Subtle differences between the US and the UK that baffle me/you/us.

faetal on 16/4/2013 at 09:50

Hyperbole is another one which seems to get people.

Vivian on 16/4/2013 at 09:57

yeah I never understood that. How big does a goddamn bowl have to be before you can call it that?

faetal on 16/4/2013 at 10:20

It's a way to over-react to the size of the bowl. In my opinion, totally unnecessary.

Thirith on 16/4/2013 at 10:23

Quote Posted by Neb

The first time I ever tried to pronounce 'paradigm'. Oh god, the scars run deep.

Years ago I was part of a committee hoping to find a new Professor of English Literature. One of the applicants (the one that my personal nemesis was in favour of) kept talking about hyperbole, pronouncing it as "hyper-bowl" (sounds like the Futurama equivalent to the Super Bowl, doesn't it?). If there hadn't already been enough reasons not to choose her, that one clinched it. How can we ask our students to be good at English if we stick professors in front of them that shouldn't be allowed to touch the language with a 10-foot pole?

Jason Moyer on 16/4/2013 at 12:20

Quote Posted by Harvester

My English skills are generally pretty decent for a foreigner, but the most troublesome part of the language, for me, is when you encounter a new word in writing on the Internet or somesuch, it's sometimes impossible* to know how that word is pronounced until you hear someone say it on TV.

That's not something limited to foreigners. :) I mispronounce words all the time that I know from reading so much but never hear in normal conversation.

faetal on 16/4/2013 at 13:21

My Lebanese/French gf is forever taking the piss or calling me "cute" (every guy's worst nightmare) whenever I try to talk to her in either language.