If you've visited my blog much, you know by now that I am intrigued with words. I enjoy word games, etymology (word study. . .not entomology, bug study!) writing, plays on words, puns and reading. God just wired me that way. I also enjoy talking. I'll blame Him for that too!
English is one of the more difficult languages to learn. We have piano students from Japan, China and Taiwan who all agree that American idioms and quirks are sometimes confusing. Even to us! Consider the following examples sent to me by a friend. You may have to say them aloud to get the contrast in pronunciations.
We polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
A farm can produce produce.
A farm can produce produce.
The dump was so full it had to refuse refuse.
The soldier decided to desert in the desert.
The present is a good time to present the present.
At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.
The dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance for the invalid was invalid.
The bandage was wound around the wound.
They sent a sewer down to stitch the tear in the sewer line.
The fumes from the tear in the lines cause him to tear.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
I shed a tear when I saw the tear in my clothes.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.
After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.
Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot,
We'll weather the weather whatever the weather,
Whether we like it or not!
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