here’s some I’ve noticed:

  1. Why do we have articles? They’re mostly useless.
  2. Why do capital letters exist? (this is mainly an issue with the Greek and Latin alphabet though)
  3. Why is “I” used plural for verbs?
  4. Why are there so many inconsistent prefixes for tenses?
  5. 's is used for possessives. However, “its” is the possessive and “it’s” is not.
  6. Why do we have another set of pronouns for possessive pronouns?
  7. Why do adjectives go before the noun compared to basically every other language?
  • FrostyCaveman@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    1 year ago

    Do other languages not have these? (Or fewer of them?)

    What’s your native language if you don’t mind me asking?

    Fascinating concept.

    Interestingly I’ve heard from other people that Chinese languages are made difficult to learn for similar reasons. I wonder if this is actually a similarity between those languages and English

    • mekkagodzilla@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      0
      ·
      1 year ago

      I’m French. I’m not aware of any other language that radically modifies the meaning of verbs with propositions in such a way.

      As a foreigner, you might expect that break up and break down have opposite meanings because up and down do, but nope.

      • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I don’t get why the French get to complain. Like every noun you have has a letter at the end you aren’t using. Just get rid of it. You don’t need to spell it Merlot. I don’t get it, is it like a free letter with any purchase of a word? Are you worried the other letters will fail and you want a backup plan?

        • mekkagodzilla@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          1 year ago

          We might have some silent letters, vestigial remnant of ancient forms, but English has basically no rule for pronunciation. It’s so funny watching English speakers debate among themselves how a name should be pronounced.

          • Bear, pear, tear, tear, near.
          • Rough, tough, though
          • To read, read, read (your very best one, guys, believe me)
          • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            English is just weird. This thieving awful tongue that takes the leftovers of other languages and says it wrong forever.

            We are the English+Borg. Your nouns will be assimilated. La resistance is now ours and futile.