The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #106570   Message #2202465
Posted By: John on the Sunset Coast
26-Nov-07 - 11:15 AM
Thread Name: BS: Is Your Grammar Up To Date?
Subject: RE: BS: Is Your Grammar Up To Date?
I love this. Playing with words is fun.

One reason that English is a difficult language--esp. to foreign speakers learning same--is that words come from various other languages and have been tortured into English words. German, Greek, Latin (from most of its families), Arabic (ie carafe, magazine), Hebrew and Anglo-Saxon. Whence (not 'from whence,' a redundancy) words come often determines their pronunciation and spelling. Most languages do not have the diversity of vocabulary that English has.

To add a couple of thoughts to Peace's observations:
A homemaker is often sweet and feminine, but a house builder is usually strong and masculine.
It is good to be a homemaker, but not usually to be homely, although once they meant pretty much the same thing.
Also, it is better to be looked over; bad to be overlooked.