Funny English Words! ^_^
By ottosun
@ottosun (51)
China
December 16, 2008 12:43am CST
When I started to learn English, I found many English Words very funny!
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads,which aren't sweet,are meat.
We find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing ring are square and guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and wise guy are opposites?
How can overlook and oversee be opposites,while quite a lot and quite a few are alike?
When the stars are out, they are visible,but when the lights are out, they are invisible.
When you wind up your watch, you start it, but when you wind up an essay, you end it?
3 people like this
4 responses
@Margarit (3676)
• Philippines
16 Dec 08
hi ottosun,
Well i guess we have similar discussion i have before. I think english words are more complicated than we thought. But it is still good to know that we can still understand and communicate with english language which is more important than knowing its origin. Have a look and comment if you like on my discussion.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1804256.aspx
2 people like this
@PrincessKitten (790)
• United States
16 Dec 08
ottosun,
Wait a minute, English Muffins weren't invented in England? When did THAT happen?!? 
What DOES a humanitarian eat anyway? 
Thanks for the discussion! 
What DOES a humanitarian eat anyway?
Thanks for the discussion! @ottosun (51)
• China
16 Dec 08
Hi PrincessKitten,Do you want to know the history of the English Muffin?
please look at here: http://www.thenibble.com/zine/archives/wolfermans-muffins.asp
"The English muffin is not a muffin, but a variation of the crumpet, a raised muffin cooked on a griddle in a ring mold until is brown on the bottom and riddled with small holes on the top-not too dissimilar from a topside manifestation of 'nooks and crannies.'"
BTW,I think PrincessKitten is real Princess! XD
@karen1969 (1779)
•
25 May 10
Oh yes, English is a weird and wonderful language! Then there are all the strange rules that get broken - cow in the plural is cows, dog = dogs, cat = cats, but sheep stays the same in the plural. Or pronounciation - plough is pronounced as "plow" but cough is said "koff" and "through" is "thr-oo", oh it's such fun!!!
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
30 Aug 17
LOL. That was hilarious. I like the one about the wise man and the wise guy.
