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Blessed be those who didn't have to go through the trouble of learning the English language. Some might say that learning Japanese or Icelandic might be the most difficult task out there, but even the most complicated aspects of those languages have some kind of logic behind them. English grammar and the language itself, on the other hand, has some truly nonsensical characteristics to it and a plethora of arbitrary rules.

Those with English as their native language never have to consciously work through the kinks of spelling out Wednesday or why writers write, but fingers don't fing and grocers don't groce. Learning English as a secondary language is a real minefield once you figure out the basic grammar rules and step into more specific areas. And these people decided to point some of the most confusing things out there to prove their point. English is a weird language and at times makes no sense whatsoever, especially for a language that is so widespread.

#1

English-Language-Logic-No-Sense

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Orillion
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Who's up for the defenestration of Donald Trump. I say we do it overmorrow.

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To be fair, many linguists would easily find a logical answer to most of the problems presented in these messages, as English language has a lot of nuances (like words being borrowed from Latin and Greek, or the fact that some words had their origins lost or they ceased to be used in spoken language). However, that doesn't mean that they still don't fail to confuse people trying to learn the language, as even the most sound explanation might seem nonsensical when the original problem could be solved by, well... changing the language? Ah, let's leave this for the linguists to figure out and non-native speakers to be confused about, right?

#6

English Nonsense

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SykesDaMan
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It took me a while to remember which one is positive and which one is negative between horriffic and terrfic...

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#10

English Nonsense

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So Dou
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have the exact same word in french and with the same meaning ... others meaning too ;)

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#14

English-Language-Logic-No-Sense

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Artex Gorilla
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brits also use 'Quite' in a sarcastic manner if agreeing with someone (who they don't agree with).

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#20

English Nonsense

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Aileen
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ve also heard, “I before E except when your feisty foreign neighbor Keith leisurely receives eight counterfeit beige sleighs from caffeinated atheist weightlifters. Weird.”

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#25

English-Language-Logic-No-Sense

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Aldhissla VargTimmen
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a broadcasted spelling competition for the Dutch language as well ^^ Dutch is easier though, makes more sense :)

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#27

English Nonsense

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I hear someone say "the other day", I assume it's something within a month. I never think someone would mean something they did like a year ago

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#28

English Nonsense

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Full Name
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if uncovered wagons were the first form of mass transportation so you literally were "on" it.

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#30

English Nonsense

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George Utley
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fridge is a slang shortening of one of the original refrigerators - Fridgidaire...

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#31

English-Language-Logic-No-Sense

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Phil Boswell
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same way that the sentence "I never said she stole all my money" takes on a completely different meaning depending upon which particular word you emphasise…

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#32

English Nonsense

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because it has nothing to do with the words man/woman and comes from Latin humanus

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#36

English Nonsense

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because "Philippines" is in English while "Filipino/Filipina" is Spanish. No need to stress out. In Spanish the country is Filipinas. All is well, they're just words in two different languages!

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Monday
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes but within that lies another issue...if we bothered to make an English word for Philippines why didn't we just make a word for the people who live there? Why create one word and borrow another.

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Craig Lee
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If this seriously stresses someone out, then they've never really had much to worry about in life. There's far bigger problems on this planet then the way something is spelled.

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Christina Eneroth (Eneroth3)
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is september not the 7th month, october the 8th, november the 9th and december the 10th? Stresses me out 4 times out of12.

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Elly Scannell
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Blame the Caesars. Julius and Augustus ruined everything with their months.

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Stannous Flouride
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Those names aren't even indigenous. They are names given in 1543 for King Philip II of Spain and originally only applied to the islands of Leyte and Samar. Long before, the Chinese called the islands of Palawan/Busuanga/Calamyan/Luzon/Mindora/Lingayen "Ma-i" which probably meant "Islands of the Blacks" Magellan called them during his fatal visit in 1521- Las islas de San Lázaro (St. Lazarus' Islands) and Las islas de Poniente (Islands to the West).

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Timothy Rapacon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And in our native language, we spell it as Pilipinas. Pilipino as the people and Filipino as our language:))

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Josh Tall
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And most native Tagalog speakers can not pronounce "f" anyway

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Mnemosyne Recaller
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Philippines is the country. "Las Islas Filipinas" is the original name in honor of King Philip II of Spain. Filipino may refer to a citizen or the language.

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Ashley Wright
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To Gabbie Hanna, you need to take a chill pill. P.S. Who are you, anyway?

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rhyan lumilay
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reading the comments will make you realize that we Pinoys also have some words that is some what complicated to non natives, but to those natives are very commonly explainable.

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rhyan lumilay
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is spelled as Philippines not philippines and they are in different terms. P is in English while F is in Spanish but using P can also be in Filipino/Tagalog term like "Filipino" and "Pilipino" which you think is the same meaning because we just change the first letter but is literally different in meaning.

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Logan Slaughter
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It feels like half of these are just English catching c**p for the stuff other languages have done.

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#38

English Nonsense

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#40

English-Language-Logic-No-Sense

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Piou
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You mean man's laughter isn't the same as manslaughter? Hmmm maybe I should reconsider my hobbies

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