As a person whose native language is not English and then learnt English in school and through TV, but then decided to move to New Zealand where English is different again, I feel this one so much. I've wondered more than once "do I even speak English? Or is everyone else wrong?" 🤔
Winston Churchill allegedly described England and America as two countries separated by a common tongue. I now have 38 years’ experience acting as an English-to-American translator for friends in Texas watching BBC shows, including taking long breaks to explain biros, brollies, and Daleks.
Thank an English-to-American translator. (I have an FBI record for allegedly selling government secrets to the Daleks because of that level of American cultural illiteracy in the 1980s.)
The science fiction author H. Beam Piper summed things thusly: “English was created so Norman soldiers could ask out Saxon barmaids, and it’s just as illegitimate as anything else that came out of those unions.”
A much downgraded version of this kind of poetry runs on a loop in my brain all the time... And it gets worse with every iteration... Such is the delight of English as a second language.
Well, your threats to have someone grow a mullet if I didn’t sub failed. I have been a sub since the begin—see how cool and young I can be by shortening some words?—and my daughter married her high school sweetheart, Mister Mullet, himself.
I'm disturbed by how true some of this is. HOW IS MOOSE NOT MEESE? I worked in construction my whole life and anytime Spanish-only-speaking men were on the job and we couldn't communicate with them, PARTICULAR men I worked with always said, "We live in America! Why don't they just learn to speak English!" Well...your poem my hint at why. Haha.
I loved this, Robin, and how delightful to hear you are a fellow Canuckian. I could answer almost all of your wonderings (I studied Linguistics and have bored many people with my explanations, so there you go, I’m totally qualified). 😁
As a person whose native language is not English and then learnt English in school and through TV, but then decided to move to New Zealand where English is different again, I feel this one so much. I've wondered more than once "do I even speak English? Or is everyone else wrong?" 🤔
Can confirm, everyone is wrong. I apologize on behalf of my language.
Winston Churchill allegedly described England and America as two countries separated by a common tongue. I now have 38 years’ experience acting as an English-to-American translator for friends in Texas watching BBC shows, including taking long breaks to explain biros, brollies, and Daleks.
Daleks 😆😆
Of those words I only know Daleks 😁
Thank an English-to-American translator. (I have an FBI record for allegedly selling government secrets to the Daleks because of that level of American cultural illiteracy in the 1980s.)
The science fiction author H. Beam Piper summed things thusly: “English was created so Norman soldiers could ask out Saxon barmaids, and it’s just as illegitimate as anything else that came out of those unions.”
😆That's phenomenal . I love your memory for the obscure!
Kudos! (wherever that word came from)
A much downgraded version of this kind of poetry runs on a loop in my brain all the time... And it gets worse with every iteration... Such is the delight of English as a second language.
Well English does appear to become downgraded with every iteration...so I think you're par for the course there.
Well, your threats to have someone grow a mullet if I didn’t sub failed. I have been a sub since the begin—see how cool and young I can be by shortening some words?—and my daughter married her high school sweetheart, Mister Mullet, himself.
James, absolutely--you are one of my first ever readers!!! It's been almost two years now, wow.
Did your daughter birth mini mullets?
I'm disturbed by how true some of this is. HOW IS MOOSE NOT MEESE? I worked in construction my whole life and anytime Spanish-only-speaking men were on the job and we couldn't communicate with them, PARTICULAR men I worked with always said, "We live in America! Why don't they just learn to speak English!" Well...your poem my hint at why. Haha.
And if plural of mouse is mice, what is plural of spouse?
Obviously…its spice. Is it because we never talk about one spouse at a time?
Brilliant! I’ve seen a number of odes such as this; this is one of the best!
"but beef isn’t beaves" << Again...dead 🤣🤣 And hice.
Does all of this come from your head? Did you make this up? Why aren't you famous?
“I hate messes to pieces”! - Mr. Jinx the cat. I love English because it always invites new words! From every culture new words come!
I enjoyed the poem
BUT
Beeves IS the plural of beef.
I loved this, Robin, and how delightful to hear you are a fellow Canuckian. I could answer almost all of your wonderings (I studied Linguistics and have bored many people with my explanations, so there you go, I’m totally qualified). 😁
Language is fun! 💕
Was grinning while(s)t reading.😁
OMG! you are a genius Robin! truly, brilliant! thankyou.
Totally hilarious. My favorite is anthropomorphism
You can thank your "brother" Jason for the intro.
Lol English is peanuts compared to Spanish... honestly.