this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2024
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Memes

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[–] [email protected] 103 points 10 months ago (6 children)

Surely you've thoroughly thought this through though?

[–] [email protected] 46 points 10 months ago

It's tough.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 10 months ago

They did. And don't call them Shirley!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I feel like there needs to be a comma somewhere in that sentence but I don't know why...

[–] [email protected] 11 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

That's my first thought, but my brain keeps trying to inject one immediately following "Surely." No idea why.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 months ago

Knowing there should be a comma in the sentence, is half the battle. Knowing why... is the other half.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence in English that is often presented as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs through lexical ambiguity.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Do love me some annoying wordplay, like the Chinese poem Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago

Nayeth, though thou hath thoroughly thought thots through.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

...I spend a lot of my time thinking while waiting in the drive-thru.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Holy shit this is really cool.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, but wow, that just keeps going and going...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Just like your mom! HA! GOTT'EM!

What hard working lady!

[–] [email protected] 18 points 10 months ago (3 children)

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

"Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence in English that is often presented as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs through lexical ambiguity. It has been discussed in literature in various forms since 1967, when it appeared in Dmitri Borgmann's Beyond Language: Adventures in Word and Thought.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

In German, we have "Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach". Notice that all nouns are capitalized in German.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

But that one is really easy to understand when you know German, unlike the buffalos

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Yup. I know a bit of German, but that doesn't help with the buffalos at all.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

msn messenger noises

[–] [email protected] 15 points 10 months ago

From Dr Seuss's "The tough coughs as he ploughs the dough"

[–] [email protected] 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Depending on the location, "Aaron earned an iron urn" is an interesting example in spoken language.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

Ern Ern en Ern Ern

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

That's tough buddy

[–] [email protected] 7 points 10 months ago

Too. Two. To.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago
[–] [email protected] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

That's why everyone learning English should also learn basic IPA to be able to read phonetic transcription and pronounce words correctly.

Just knowing the symbols for all English vowels/consonants is fine, no need to study IPA more than that, unless you find it interesting, like me.

I recommend reading this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_phonology.

Just look up consonant and vowel charts here, you don't need to study the details unless you really need to. Especially given that this article is full of linguistic jargon, and you probably won't be able to understand any of this unless you have elementary knowledge of phonetics/phonology.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

In Ukrainian schools they teach English with IPA broad transcription. And most paper dictionaries I had also had the transcriptions next to the words. It was very helpful in remembering the pronunciation

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

They sound the same though?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

Hard to speak, too? Just put a hot potato in your mouth.