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English is weird (lemmy.world)

I got hung up on contractions this morning regarding the word "you've". Normally, I'd say "you've got a problem", which expands to "you have got a problem", which isn't wrong, but I normally wouldn't say. Not contracting, I'd say "you have a problem", so then should I just say "you've a problem"? That sounds weird in my head. Is this just a US English problem?

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[-] Transcendant@lemmy.world 16 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Yes, English is weird.

'Bough' and 'cough' are not pronounced the same. 'Bough' and 'bow' are pronounced the same. 'Knee' and 'Leigh' are pronounced the same. 'Neigh' and 'nay' are pronounced the same. 'Polish' (the nationality) and 'polish' (as in what you do to a metal object) are not pronounced the same. 'Tear' (as in to rip) and 'tear' (as in to cry) are spelled the same, but not pronounced the same. Other words which are spelled the same, but pronounced differently:

resume / resume present / present record / record close / close use / use live / live

[-] TeaHands@lemmy.world 30 points 6 months ago

‘Bough’ and ‘bow’ are pronounced the same

Except, of course, when "bow" is pronounced "bow" instead.

[-] MisterMcBolt@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I shot the boughs with my bow and then gave a bow to my beau!

[-] teft@startrek.website 4 points 6 months ago

The last one should be spelled beau if you mean your special guy.

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this post was submitted on 08 Dec 2023
114 points (91.9% liked)

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