Poems showing the absurdities of English spelling

[Towncrier]

From boingboing.net:

The Spelling Society maintains a page of "poems showing the absurdities of English spelling" -- and they're a hoot! Try reading one aloud.

When the English tongue we speak.
Why is break not rhymed with freak?
Will you tell me why it's true
We say sew but likewise few?
And the maker of the verse,
Cannot rhyme his horse with worse?
Beard is not the same as heard
Cord is different from word.
Cow is cow but low is low
Shoe is never rhymed with foe.
Think of hose, dose,and lose

Link to Spelling Society Website with more examples.

 

[Deb in IA]

English seems to have more exceptions-to-the-rule than any other language . . .

 

[Pooh's Pixie]

Here's something from a college friend's linguistics class...it was many years ago but I still remember it:

The following nonsense word is pronounced "fish": ghoti

"gh" as in "Laugh"
"o" as in "women"
"ti" as in "motion"

Gets you "fish"

Just makes you think of all the crazy exceptions!

 

[Lanshark]

I teach phonics to dyslexic kids. There are rules and exceptions for most words. Words that follow no rules or exceptions are called sight words. You just have to know them because they don't fall into any identifiable bucket.

It is a very tough language to learn for anyone especially someone with a language based disability. It does however, provide me with a paycheck.

 

[Chipperdini]

Thanks for the link. Enjoyed it.

 

[KarenB]

I like the others from the link too!

 

[wvrevy]

Ok, a couple of those at the link gave me a headache just trying to read. We're teaching DD to read right now (she starts kindergarten next fall) so this is something that we come across quite often.

Thanks for the laugh, TC

 

[Jonas Grumby]

Here's something from a college friend's linguistics class...it was many years ago but I still remember it:

The following nonsense word is pronounced "fish": ghoti

"gh" as in "Laugh"
"o" as in "women"
"ti" as in "motion"

Gets you "fish"

Just makes you think of all the crazy exceptions!

I had a teacher in school show us the same thing. I always get a kick outta asking people to read the word "ghoti" and hear all the different responses! They of course look at you strange when you say it's pronounced "fish" and then always laugh when you tell them why.