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Our Queer Language

The document discusses the complexities and inconsistencies of the English language. It notes how certain words like TOUGH, BOUGH, COUGH and DOUGH rhyme but are spelled differently. It warns that HEARD is pronounced differently than its spelling suggests and that DEAD rhymes with bed, not bead. The document urges caution with words like MEAT, GREAT and THREAT that rhyme unexpectedly. It also provides examples like MOTH, BOTHER, BROTHER to demonstrate the irregularities. In the end, it dismisses the idea that English is a dreadful language, stating that it was mastered by the author by age five.

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Kathleen Mae Barangan
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2K views1 page

Our Queer Language

The document discusses the complexities and inconsistencies of the English language. It notes how certain words like TOUGH, BOUGH, COUGH and DOUGH rhyme but are spelled differently. It warns that HEARD is pronounced differently than its spelling suggests and that DEAD rhymes with bed, not bead. The document urges caution with words like MEAT, GREAT and THREAT that rhyme unexpectedly. It also provides examples like MOTH, BOTHER, BROTHER to demonstrate the irregularities. In the end, it dismisses the idea that English is a dreadful language, stating that it was mastered by the author by age five.

Uploaded by

Kathleen Mae Barangan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Our Queer Language I think you already know Of TOUGH and BOUGH and COUGH and DOUGH, Others

may stumble, but not you On HICCOUGH, THOROUGH, and THROUGH. Well done! And now you wish, perhaps, To learn of new familiar traps? Beware of HEARD, as a dreadful word That looks like BEARD and sounds like BIRD. And DEAD; its said like bed, not BEAD For goodness sake dont call it DEED! Watch out for MEAT and GREAT and THREAT They rhyme with SUITE and STRAIGHT and DEBT. A MOTH is not a MOTH on MOTHER Nor BOTH in BOTHER or in BROTHER. And HERE is not match for THERE. Nor DEAR and FEAR for BEAR and PEAR. And there are DOSE and ROSE and LOSE Just look them up and GOOSE and CHOOSE, And CORK and WORK and CARD and WARD, And FONT and FRONT, and WORD and SWORD. And DO and GO and THWART and CART Come, come, Ive hardly made a start! A dreadful language? Man alive, Id mastered it when I was five. Our Queer Language I think you already know Of TOUGH and BOUGH and COUGH and DOUGH, Others may stumble, but not you On HICCOUGH, THOROUGH, and THROUGH. Well done! And now you wish, perhaps, To learn of new familiar traps? Beware of HEARD, as a dreadful word That looks like BEARD and sounds like BIRD. And DEAD; its said like bed, not BEAD For goodness sake dont call it DEED! Watch out for MEAT and GREAT and THREAT They rhyme with SUITE and STRAIGHT and DEBT. A MOTH is not a MOTH on MOTHER Nor BOTH in BOTHER or in BROTHER. And HERE is not match for THERE. Nor DEAR and FEAR for BEAR and PEAR. And there are DOSE and ROSE and LOSE Just look them up and GOOSE and CHOOSE, And CORK and WORK and CARD and WARD, And FONT and FRONT, and WORD and SWORD. And DO and GO and THWART and CART Come, come, Ive hardly made a start! A dreadful language? Man alive, Id mastered it when I was five.

Our Queer Language I think you already know Of TOUGH and BOUGH and COUGH and DOUGH, Others may stumble, but not you On HICCOUGH, THOROUGH, and THROUGH. Well done! And now you wish, perhaps, To learn of new familiar traps? Beware of HEARD, as a dreadful word That looks like BEARD and sounds like BIRD. And DEAD; its said like bed, not BEAD For goodness sake dont call it DEED! Watch out for MEAT and GREAT and THREAT They rhyme with SUITE and STRAIGHT and DEBT. A MOTH is not a MOTH on MOTHER Nor BOTH in BOTHER or in BROTHER. And HERE is not match for THERE. Nor DEAR and FEAR for BEAR and PEAR. And there are DOSE and ROSE and LOSE Just look them up and GOOSE and CHOOSE, And CORK and WORK and CARD and WARD, And FONT and FRONT, and WORD and SWORD. And DO and GO and THWART and CART Come, come, Ive hardly made a start! A dreadful language? Man alive, Id mastered it when I was five. Our Queer Language I think you already know Of TOUGH and BOUGH and COUGH and DOUGH, Others may stumble, but not you On HICCOUGH, THOROUGH, and THROUGH. Well done! And now you wish, perhaps, To learn of new familiar traps? Beware of HEARD, as a dreadful word That looks like BEARD and sounds like BIRD. And DEAD; its said like bed, not BEAD For goodness sake dont call it DEED! Watch out for MEAT and GREAT and THREAT They rhyme with SUITE and STRAIGHT and DEBT. A MOTH is not a MOTH on MOTHER Nor BOTH in BOTHER or in BROTHER. And HERE is not match for THERE. Nor DEAR and FEAR for BEAR and PEAR. And there are DOSE and ROSE and LOSE Just look them up and GOOSE and CHOOSE, And CORK and WORK and CARD and WARD, And FONT and FRONT, and WORD and SWORD. And DO and GO and THWART and CART Come, come, Ive hardly made a start! A dreadful language? Man alive, Id mastered it when I was five.

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