Threads that go off topic - here and other forums.

[scarry]

There is a large newish huge Primo place out Wacol way,i am sure that is where ham and bacon comes from

[V8Ian]

I think Warwick Bacon Co. is still slaughtering too.

[Toxic_Avenger]

You can't have 'slaughter' without 'laughter'

How messed up is the english language?

[JDNSW]

You can't have 'slaughter' without 'laughter'

How messed up is the english language?

No more than many other languages - but a lot of people think it is because they erroneously suppose that the spelling is supposed to be phonetic. It isn't.

English spelling, while originally phonetic (about eight hundred years ago!) has evolved a long way from that, and spelling is used to distinguish homonyms or near homonyms, and to link words that share a common origin but whose pronunciation has evolved differently (e.g. debit, debt) or simply where spelling is retained so we can read what our parents wrote even though we pronounce it differently.

If English were to be written phonetically, there are two major problems -

1. Which pronunciation do you use? (UK, US, Singapore, India etc etc) Any such choice would destroy the use of English as a world language, or at best the phonetic advantage would only apply to one area with the disadvantage to everyone else of a new non-phonetic spelling.

2. In a couple of generations we would not be able to read anything written more than fifty years ago.

I do not think it will ever happen. English will continue to evolve, as will spelling, and the communications we have today will ensure it does not fragment, at least as a written language, as, for example, Latin did into the Romance languages.

John

[Roverlord off road spares]

In today's Australian english the word UM has been replaced by the word LIKE, it must be used after every few words in a sentence. Young girls are extremely good at it and they must achieve honors in their marks at school

[DiscoMick]

In today's Australian english the word UM has been replaced by the word LIKE, it must be used after every few words in a sentence. Young girls are extremely good at it and they must achieve honors in their marks at school

Yes, except that like is a connector between thoughts, but um is a gap filler until you decide what to say.

[cuppabillytea]

Yes, except that like is a connector between thoughts, but um is a gap filler until you decide what to say.

That's interesting. All the connector words we use at work have four letters bit non of them begin with 'L'.

Actually, I think Mitch meant psychologically messed up as opposed to linguistically messed up.

[Toxic_Avenger]

Actually, I think Mitch meant psychologically messed up as opposed to linguistically messed up.

Some of the former, but mostly the latter.
Partner is a speech pathologist and knows a thing or two about linguistics, etymology, and a host of other things that make my mind spin. Some of it may have rubbed off.
English makes no sense. Language was borrowed from everywhere.

I like the follwoing examples.
Homophones (pronounced the same, different spelling and meanings):
There, their, they're
oar, or
maid, made
piece, peace

Homonyms (same spelling and pronunciation, multiple meanings):
Fly, address, may, lie, saw, lead...

[DiscoMick]

Some of the former, but mostly the latter.
Partner is a speech pathologist and knows a thing or two about linguistics, etymology, and a host of other things that make my mind spin. Some of it may have rubbed off.
English makes no sense. Language was borrowed from everywhere.

I like the follwoing examples.
Homophones (pronounced the same, different spelling and meanings):
There, their, they're
oar, or
maid, made
piece, peace

Homonyms (same spelling and pronunciation, multiple meanings):
Fly, address, may, lie, saw, lead...

Yes, English is a living language so it keeps absorbing from other languages.

[cuppabillytea]

"it makes no sense." I here this complaint all the time, yet it is becoming a universal language, not just because it is the language of the internet, but primarily by virtue of it's ability to be understood when spoken poorly. This is a virtue that few if any other languages have.