What is the CRAZIEST thing in the English language that you have problems remembering?

[AviatorTom]

Let's face it, English is a crazy language. Much of it is stolen or borrowed from other languages, making it inconsistent and practically impossible to speak it 100% correctly. Yet it's the most common language spoken by people in the world, most as a second language, not their native language.

I can never remember how and why the plural of INDEX is INDICES, though I guess INDEXES is sometimes acceptable.

What is the craziest thing in the English language that you have problems remembering?

[Massageman]

(Other than all those spelling rules)- - - - The biggest difference between English and many other languages is that in English, the modifier comes before the object being described. In English, we speak of a green pencil. In Spanish, for example, it is lapis verde (pencil [of] green, derived from verdant). One thing that they taught when I was younger was sentence diagramming. It was a big help to me, and not just because I am a visual learner. I DID have to learn hundreds of roots and endings when I studied medical books for my cert in Massage Therapy. But once you learn a few of them, you start to see them pop up almost EVERYwhere in everyday talk and print.

[NathanDavis]

I bet that if you watch this video... you'll find some more you didn't even know about... lol

https://www.youtube.com/embed/SfhKldRKmo8

[AviatorTom]

@NathanDavis Very nice. My American pronunciation is slightly different, especially on a few of the words (ex: bass to me is a fish, with a short a sound), but overall pretty similar to this British English.

[NathanDavis]

yeah, I definitely want to hear Aussies or Kiwis doing a version of this video... lol

[sage2021]

We were always taught

I before e unless after c.

But the word 'their" breaks that rule. And there are other words like that but I just can't think of them at the moment.

The second one thing isre-state//background_color_rgba (0, 0, 0, 0), font_color_rgb (77, 77, 77), justifyLeft

[purplepoppy]

Hanged v hung. Is it John was hanged or john was hung? If they did a good job of hanging John was John well hanged or was John well hung? If you hang out with someone do you say I hung out with him or hanged out with him.

[AviatorTom]

@purplepoppy I'm not sure if this applies to the UK, but if you say "John was hung" in the US, you're referring to a male body part. 😎

[mandyfire98]

He could've been hanged and been hung at the same time.

[OlderAndWiser]

Index is a Latin word and the plural form is based on the Latin plural, just like subpoena/subpoenae, alumnus/alumni, etc.

[purplepoppy]

People who think the plural of octopus is octopi should be tossed to the lions.

[OlderAndWiser]

@purplepoppy Lionae!

[andreasderjuengere]

@purplepoppy... Octopussies? :D

[andreasderjuengere]

heh heh :)

[purplepoppy]

Actually it is in welsh octopwsau which is pretty much octopussy spelt phonetically

[andreasderjuengere]

I sometimes have problems to remember that English English and American English is not longer the same :)

Crazy... indeed

[AviatorTom]

@andreasderjuengere Did you know that the English are partly responsible for the differences in American English? Back in Colonial Times, printers eliminated some of the extra letters in words (ex: humour to humor, programme to program, whilst to while) and use simpler words (ex: aubergine to eggplant, barrister to lawyer) because it used less ink and less paper. Ink and paper were in short supply, expensive, and the English required paying a tax on how much ink and paper was used, so it was a benefit to use less of it.

[jennifer_bloom]

I always had difficulty remembering how to spell Quesadilla or Guarantee. Even now, I needed help from autocorrect to spell Quesadilla.

[Cubus]

Pronunciation. "where" "were" and "wear" are pronounced the same. "Knight" and "night" are pronounced the same (because for sone reason in the first one "k" is silent, even though its not silent in other words).

[electromagnetic]

Lethargy. I always think it means to be thirsty not tired.

[LiamJHayden]

Further and farther. I know the proper usage but still often have to correct myself after the fact.

[Dongie]

Except and accept.