Funny phenomenons in English language?

In the spirit of friendship and in the hopes that Unifon wins the day:

grammer = grammar

loosing = losing

Good post, Fillet!

and does anyone know concrete examples?

the english language is a funny phenomenon in it’s self.

The English language is and has been changing.

No doubt spellings will be simplified. Today spelling often follows a word’s eptomology. We use the spelling rules from the originating language of a word even when it is much different from English. When we encounter a new written English word we often don’t know how to prounounce it because we don’t know which set of rules to use. The word “through” is too long for traffic signs so here it is often spelled “thru” which will eventually become accepted. Over time spelling will become more phonetic (fonetic?). The Unifon alphabet was proposed as a new alphabet and spelling system in English but it never caught on. The advantage here is that Unifon is quickly learned and once mastered you can spell any word you know how to prounounce correctly. Grammer school students master Unifon in months while those struggling with standard English spelling can spend their whole life learning to spell. Perhaps someday Unifon or something like it will become our standard alphabet.

Another trend is loosing the distinction between adjectives and adverbs. It is correct to say, “he writes well” or “his writting is good.” Today outside of English class most people say “he writes good.” Technically “well” is an adverb and “good” is an adjective but the distinction is becoming lost in modern English. An example where the transformation is complete is the word “fast” where it can function as either an adverb or adjective.

We are also in the process of turning nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns.

Install is a verb but people say “I performed the install” We also “go for a run” Similarily “access” is a noun but it is common for people to say “I need to access something.”

Eventually we will have no distinction between adverbs and adjectives and little distinction between nouns and verbs.

BTW, I feel compelled to point out that the plural of “phenomenon” is “phenomena” not “phenomenons.” Perhaps English plurals will also be simplified eventually.

I’m all for UNIFON! My 1st grade teacher in Indianapolis (School #39) used it to teach me how to read. I think UNIFON needs to be utilized in schools today!