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[methylatedspirit]

I see a massive pitfall here. These people are clearly thinking that English is a language that follows consistent and predictable rules. Riddle me this: since when was English even remotely consistent? It's basically a bunch of languages glued together into a hodgepodge of a language, and it shows.

[Arx]

Prescriptivism is a useful tool for retaining a semblance of consistency, like avoiding inherently confusing constructs like "irregardless" or "could care less". I don't think many modern grammaticists are overly stressed by singular they, since it serves a clear purpose not met by any other available term. Similarly the omnipresent plural "you" derives from polite/respectful speech (IIRC) which slowly became the default mode of speech until "thou" was crowded out completely. It's not incorrect, because the initial form served a specific purpose. May as well complain that the dative case is no longer clearly distinguished.

[scriver]

People who are exclusively either prescriptivist or descriptivist are both equally wrong. Language is both prescriptive and descriptive. It follows patterns and it breaks patterns. When it breaks patterns it usually does so in a away that follows other patterns. It's a growing, living being, but where it grows it not random.

I see a massive pitfall here. These people are clearly thinking that English is a language that follows consistent and predictable rules. Riddle me this: since when was English even remotely consistent? It's basically a bunch of languages glued together into a hodgepodge of a language, and it shows.

English is a very consistent language. It's just popular myth that it ain't. Stuff like the bolded part above is basically just internet armchair linguist that's become popular to repeat and seen as truth because it's popularly repeated.

Edit: also meth I too would say that it is strange as in unusual, but not as in bad or wrong at all.

[Frumple]

... what? As a native english speaker, no, no it's not very consistent. It's made up of about as many exceptions as it is rules, really. Just about everything I've heard from actual people learning or teaching the language ranks it as one of the harder to pick up, specifically because our shit's kinda' wonky on that front.

S'absolutely a hodgepodge of stolen words, too, heh. English etymology is a trip some days.

[delphonso]

I would disagree - as someone who teaches English and someone who is learning a handful of other languages. English is /more/ organized than several other languages. Simple grammar structures, easy passive language, and less than 200 irregular verbs - really not all that bad. Pronunciation is inconsistent, but not the worst in the world.

It's all a moot point because the "hardest" languages to learn have nothing to do with grammar, pronunciation, or exceptions to the rules. The hardest languages to learn are those which are inaccessible. No language has more content than English (lesson books, movies, TV, music, etc.) Same with Chinese and Japanese for Westerners in that regard - they may be tough - as in different, but at least there are good text books and plenty of media to consume. Try picking up Indonesian or Hungarian...

[Arx]

Yep. If you ever want to plunge yourself into an exercise in futility, try learning Xhosa without living in South Africa. The best you can get on the internet is dribs and drabs of partial grammar, and oh boy is there a lot of grammar you need to learn. Same goes for most African languages; I needed to pick up some Kinyarwanda for work a few weeks back and it was quite a trip even knowing a bit of general Nguni grammar.


I feel like English is grammatically quite straightforward, but has some bizarre gotchas with spelling and pronunciation. Most languages have those, though, so it's all fair.

[bloop_bleep]

Grammar in English is rather consistent and simple. Spelling might be weird. There are hardly any cases, no gendered adjectives or verbs, nice regular word order usually, etc.

[hector13]

A row of rowers rowed with the opposing row of rowers, rowing for their lives, while the present champion waited to present the present-shaped cup to the winner.

[Naturegirl1999]

The two people on a date ate dates while sitting near date trees

[Rolan7]

Buffalo buffalo.

[methylatedspirit]

And of course, you have sentences that just sound like English had a stroke:
James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher.

Or with punctuation, as if you can improve on perfection:
James, while John had had "had", had had "had had"; "had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.

[delphonso]

Counterpoint:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion-Eating_Poet_in_the_Stone_Den

[Naturegirl1999]

I looked up Google images for mimic and noticed most take the form of chests, why not skip the middleman and take the form of why adventurers(prey) go for the chests? Why not take the form of currency directly? Do young mimics look like currency?

[Egan_BW]

I looked up Google images for mimic and noticed most take the form of chests, why not skip the middleman and take the form of why adventurers(prey) go for the chests? Why not take the form of currency directly? Do young mimics look like currency?

https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/seeker-of-thrones-6-63/

[Iduno]

Am I imagining this being a thing? Two guys on a weightlifter forum were arguing because one said he worked out every other day, and the other said that was impossible because there are 7 days in a week.

I can't find it anywhere.

I looked up Google images for mimic and noticed most take the form of chests, why not skip the middleman and take the form of why adventurers(prey) go for the chests? Why not take the form of currency directly? Do young mimics look like currency?

I think Delicious In Dungeon did something with that idea.