be like spanish also. I'm not sure.

And what is up with "though" Why not just spell is phonetically? Why not spell it tho? There is no other word spelled that way to confuse with it?

And if I "thinked" or shall I say "thought" something, why isn't it spelled "thinked", like the rest of english. And if I "thinked" something, why can't I "thunk" it in perfect past tense as a participle? If I should happen to "think" in past tense, it should actually be "thank" But that opens up another can of worms.

English is screwed up. And what does a screw have to do with something that is in disarray?

And why can you say "prick your finger", but can't say "finger your prick?"

Why can I say the word "vagina" but cannot say the word "pussy?" Yet I can say "pussyfoot", or "pusscat!"

It's just a word right? I watch Battlestar Galactica, and replace the word "fuck" with "frack" still means the same things, yet they are allowed to say it. Makes no sense to me...




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