Three Fun Facts about English…I never really thought about before now

1. There are a “gazillion” different dialects of English throughout the world!  No wonder an American might find it difficult to understand a Scotsman; or how about a Welsh tourist travelling to Mississippi USA trying to get directions?

Consider the possibilities: African English, American English, Australian English, Canadian English, Irish English, Jamaican English, Indian English, New Zealand English, Scottish English, Welsh English, and all the various dialects of British English spoken within England.

2. “You like potato and I like potahto; You like tomato and I like tomahto; Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto”… With so many different dialects of English, there can be many ways to say the same letter combinations.  

For example, the combination “ough” can be pronounced in nine different ways!Try saying this sentence: “A rough-coated, dough-faced, thoughtful ploughman strode through Hillsborough; after falling into a slough, he coughed and hiccoughed.”

3. “Actually, Obviously, Like, Honestly, Basically…”  Do you use these “crutch words”?  Crutch words are those words which we slip into sentences to give us more time to think or emphasize on some point.  We use them unconsciously but gradually they became part of our verbal vernacular.  Most of the times they don't add any value or meaning to a statement, we just sometimes need the extra time to let our brains catch up with our mouths!  

Have you ever heard or said this: “In all actuality, I meant to call, but honestly, the battery on my phone died, and like, I didn't charge it the night before, it obviously didn't work; so basically, I was late."   

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