Musings from a Common Existence

lesserjoke:

This is glorious.

(Source: isomorphismes, via amaranthine-ephemerality)

estifi:

ganitsirk:

seethatsfunnybecause:

See this symbol is funny because those words shouldn’t spell “fish” but the sounds they make in other English words if applied accordingly can make those sounds. 

The “gh” is from words like enough, and tough

The “o” becoming an “i” is from a word like women

The “ti” makes the “sh” sound from nation, initiate, etc.

Isn’t linguistics fun?! My professors used this as a fun example in class, even though what they’re really saying is “English makes no sense because it’s a bastardization of several languages so these rules aren’t mutually inclusive which is why it’s so hard to speak English which is why we should treasure the language.”

Eh, we’re making words like “hizzouse” and “sizzurp” dictionary-level words so I think we’re pretty much doomed. Or should I say “dumed” like the “u” in the word “future” ok sorry let me stop.

ehhhh, pretty sure that including words in a dictionary doesn’t mean that english is doomed. it’s just evolving. like it always has. and always will.
and i’m 100% sure that they didn’t use this as an example of the bastardization of english because using ‘bastardization’ in reference to language is like, so gross and bad and wrong. soooooo. might want to strike that word from your vocab when it comes to describing language.

Every language is the product of several other languages, unless there is a language that has never, ever seen the light of day nor had contact with speakers of other languages. There’s always borrowings between languages in contact. English isn’t at all special in that regard. The only difference is that English has a conservative orthography that hasn’t changed all that much since the dawn of the printing press, while many other languages have adapted over the centuries to maintain a closer relationship between writing and pronunciation. 

Secondly, the dictionary isn’t the authority on words’ existence. The dictionary is merely a compendium of commonly used words or paradigms (like the -iz- infix) and the ways which they are used.

I second the stance against using “bastardize” in reference to language. Additionally, English isn’t the hardest language to learn. No language is outright the hardest or easiest to learn. Relatively, sure, languages more like your native language are easier to learn, but there is no universal “hardest language in the world to learn ever”. 

Also, the vowel in “future” is not the same as the vowel in “doomed”. The former is a diphthong, the latter a simple vowel. I love how simple orthographic changes and the acknowledgement of certain words and paradigms mark the degradation of language… And I love how these concepts usually originate within marginalized groups, so that’s why they get no love and get written off as “dumb” and “one more straw on the camel’s back for the destruction of the language even though it’s been surviving the same changes for thousands of years”.

CLOCKODILES

(Source: macs-guide-to-the-galaxy, via lesserjoke)

unskinny:

Dammit, Joss.  I shipped those two characters.  

(via polygl0t)