Spelling anomalies

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by plib

An opinion ([I]

So do you have any facts to support your opinion that English has more nuances than other languages? Do you speak any other languages fluently or is this just more Rah! Rah! English is the best because we have 5,000 words for types of fish?

[JD Gumby]

Originally Posted by RHWright

And in many cases, I've found non-native speakers to know it better because they actually had to pay attention and learn it, whereas the native speakers "larned it gooder" through immersion and just getting by in grade school. (I was going to say "grammar school," but, well...)

Difference: The non-native speakers learn a formal version of the language that doesn't reflect how the language is spoken by the majority.

[K. Molen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But English does have precisely ONE adjective which changes its form with gender. Do you know what it is?

Emeritus vs. Emerita?

As in Professor Emeritus Einstein, and Professor Emerita Curie.

[andreabc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

But English does have precisely ONE adjective which changes its form with gender. Do you know what it is?

Is it blond/blonde?

[Rob Lister]

Originally Posted by andreabc

Is it blond/blonde?

I did not know that! I thought you were joking!

Usage note
The spelling blonde is still widely used for the noun that specifies a woman or girl with fair hair: The blonde with the baby in her arms is my anthropology professor. Some people object to this as an unnecessary distinction, preferring blond for all persons: My sister is thinking of becoming a blond for a while. As an adjective, the word is more usually spelled blond in reference to either sex ( an energetic blond girl; two blond sons ), although the form blonde is occasionally still used of a female: the blonde model and her escort.

[Conor]

Blond and blonde?

[QuantumIguana]

My guess is that the days are numbered for the word "blond".

[Fbone]

Speaking of gender, I just found out about the difference between fiancé and fiancée.

[Fluribus]

One of the differences between English and many other languages is that there isn't any regulatory group guiding the language. No L'Académie française, Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung, Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española.

The evolution of English should, as a result, be more open and fluid. It allows English to borrow liberally from any language. No group can say, "No, no, no! That isn't English." In other words, English is a thoroughly crowd-source language.

Some of the oddities of English spelling were introduced by folks (I tend to think that they were fools) who tried to guide the language and popularized the idea that spelling should indicate the original source of the word. "Qu" tends to show French, for example. There are others that show Latin, Greek, and such. One problem being that these folks where sometimes wrong in their etymology.

[Ekaros]

Specially fun when coming from language which is very largely spelled as spoken and school-system which aims to teach as grammatically perfect English as possible. I think I'm not good at it though... Still, sometimes it's bit annoying and I go by how it sounds...

Still, word count isn't everything. Much more fun when you can just add things to words and make monsters ;D Hypiskelisiköhän, epäjärjestelmällistyttämättömyydellänsäköhän ;D

Agglutination is fun...

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Fluribus

One of the differences between English and many other languages is that there isn't any regulatory group guiding the language. No L'Académie française, Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung, Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española.

The evolution of English should, as a result, be more open and fluid. It allows English to borrow liberally from any language. No group can say, "No, no, no! That isn't English." In other words, English is a thoroughly crowd-source language.

Some of the oddities of English spelling were introduced by folks (I tend to think that they were fools) who tried to guide the language and popularized the idea that spelling should indicate the original source of the word. "Qu" tends to show French, for example. There are others that show Latin, Greek, and such. One problem being that these folks where sometimes wrong in their etymology.

You can't regulate a language anymore than you can regulate sex. Those entities you mentioned present recommendations, not rules.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by andreabc

Is it blond/blonde?

Absolutely right, yes. "blond/blonde" is the only English adjective which changes its spelling with gender.

[K. Molen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Absolutely right, yes. "blond/blonde" is the only English adjective which changes its spelling with gender.

Nope, the aforementioned emeritus/emerita also qualifies.

And what about brunet/brunette?

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Absolutely right, yes. "blond/blonde" is the only English adjective which changes its spelling with gender.

Interesting, I tend to think of "blond/blonde" as nouns, because of the gender difference I suppose.

Like in, What is the difference between a blond and a blonde?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

Interesting, I tend to think of "blond/blonde" as nouns, because of the gender difference I suppose.

Like in, What is the difference between a blond and a blonde?

Many adjectives can also be used as nouns. Eg, "male/female" is another example.