cognos Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I work with special needs students, but aren't we all special needs to some degree?? Here is some confusing English..feel free to add on.. - A house burns down as it burns up. - You fill in a form by filling it out. - Noses run and feet smell. - When the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible. - Quite a lot and quite a few refer to the same quantity. - Sitting up and sitting down refer to the same action. - A fat chance is the same as a slim chance. Oxymorons: - military intelligence - virtually spotless - fresh frozen - jumbo shrimp - civil war - friendly fire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Oh, I don't like this thread. You post this just when I was sure I know and can explain almost everything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 (edited) Why so do we call a building a building when it has already been built? Edited March 5, 2010 by sensei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Something sent by car is called shipment. Anything sent by ship is called cargo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mca Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 A lot of English speaking Thais I know can't get their heads around "Come over to my house" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sensei Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Points to Ponder Why is the fear of long words called hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? Is it possible to be totally partial? Why do we call it a hamburger when it is made from beef? Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things? Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? Why does an alarm clock "go off" when it BEGINS ringing? How can there be self-help groups? Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites? Corn oil is made from corn, Olive oil is made from olives, so what does baby oil come from? Why is a boxing ring square? Why is black light not black? How can someone be dirt poor, and another be filthy rich? Why is abbreviation such a long word? Why do tugboats push their barges? Why are they called stands when they are made for sitting? Is there another word for synonym? Why do they call it quicksand when it sucks you down slowly? Why do scientists call it research when they are looking for something new? Why do we drive on a parkway and park in a driveway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cognos Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 If you see a Thai lady who is AWFULLY PRETTY, ALONE IN A CROWD, and you say to her it would be AWFULLY GOOD for you and her to be ALONE TOGETHER, but to her, it may seem as CLEAR AS MUD, and she may become a DEAF LISTENER at ALMOST EXACTLY that moment. SIGNED: confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toasted Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 There is a small number of words that themselves have more than one meaning which may be contrary to each other. Dust - to remove dust from a surface. Dust - to put a layer on a surface (as in crop dusting). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cognos Posted March 5, 2010 Author Share Posted March 5, 2010 There is a small number of words that themselves have more than one meaning which may be contrary to each other. Dust - to remove dust from a surface. Dust - to put a layer on a surface (as in crop dusting). I refused to dust the dust, so i got dusted signed: dead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 And if food that is inedible is something you can't eat, the why is a substance that is inflammable something that burns easily? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMA_FARANG Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 I heard all that you said, and I think I understand what I thought you meant, but I'm not sure if what I thought I heard was really what you thought you meant to say. (A statement that should be perefectly clear to a native English speaker, but would probably confuse the h+ll out of someone trying to learn English as a foriegn language.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_boo Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 My personal favourite (from a Sheryl Crow song): I got a four wheel drive and I park it in my driveway, when I get drunk I drive it on the parkway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toasted Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 In a similar vein, why do Brits post a letter and get post delivered in the morning by the postman from the post office, when it's called the Royal Mail? On the other hand why do Americans mail letters, get mail in the morning from their mailman, yet call their service the US Postal Service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thanh-BKK Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Hi. He who rapes is a rapist. Then why he who races is not a racist?? Thanh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cognos Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 When I saw a store in Thailand with a big "Porn" sign on the front, I was surprised when all they sold was dresses signed: off topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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