Leigh Mumford
Professional Teacher
English confusion

1.  Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist but a person who drives a racing car not called a racist?

2. Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

3.Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

4. Why isn't the number 11 pronounced onety one?

5.If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged,models deposed, tree surgeons debarked, and dry cleaners depressed?

6. If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes?


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Apr 6, 2017 5:03 PM
Comments · 28
6

Great posting Leigh...


Why do we have noses that run and feet that smell?<o:p></o:p>

Why does a house burn up as it burns down?

Why do we fill in a form by filling it out?

Why does an alarm goes off by going on?<o:p></o:p>

If you have some odds and ends and then get rid of all but one, what do you call it?<o:p></o:p>

If the teacher taught, why didn't the preacher praught?<o:p></o:p>

If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? <o:p></o:p>

April 7, 2017
4
Why do we park in a driveway and drive through a parkway?
April 6, 2017
3
Here's one I came across this morning:

English is a difficult language. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.

Ought that be enough to slough off in a trough or slough? :D
April 8, 2017
3

Two  more for your list, Leigh:

Why do slow down and slow up mean the same?

Why isn't 'Fat chance" the opposite of slim chance?

April 6, 2017
3

It's no wonder English is hard to learn with the following examples of singular and plural :)

You can have one mouse and two mice.

You can have one house and two houses.

You can have one goose and two geese.

You can have one moose and two moose.


April 6, 2017
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