| English is either the first or second (with the Chinese) | | | | another in many instances, so it can get to be very |
| most-used language in the world today for many | | | | confusing sometimes. Open up any large dictionary |
| reasons. Many schools teaching English as a second | | | | and read the opening pages, and you will see how |
| language (ESL) flourish in many areas for the | | | | English came about as a modern language. |
| non-English who wish to learn it. Part of the normal | | | | The third reason is continental differences. In World |
| curriculum are vocabulary quizzes on English words | | | | War II an American bomber fell near an island in the |
| that get more complicated as the lessons continue, | | | | Pacific so the crew managed to swim ashore. There |
| especially with the countless exceptions to the rules | | | | they were met by a crowd led by a large Polynesian. |
| and different regulations that apply to syntax, spelling, | | | | The pilot asked him, Do you speak English? The native |
| figures of speech and many other items specific to | | | | replied, No. Flabbergasted, the pilot asked again, But |
| the language. And sometimes the rules get somewhat | | | | you speak American? For which the smiling reply was, |
| contradictory. | | | | Oh yes, and rather good at it, too. British and American |
| There was a joke once upon a time on what kind of | | | | English have certain basic differences. In England, to |
| animal is a ghoce. Nobody knew. Then the correct | | | | cite a few, the American apartment will be flat, and the |
| answer given was fish, which happened to go this | | | | elevator will be a lift. The color is French colour and the |
| way: the gh is f from enough (pronounced enuf); i is o | | | | center will move the second e to the last position. |
| from women (wimmen) and the ce is sh from malice | | | | Next is that a lot of English words have different |
| (maliz). So the word fish may also be spelled ghoce if | | | | meanings though of a single spelling. Take the word |
| we follow the English way of pronunciation from this | | | | great, for example. It means variously as wide, large, |
| single example; and there are many, actually. This is | | | | big, numerous, significant, important, powerful, influential, |
| one reason why English is not an easy language to | | | | eminent, well-known, genealogic, enthusiastic, chief, |
| learn. | | | | principal, skillful and even pregnant as in 'great with |
| Another reason is that English grew from many | | | | child'. If you are just trying to learn the language, how |
| languages. There are English terms and root words | | | | would you mean each of them in a single word? Until |
| derived from Latin, Scotch, Greek, French, Irish, Spanish, | | | | you become well-versed in English, you might not be |
| Germanic and very many others, even Sanskrit and | | | | able to. |
| aborigine. The percentages of adoption are of course | | | | English is a great language: vibrant, adaptable and |
| in great variations, not counting even the differences in | | | | masculine. It is the language of business and |
| terms of districts, lands and peoples. What is correct | | | | international transactions. And it is not an easy |
| for one derivation language may be incorrect for | | | | language to master. |