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Show Just Stuff by Jon (EDITOR'S NOTE -Jan is in England on a three-month study abroad program, Current columns will appear from time-to-time. This week's column is one of her best from the past). Have you ever stopped to think how difficult it would be to have to learn the English language over again? It would be terrible! What other language has as many silent letters as the English language, like the k in know and knew or the gh in night and flight? What other language has letters that are one way in one word arid another way in another word, like the letter X. It is an X in x-ray or excuse, but when it comes to xerox or xylophone it sounds like the Z in zebra and zoo. But the Z can sound like an S as in Zwiseback and of course an S can sound like a Z as in wise and exercise and pliers. Why isn't flip spelled phllp like phone, or giraffe spelled jiraffe like Jan? Then there are words like sin which means error, fault, misdeed, transgression or wrong, but wrong is defined as abuse, maltreat, oppress or persecute. So if someone has sinned, all he has done is oppressed someone or something? A despot is a ruler with unlimited power, but a ruler is a straight-edge used for measuring. Does that m mean a despot is a straight-edge with unlimited power? What about the words thare are spelled the same, but have different pronunciations and meanings? You will have a wound if you are shot, but a clock is wound. You record something on file, but record is a phonograph disc. Desert means a due reward or penalty, but a desert is a vast, dry, waste land, and to desert is to leave or quit unlawfully. Then there are words that are spelled different but sound the same. You will go over there and get their coats because they're the ones who want them. The two of you may go to the show, too. I will write a letter right now. No, I don't know. Do they know that the dew is due in the morning. Beat the beet 'til it's red. There are the faddy words like gross which means 12 dozen, or really icky, and a hickey used to be a pimple, but now it's a monkey bite and a pimple is a zit, which was never heard of. There are certain times to use shall and will, may and can, who and whom, and that, which, who and what. |
