Heroes, potatoes, pimentos, zeroes and zeros
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
Eugene, Oregon
June 29, 2018 6:18pm CST
These words, ending in"os" or "oes" help make the English language complicated for people to learn as a second language. It is odd to me and sort of nonsensical for the words "tomato" and "potato" to end in "oes" if there is more than one of them. Even a wino, if there are two become "winoes."
The word pimento simply adds an s if there are two or more, same with avocados. Don't forget those "mementos" we like to take home either. But is you see "commandos" coming, better hide.
Zero is a great one too. If you are speaking numerically, two of them are "zeroes" but if your friend has a problem, he "zeros" in on the solution.
English is the only language I know. I would hate to try to learn it though.
I wonder if other languages have so many inconsistencies?
13 people like this
14 responses
@DesirousDreamer (34783)
• Peoria, Arizona
29 Jun 18
I never actually realized this. Especially about zero. It was one of those things I just knew instead of actually learned in school. Why is this something we are not taught! My grammar would probably be better if elementary school cared about these things.
3 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Jun 18
I went to elementary school in Texas and grammart was pretty much drilled into our heads, but these oes things are still confusing. I would have never spelled two zeros with anything but an s.
2 people like this
@rakski (112925)
• Philippines
30 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic yes, for sure. But it is now a universal language, right so a lot more people wants to learn it
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
I know that it is. I would hate to approach it as a second language.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
@rakski Yes, I have done some tutoring for people learning English as a second language.
@allknowing (130066)
• India
30 Jun 18
You seem to have woken up late in the day when it comes to pointing out the oddness of the English language. Oh! I could write a book about it
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
30 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic One does not learn English but 'mugs' it.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
Oh, I have been aware of it for many years, these are just some simple examples that baffle me as a native speaker.
1 person likes this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
30 Jun 18
on thing about our language is the generic pronouns. you can say siya/sya but it can mean he/him or her/she. when you say pamangkin, it can mean nephew or niece.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
That sounds like fun alright. Is that Tagalog?
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
30 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic yes. it can be helpful when you're talking in general terms
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (115992)
• United States
29 Jun 18
They say that English is one of the most difficult ones to learn. I don't know if that is just the writing aspect, though.
I took 5 years of French from grade 8-12 and loved it. It wasn't practical but I loved it. I wish my parents made me take Spanish instead. I often think of doing the Rosetta Stone program to learn Spanish.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
29 Jun 18
Spanish would be a lot more useful. I took French in high school and college too.
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (115992)
• United States
29 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic I agree. My parents just let me do my thing. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law let my nephew learn German. Like, what the hell? WHY? How would that EVER be useful in today's society in the USA unless you are planning to become a Neo-Nazi?
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
30 Jun 18
Hi James. I think even our language does too. It can be really tough to understand it with the use of some words.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
Maybe all languages are like that, but English has to be near the top.
2 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
30 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic Oh that I agree, James. 
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215405)
• Chile
30 Jun 18
I could name a lot of difficult words in English, specially as spelling goes. I have never seen a language with more "s" letters in many words. And that´s just one of the problems
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
Yes, ours is a language with a lot of ambiguities, difficult for non-natives (and some born here)to learn.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
30 Jun 18
It is really beyond me why the words ending in 'o ' have different plural forms ,which makes learning English more difficult.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Jun 18
It is a language mystery for certain.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
11 Dec 18
I took French in college and high school, not too bad. English, for a second tongue, has so many inconsistencies.
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 18
Retirement is good place to be.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306113)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
1 Jul 18
I heard that the other complicated language besides ours is Mandarin with just as much oddities as we have. I'm glad I don't have to learn English too. It's complicated enough for those of us who write it. Now there's a word you really need to get right.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 18
Oh yes, that is another tricky one.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 18
I notice differences in spelling between England, Australia and the US that are interesting such as labour, flavour and others.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325759)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Jul 18
@JamesHxstatic I'm afraid I always stick to 'English' spelling. Haha. but it is interesting noticing the differences.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129453)
• Israel
5 Jul 18
@JamesHxstatic
English is a hard language to learn. I learned Hebrew to speak here in Israel but far from fluent. It is also a hard language to learn. I am not good with languages.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 18
I studied French in high school and college, but have forgotten most of it.
@Hannihar (129453)
• Israel
6 Jul 18
@JamesHxstatic
I also studied French in High and when I came to Israel to check it out the year before I came to live here a tour I followed the guide spoke in French and other languages but I understood him in French. I would not remember most of it anymore.
1 person likes this
@simplfred (20608)
• Philippines
29 Jun 18
Yeah, our language is complicated to understand also.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
6 Jul 18
Many languages seem to be like that.
1 person likes this
