English breaks its own rules...
By Diana Bauder
@BloggerDi (3113)
United States
September 15, 2018 2:03pm CST
There are so many confusing rules for spelling and pronouncing English words.
How is it that the word "lose", as in "I need to lose weight", is pronounced so differently than "hose" (a water hose, for example).
Both end in -ose! 
Here's a funny video clip from the old show "I Love Lucy", in which Ricky demonstrates how confusing English can be! 
Here's a funny video clip from the old show "I Love Lucy", in which Ricky demonstrates how confusing English can be! 
There are various ways to pronounce "O-U-G-H" in the English language. This was hilariously demonstrated on the "I Love Lucy" television program by Ricky Ric...
4 people like this
8 responses
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
Exactly! 
Thanks for your perfect response @pgntwo.
Thanks for your perfect response @pgntwo.1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
15 Sep 18
@BloggerDi What use are rules if they can't be broken now and then... 
1 person likes this
Good point!
@CuriousFellow (588)
• Mauritius
15 Sep 18
i get confuses too but i am learning. but i glad i manage to speak English and writing too.
1 person likes this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
Thanks @CuriousFellow. I think it's wonderful that you are learning English and doing well at it.
@CuriousFellow (588)
• Mauritius
15 Sep 18
@BloggerDi thank you. that nice to hear.
1 person likes this
@RonElFran (1214)
• Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
15 Sep 18
I understand that English is a fairly difficult language to learn because of all the inconsistencies that make no sense unless you grew up with the language.
1 person likes this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
Thanks @RonElFran. Agreed! The only way to spell and pronounce many of the words correctly is memorization from repeated exposure through the years.
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
@MALUSE Thank you for sharing your insight. You made some excellent points!
I, for one, am not proud that English might be hard for some to learn, due to the things I mentioned.
The only language I tried to learn was Spanish.That was many year ago in high school. I took it for three years. I could understand it much better than I could speak it.
Yes, practice (practise) makes perfect, as an old saying goes.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15487)
• United Kingdom
15 Sep 18
Pretty easy for native English speakers but must be a nightmare for those learning the language.
I work with people who mostly have English as a second language and they make mistakes that have me in stitches.
We've got a board on our kitchen wall where they used to write certain words and I'd put them into sentences with different contexts and spellings.
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@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
Hi @Mike197602, and thanks! I think that using different words in context might be the best way to help people learn the differences.
Yes, I'll bet you have many funny examples of people's mistakes using words they're unfamiliar with!
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
15 Sep 18
It's also an age thing. From a certain age onwards people start thinking. This can only hinder you from learning the correct English spelling and pronunciation. German pupils start learning English at the age of 10. That's a good age. They don't ask, they accept the strangest things without problems.
2 people like this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
16 Sep 18
@MALUSE Yes, that makes sense. When a person is a child, they don't have to "unlearn" very much that might hinder their learning of a new subject or skill.
@Hannihar (129388)
• Israel
2 Dec 18
@BloggerDi
There are different places and cities that one word may mean something different to them than others and that will confuse one more learning English. I grew up in the Midwest and we say things differently than they do in New York.
1 person likes this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
2 Dec 18
Vert true @Hannihar! I' was talking about this with a friend recently. Thanks for your insight.
1 person likes this
@BloggerDi (3113)
• United States
15 Sep 18
Thanks for your comment @Courage7. I so admire people who learn to speak English as a second language! I doubt that I'd be very successful at learning another language at this stage in my life.
1 person likes this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
15 Sep 18
@BloggerDi It would be a difficulty for me also Diana. Welcome
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
15 Sep 18
@BloggerDi @pgntwo @Mike197602 @CuriousFellow @Courage7 If you want to know why English words are written and pronounced the way they are, you must study the history of English at uni.
Here is a famous poem on the topic:
The English Magazine English Pronunciation Fun with English Dearest Creature aka The Chaos That English Pronunciation Poem! Listen to this tricky little poem and you can practise your pronunciation and listening skills, and don't worry if you don't know al
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