My opinion on the words "dialogue" and "dialog".

[Gorgon]

Another nonsensical thing about Danish. There is no good explanation as to why one noun uses -et, and another -en for definite reference.

[Gorgon]

Huset

 

Bygningen.

[Gorth]

I seem to remember that is a "gender" thing. Female words using one letter, male words using the other. I just never can remember which is which. I.e. et hus, huset, en bygning, bygningen etc.

[Gorgon]

So it's gender, like German, and like in German there is no way to tell without knowing it.

[Gorth]

So it's gender, like German, and like in German there is no way to tell without knowing it.

Exactly

 

Except, in the darkest and most sinister parts of Jutland, they actually do have the equivalent of the English 'The', they call it '

[Aristes]

One of the things that I really like about Greek is that it uses the definite article. In fact, more often than English. It's great because you can discern the number, gender, and case of the various parts of the sentence by the use of the definite article. This gives Greek a decided edge on Latin in that regard.

[Blank]

One of the things that I really like about Greek is that it uses the definite article. In fact, more often than English. It's great because you can discern the number, gender, and case of the various parts of the sentence by the use of the definite article. This gives Greek a decided edge on Latin in that regard.

It also breaks the Greek's appreciation of "Who's on First?"

[CoM_Solaufein]

English is wordy. Too wordy at times just to get a point across.

[kirottu]

English is wordy. Too wordy at times just to get a point across.

 

Yeah, I hate that. I mostly communicate through stick figures like: (.)(.)

[Morgoth]

LoLz w00ts b00bs!

[kirottu]

Dude, I

[Guest The Architect]

And I shall have my vengeance, in this life or the next.

[Humodour]

Heck, you know what kirottu? You're damn right.

 

I don't trust myself to express how I feel for you with words. Let this suffice:

 

B==========D~~~~~~~~~~

[kirottu]

Yours is longer and thicker. :

[Gorgon]

One of the things that I really like about Greek is that it uses the definite article. In fact, more often than English. It's great because you can discern the number, gender, and case of the various parts of the sentence by the use of the definite article. This gives Greek a decided edge on Latin in that regard.

It also breaks the Greek's appreciation of "Who's on First?"

Unless Greek lacks relatives the Greek should do fine.

[julianw]

This thread reminds me of my argument with my college roommate over the word "disterested" and "uninterested".

 

We looked into it a little bit. Turns out the words have quite an interesting history.

 

usage Disinterested and uninterested have a tangled history. Uninterested originally meant impartial, but this sense fell into disuse during the 18th century. About the same time the original sense of disinterested also disappeared, with uninterested developing a new sense

[Winterwolf]

Or sound like demented fairies like the Swedes

 

LOL, actually that does sound a little bit like Swedish, if he would only cut down a little on the diphtongs (does not apply to certain dialects of Swedish).

The sk

[Musopticon?]

This whole "god, it's just sounds so ugly" thing seems to be quite common between kindred languages. We have it too with estonian and finnish. Finnish just sounds so retarded. Tolkien may have found it beautiful but the way finns sound to us is what a retarded estonian person sounds like - when we hear them, we hear Quasimodo's. It's logical to assume that they feel the same way about us. So why do kindred languages sound so retarded to each other?

Because we are looking for familiar conventions where there are very little. Our minds try to bridge gaps between what is understandable and what's not and the result aches. Though I don't find Estonian odd or sounding retarded, thanks to known at least a bit how it works.

 

And I think German is absolutely beautiful with the right speaker, yet many of my friends think it's an ugly ugly thing.

 

And never mention Old Eng or ME, I hate hate hate remembering all the Werner laws and phonetic conventions and aargh...

Edited December 14, 2008 by Musopticon?

[Winterwolf]

Because we are looking for familiar conventions where there are very little. Our minds try to bridge gaps between what is understandable and what's not and the result aches. Though I don't find Estonian odd or sounding retarded, thanks to known at least a bit how it works.

 

We tend to use finnish sounding pseudo-language when we want to be in touch with our ancient finno-ugricness. Erm... you know - "dancing with the mammoths", "feeding the spirits" ,"being one with the land", "singing the sea into land", etc. The usual. Sometimes the real need for something primal finno-ugric kicks in. I don't if you guys have it, but we sometimes do. For example, when I might see some really finno-ugric folk art that is so finno-ugric that I just say it out loud, then I often find myself in dire need to sing something really primal, something I imagine my ancestors sang when they danced with the mammoths, and the language I use is often somekinda pseudo-finnish (plus the two southern estonian languages). Well, this is just an exaggerated illustrational situation. To describe something, but I'm not sure anymore what I wanted to say.

 

 

And I think German is absolutely beautiful with the right speaker, yet many of my friends think it's an ugly ugly thing.

 

I also like german, especially when I'm speaking it. I just love the way it rolls off from the tongue. But I can't stand german in german tv.

 

And never mention Old Eng or ME, I hate hate hate remembering all the Werner laws and phonetic conventions and aargh...

Why? I just said, that compared to other european languages - like slavic languages, where a russian can read somekinda medieval byzantine-slavic manuscript and pretty much understand it - then an english speaking person can't understand stuff dating from 800-1500.

Edited December 14, 2008 by Winterwolf

[Gorth]

On an another note, but more related to the topic:

...

In fact, the probably have a hard time understanding

too. It's just in the nature of english language to change that radically.

Hey, I understood the Old English, but not a word of the Middle English. Old English sounds very "Scandinavian". Middle English sounded very "Gibberish"

[Winterwolf]

Hey, I understood the Old English, but not a word of the Middle English. Old English sounds very "Scandinavian". Middle English sounded very "Gibberish"

 

Old English has a very awesome sound to it, doesn't it? But try this.

 

H

Edited December 14, 2008 by Winterwolf

[Gorth]

Hey, I understood the Old English, but not a word of the Middle English. Old English sounds very "Scandinavian". Middle English sounded very "Gibberish"

 

Old English has a very awesome sound to it, doesn't it? But try this.

 

H

[Checkpoint]

I get hung up on spellings like "rediculous" and "definately". I'm not sure what it is that makes these things seem important, but somehow they are. I guess it makes you look uneducated or something, but that isn't necessarily the case at all. And besides, as long as I'm able to spell correctly, what difference does it make? Grammar Nazism is interesting.

[Amentep]

I remember writing a post on Black Isle IN Middle English in a thread on grammar nazisism. It was probably fractured syntax, but still good times.

 

I don't mind changes in the language for the most part, its going to happen as use changes the language. That still doesn't mean that if someone types "rediculous" that I'm not going to roll my eyes and groan inwardly though.

[Darth InSidious]

Personally, I always preferred the description of the Prioress in the prologue:

And Frenssh she spak ful faire and fetisly,

After the scole of Stratford-atte-Bowe,

For Frenssh of Parys was to hir unknowe.