▲ 543 ▼ 'Read' and its past tense are spelled the same. How should they be spelled? (lemmy.world) submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by IncogCyberspaceUser@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world 180 comments fedilink hide all child comments What about similar oddities in English? (This question is inspired by this comic by https://www.exocomics.com/193/ (link found by BunScientist@lemmy.zip)) Edit: it's to its in the title. Damn autocorrect.
[–] wildncrazyguy138@fedia.io 70 points 10 months ago (5 children) My wife and I had a good snicker one time when I brought home edamame peas in the shell. They were shelled, but she wanted them shelled. Flammable/imflammable is another one that comes to mind. permalink fedilink source hideshow 10 child comments replies: [–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 65 points 10 months ago As carved into history by Dr. Nick: permalink fedilink source parent [–] merc@sh.itjust.works 13 points 10 months ago English has many contronyms. Clip: to attach (clip X to Y) or detach (clip coupons) Dust: to remove dust or to add it (dust the cake with icing sugar) Fine: excellent (fine wine) or not great but decent (it's fine) Left: remaining (I have 5 left) or gone (I had some but they left) Oversight: supervision (he had oversight over the whole process) or lack of supervision (I forgot to do that, it was an oversight) permalink fedilink source parent [–] EdanGrey@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago Also sanction and sanction, same word but completely opposite meanings. permalink fedilink source parent [+] Octavio@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) [deleted] permalink fedilink source parent [–] TheHobbyist@lemmy.zip 2 points 10 months ago (1 child) And the alarm goes off means it actually starts ringing. Weird language indeed! permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago And this might just be a UK thing but if a person goes off it means they get really angry. And it can mean to leave for somewhere. So a firework goes off which makes the fire alarm go off which makes the safety officer go off. Then he goes off to get a fireman. But he leaves the milk out, so it goes off. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 65 points 10 months ago As carved into history by Dr. Nick: permalink fedilink source parent
[–] merc@sh.itjust.works 13 points 10 months ago English has many contronyms. Clip: to attach (clip X to Y) or detach (clip coupons) Dust: to remove dust or to add it (dust the cake with icing sugar) Fine: excellent (fine wine) or not great but decent (it's fine) Left: remaining (I have 5 left) or gone (I had some but they left) Oversight: supervision (he had oversight over the whole process) or lack of supervision (I forgot to do that, it was an oversight) permalink fedilink source parent
[–] EdanGrey@sh.itjust.works 2 points 10 months ago Also sanction and sanction, same word but completely opposite meanings. permalink fedilink source parent
[+] Octavio@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) [deleted] permalink fedilink source parent
[–] TheHobbyist@lemmy.zip 2 points 10 months ago (1 child) And the alarm goes off means it actually starts ringing. Weird language indeed! permalink fedilink source parent hideshow 2 child comments replies: [–] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago And this might just be a UK thing but if a person goes off it means they get really angry. And it can mean to leave for somewhere. So a firework goes off which makes the fire alarm go off which makes the safety officer go off. Then he goes off to get a fireman. But he leaves the milk out, so it goes off. permalink fedilink source parent
[–] CrabAndBroom@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago And this might just be a UK thing but if a person goes off it means they get really angry. And it can mean to leave for somewhere. So a firework goes off which makes the fire alarm go off which makes the safety officer go off. Then he goes off to get a fireman. But he leaves the milk out, so it goes off. permalink fedilink source parent
