ugly idiosyncracies in english

[MajestikMøøse]

I don't understand what the matter is here. Are you saying that it's weird that English puts the cliticized negative 'n't' onto the auxilary verb, or the fact that it uses an auxilary verb at all in expressing an iterative past?

 

[MajestikMøøse]

I mean, I think it might be weird in that it uses a periphrastic construction that is analogous to the modern german perfect to express ongoing action in the past, but this is just how English puts these things together in its typical hyperanalytic fashion.

I mean, languages do strange things all the time. It's not that weird.

Take Classical Egyptian syntax on the other hand. A language that has essentially only nouns, verbs, prepositions, but they essentially only syntactically behave as either one of nouns or adverbs.

I swear, it's the most fucked up system of grammatical syntax that I've seen in my entire life.

 

[einride]

I don't understand what the matter is here. Are you saying that it's weird that English puts the cliticized negative 'n't' onto the auxilary verb, or the fact that it uses an auxilary verb at all in expressing an iterative past?

the problem is what i said: it's ugly as hell even if grammatically correct

just say it out loud, it sounds ridiculous

 

[Disgustipated]

In conversation I'd most probably say "didn't he used to", but we Australians abuse the hell out of this language. I suppose it does seem a little lazy, informal if anything.

But German takes the cake of ugliest sounding language.

you've obviously never been to france

I'd prefer French over Danish.

 

[lurch70]

i just want to watch/hear a proper German porn ... always laughed at the thought of what sex would sound like in German.
i am always picturing Ilsa She Wolf of the SS barking orders.

Jerry, find me some skin flicks dammit.

PS: little known fact ... i speak fluent Hungarian ... probably the weirdest language in Europe.

 

[Dev]

you've obviously never been to france

Weird. Everywhere I've been to French was considered the most beautiful language. Obviously, this has a lot to do with cliches and I would tend to agree that French can sound pretty bad, especially when it is spoken by young people.

From a French perspective, German used to be regarded as a hard, harsh-sounding language probably because it's not a latin language.. (for instance, Romanian sounds easier to me) but it's changing or so I hope. Last year it was a shock to discover how easier it was for a German person to learn English than for a French or Spanish.

When it comes to English, I've always had difficulties with the incredible numbers of adjective and words with little shades of meaning not to mention the reasons lying behind the choice of these words.. "small", "little", "short".. that's almost one and only word for me.

 

[Ellestin]

German is beautiful when spoken as it should be, so is French. So is every fucking language this side of the solar system. Well, maybe Dutch starts off with a handicap.

 

[dorian gray]

well said

 

[einride]

danish is seriously ugly as a spoken language i would have to agree

 

[Demilich]

Italian is one of the most beautiful currently spoken languages, imo.

French, I was never very fond of though maybe just 'cause of being forced to learn it in school for 10 years

 

[Dev]

Italian is one of the most beautiful currently spoken languages, imo.

Yeah definitely! First reason why I keep on listening to these 70's prog-rock bands

 

[Ellestin]

you should listen to Canaan too, they have beautiful songs sung in Italian.

On second thought just keep shunning Canaan, you know why

 

[Conspicuously Absent]

Didn't swizzle have a really really sexy italian roommate in london?

 

[lurch70]

Italian is great indeed ... its also the only language that involves hand gestures.

 

[EricT]

Italian is great indeed ... its also the only language that involves hand gestures.

Other than Sign Language... of course.

 

[lurch70]

... can you imagine speaking with an Italian dude while he's playing pocket pool? I can't even conjure that up in my imagination.

 

[EricT]

Going back home is always amusing... talking in the kitchen always results in one fat italian uncle swinging a knife around while trying to describe something.

Not that I should be making fun, I do it too.

 

[swizzlenuts]

Didn't swizzle have a really really sexy italian roommate in london?

Yes, it was awesome.

 

[~Neurotica]

Russian is 1000 times more fucked up than English, trust me...

 

[Ellestin]

Yes, it was awesome.

"it"?