Funny things about the English language?

Question

Haven't you noticed some amusing inconsistencies in the English language?
Here's some examples: We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway. We say a nose runs and feet smell. In British English a cookie is called a biscuit and what they call an American biscuit is a 'scone'. We catch colds and drop calls. What are some iteresting plays on words you can think of?

Answer 1

well I've always thought it funny that what we Americans call a "tank top" is what Brits call a "vest". What we call a "vest" is called a "waistcoat" in England. And what Brits call a "tank top" is what we call an "undershirt".

Answer 2

ok the cookie part is kinda stupid...coz there were british ppl before american.( and english came from england). so the americans changed the name.. besides.. there are a lot of other countries that call cookies
"biscuits" . most of asia.. n probably europe.
if u want more american n british words.. here are some..

Britian: air hostess, here: stewardess
Britain: notes, here: bill (as in money)
britain: angry , here: mad
britain: mental /mad ,here: crazy
britain: garbage ,here: trash
britain: lift ,here: elevator
britain:flat , here: apartment
etc........

plus.. ppl in america do not pronounce the "t"'s (the second ones)
attentive= attenive

other peculiarities:
plural of ox is oxen. not oxes
mouse-mice , but house- houses instead or hice...

.1.the bandage was wound after the wound
2. the farm was used to produce produce.
etc....

Answer 3

i received a funny email about the English language..my favorite was the word UP.....
we wake UP
a topic comes UP
we speak UP
officers are UP for an election
it's Up to the secretary to write UP a report
we call UP our friends
brighten UP a room
polish UP the silver
warm UP leftovers
clean UP the kitchen
lock UP the house
fix UP the car
people stir UP trouble
line UP for tickets
work UP an appetite
think UP excuses
a drain must be opened UP cause it's stopped UP
we open UP a store and then close it UP
.....one could go on and on but my time is UP so i'll wrap it Up...time to shut UP

what is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
U-P

Answer 4

a house fly is not a house that plies, nor is a dragonfly a dragon that can fly. A rubber band is not a music group made of rubber and a carpet is not a pet that lives in the car

Answer 5

There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple :)

also, in english we say: your house can burn up as it burns down, you fill in a form by filling it out and an alarm clock goes off by going on.

Answer 6

Say the following word out loud:

Live


You said it wrong!

Answer 7

I like that 'naked' and 'baked' are spelled the exact same way yet prnounced completely different.

Answer 8

I've heard people say they "die to live" something like an adventure

Answer 9

She works hard under her boss