Subject:
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The Mother Tongue (WAS: Re: Another one for Maggie:)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.fun
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Date:
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Sat, 20 Apr 2002 00:47:22 GMT
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Viewed:
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1039 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Dave Schuler writes:
> In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Allan Bedford writes:
>
> > While I'm sure that the importance of "tuna fish" will soon be made clear to
> > Dave, I'm just worried about how he'll react when he finds out that
> > flammable and inflammable actually mean the same thing! ;)
>
> I'm actually okay with that one, but I'm still a little disturbed that
> "father," "lather," and "bather" don't rhyme.
Dave,
If you're truly interested in such things, I would strongly suggest picking
up a copy of a book called "The Mother Tongue: English and how it got that
way." by Bill Bryson.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380715430/qid=1019263191/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-3638541-5599825
While Bryson is perhaps best known as a travel writer, he tackles English in
an unique and funny way in this wonderful book. While it's non-fiction,
it's hardly a text book. It reads more like a comedy while remaining quite
informative. As a quick example, he asks the question:
"Why is four spelled with a 'u' but forty isn't?"
And so on.
I can't recommend this book strongly enough to anyone who's ever found
themselves asking questions like that one. My copy is currently on loan to
a friend, so I can't immediately check if he digs into the 'flammable'
'inflammable' issue. Though both of my dictionaries here at home suggest
that the words are nearly exact in meaning; both referring back to the other
for definition.
All the best!
Allan B.
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