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Is English the easiest language?

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All languages have a complex grammar  David Crystal

Where does the word robot come from?

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Photo by  Franck V.  on  Unsplash  The word  Robot means to 'work slavishly'. It is a rare example of a Czech word ('robota') being incorporated into English.  From Start the Week 24/01/11 Robot  first came to public attention through Czech writer Karel ÄŒapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), published in 1920. This  opens in a factory that makes machines that replicate human form. These machines are closer to what today would be termed androids .  As in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein,  the ethical issues explored by ÄŒapek relate to individual autonomy. A shared preoccupation is the danger inherent in 'playing God'.  Dictionary dispute ÄŒapek credited his brother Josef with coming up with the word robot. He also wrote to the Oxford English Dictionary to correct their etymology.  Karel had originally used another neologism labori based on the Latin word for work,  labor, but was dissatisfied. His brother then pointed to the Cze

What is a hooley? Where does the word come from?

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Everything about the word hooley is disputed, including the spelling. Hoolie  or  hooley ?   Or even huly as it first appeared Bartlett's Dictionary of American English in 1877.   There is plenty  lexicographers  to argue about at the annual hoolie , which reports suggest can get pretty wild. A hoolie is used in contemporary English to mean a raucous party . The word is most commonly used in Ireland, but can be traced back to Orkney Scots, where it meant a strong wind or gale.  This derivation is evident in the idiom blowing up a hooley. Irish Words in English

How are French words pronounced in English?

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Patisserie is a typical example of a French 'loanword' There are several thousand French words French  in the English language. Their pronunciation can be tricky because in many cases there are no formal rules about the correct way to do this  By convention, pronunciation of French words  generally defers to the source. Ballet, for example, has a silent ‘t’, rather than a sounded one as in the Spanish equivalentl. Charles de Gaulle keeps his silent’s’ while Prince Charles becomes 'Charle' in spoken French. Anomalies There are many anomalies . Logic might suggest that a chaise lounge would be pronounced the same way as the lounge it is in.  Some common nouns have been completely anglicized like the hard ‘s’ in Paris . Unfortunately, for English language learners there is no absolute rule as to when this occurs.  The key is comprehension. The English pronunciation of the words Croissant and pan au chocolat approximate to the original French but neither requires an extra

Top 10 most quoted lines of poetry in English?

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Photo by  Taylor Ann Wright  on  Unsplash Mark Forsyth ( The Inky Fool )  has analysed Google Search query result data for lines of verse requested online. Here is the Top Ten: 10 .  Tis better to have loved and lost 2,400,000 Tennyson 9. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair 3,080,000 Shelley 8. To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield 3,140,000 Tennyson 7. Tread softly because you tread on my dreams 4,860,000 W.B. Yeats Anthony Hopkins recites He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven by W.B Yeats 6. Not with a bang but a whimper 5,280,000 T.S. Eliot 5. And miles to go before I sleep 5,350,000 Robert Frost 4. I wandered lonely as a cloud 8,000,000 Wordsworth 3. The child is father of the man 9,420,000 Wordsworth 2. I am the master of my fate 14,700,000 William Ernest Henley 1. To err is human; to forgive, divine 14,800,000 Alexander Pope Complete Top 50 Commentary English:Fun Facts & FAQ Teaching Pack

Which countries do not have an official language?

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According to Henry Hitchings  Language Wars  (2011) these nations do not currently have an  official  primary language: UK see here USA though 20 states now have an official language —  see here Australia Over 80% speak English but there is no official national language. Pakistan Urdu became official language in 2015 but   only spoken by 8% of population . Ethiopia Amharic is official language but most spoken is Oromo Somalia Eritrea  Costa Rica Why these countries?   Read extended transcript on Medium  About the English Language - Teaching Pack  

Why did English become the 'global language'?

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English is the world's leading lingua franca or second language (see L2 speakers in the table below). According to David Crystal, this has nothing to do with its inherent qualities. Other linguists disagree: Read More  Download English Language FAQ Teaching Pack only £1.99

Did The Beatles change the English language?

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The Beatles first flew into New York in February 1964. Part of their appeal was what to American ears was a charmingly fresh approach to the  English language.  Interestingly, this came across more in their spoken interviews than their song lyrics - the early ones followed the established 'American' style ('I want to hold your hand'). But success gave them the confidence to draw on cultural and linguistic references that were incomprehensible to American ears -  the  National Health Service  (from ‘Dr Robert’) or the  News of the World  (‘Polythene Pam’), and British English vocabulary like ‘ ring  my friend’ (‘Dr Robert’ again: Americans would say  call ), ‘time for  tea ’ (‘Good Morning, Good Morning’: see sense 3  here ), and  dressing gown  (‘She’s Leaving Home’ – it’s a  bathrobe  in American English). Not to mention those  plasticine  porters in ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ – the American equivalent  Play-Doh  doesn’t quite work here. ( source) The Beat

How did The Bible change the English language?

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The King James Bible is perhaps the most influential book in the development of the the English language. More on the King James Bible here Worksheets are included in:  English Language Teaching Pack   -  only £1.99 

Is English grammar easier than other language?

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Robert McCrum, the writer of the influential  How the English Language Became the World's Language   has suggested that 'English .. has a grammar of great simplicity"  The argument for this is broadly as follows: English grammar is based on simplified form of German Verb conjugation is simple for regular verbs: four  endings for regular English verbs ( paint/paints/painted/painting ).  French, German & other key languages have  50+. There are fewer irregular verbs - and most are irregular in the same way. Written & spoken forms are comparatively similar English.  Noun and adjectival forms do not divide by gender Adjectives do not change form for plural nouns ( blue car/blue cars ) A version of this post is included in  50 FAQ about English    ($1.75)

What are the key concepts in English language teaching?

There are, of course, many different approaches. Here is a short guide to some of them: Teaching English Toolkit Low cost ESOL Teaching Packs

Is English the most spoken language?

Before You Read  Which language has the most a) native or first language speakers? b) second language speakers? The English Language from ESL Reading Listening: English - the easy language?

How many new words are entering the English language?

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According to new research, the English language has doubled in size over the last century . It continues to grow ' by 8,500 words a year' and now stands at 1,022,000 words .'  And the speed of this growth is accelerating :  The language has grown by more than 70 per cent since 1950 .... The previous half century it only grew by 10 per cent ...     source Are all these new words in the dictionary ? English does not have an equivalent version of the Académie française. The only official recognition comes with an entry in the  Oxford English Dictionary  (OED). Interestingly much of this new vocabulary has not been formally recognised. Nearly half of the new words are not included in any dictionary and are dubbed lexical "dark matter". They are either slang or invented jargon.       Why does the OED restrict the words it includes? Because there are so many words in English! The OED is already more than three times bigger than the equivalent dicti

Why are bilinguals 'smarter'?

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Because they exercise their brains more - at least according to a recent New York Times article: It forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles. Full article Incidentally, in British English 'smarter' usually refers to personal appearance rather than intelligence. .