Statements or words in our English Language that make it confusing...

[Scott T C]

I have a feeling you look at the glass as half empty instead of half full.

Sorry you can't be pleased.

Thanks for posting.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

For what it's worth, I don't really understand the "confusion" of our use of the word suction either. It seems like a word that describes -- casually -- what happens with a vacuum. If I use it to say "here, suck on this straw," it doesn't necessarily mean I don't understand physics, and the term "suck" doesn't confuse me.

If you are checking out vacuums in a store, and one picks things up much better than the others, what do you say? I mean, if you were completing the sentence "Let's get this one, it has great...."?

Even if you do use another term, I don't see the use of suction as confusing to English speakers (?)

Always fun to talk about words and concepts though, I agree.

 

[Scott T C]

Its not the word that is the part I refer to, it is the saying...on a technical standpoint. Like I mentioned...I tend to get all technical on stuff sometimes and that brings out the geek in me that loves to focus on that point/part. :cool2:

Sorry for spelling errors if any...I am beat...off to bed I go. Gona be UBER hot here in Bethlehem, PA Thurs/Friday with 100/102 temps scheduled! Yay! ....NOT! lol

 

[Thalassamania]

It's an interesting linguistic fact that, in English, a double negative forms a positive. In some languages though, such as Russian, a double negative is still a negative. However, there is no language in which a double positive can form a negative.

Yeah, yeah.

 

[OldNSalty]

What I find odd is the "spoken vs written" English in that several words can sound alike but be spelled differently depending on their meaning. When written, and using the wrong spelling, it can ad confusion yet when spoken it is clear.