For people whose native language is English, it seems like itโs not too difficult to learn or understand but thatโs not actually the case. There are many reasons why people think the English language is ridiculous, and some of them just happen to be hysterical.
If youโve ever wondered why so many words and rules in the English language donโt make much sense, youโre going to love these 50 hilarious reasons why English is the worst!
Here are 50 examples of why the English language can be extremely frustrating
https://www.facebook.com/MlleKarensac/photos/a.190522984467243.1073741828.164752503710958/422466967939509/?type=3&theater
1. Riddle me this
In the English language, there are tons of words that are spelled in the same way but pronounced completely differently. This meme says it all, the tricky hidden meanings and sounds are enough to make someone blow a gasket.
2. Hidden meanings
Another frustrating thing about the English language is all the ways in which words can change the entire meaning of other words. This person caught on, realizing that one sentence could have 7 different meanings depending on the stressed word.
3. Strict order
The English language is one of the easiest languages to mess up, and the order in which you must say words is one of the reasons behind this. Matthew Anderson took to his Twitter to show us things we know about English, but donโt know we know.
Source:
Twitter
4. Same letters, different words
Twitter user David Burge says it perfectly, โYes, English can be weird. It can be understood through tough thorough thought, though.โ Say that fast 10 times, youโre sure to get tongue twisted.
Source:
Twitter
5. Ghoti=Fish
This Tumblr user explains if words with silent fโs like enough, Oโs that make I sounds, and tโs that make a โshโ sound, then the word โghotiโ should be pronounced โfish.โ Sheโs definitely got a point.
6. โWhen English is not your native languageโ
I couldnโt even imagine learning the English language if it wasnโt my native language, and Facebook user Karensac gives us a sneak peek into how frustrating trying to speak the confusing language can be with this hilarious meme.
https://www.facebook.com/MlleKarensac/photos/a.190522984467243.1073741828.164752503710958/422466967939509/?type=3&theater
7. โA JarJar in a jar in an ajar jarโ
This Reddit user captioned this meme โpossibly the best thing about Jarjar Binksโ and he might be right. Honestly, though, we just love everything about the quirky Star Wars character JarJar Binks.
8. Kinky pirate
This one will seriously have you laughing out loud, it basically explains why one little comma can change the entire meaning of a sentence. His example was โbite me, assholeโ and โbite me asshole.โ The first one is grammatically correct, but without the coma sounds like a kinky pirate.
9. โThat thatโ
If you regularly use the English language, then youโve definitely come across this problem. You know, the one where you need to use the word that twice, but donโt want to sound like a complete maniac.
10. Brussel sprouts
This Tumblr user whose first language is not English thought the word Brussel sprouts was the name of a celebrity, not some veggie that no one seems to like. I must say, thatโs a weird name for a veggie.
11. The Oxford comma
This person learned about using the Oxford comma and never looked back, but sometimes it can seem pointless. Like is anyone really going to think youโre putting orange juice on your toast? Use your common sense people.
https://shortee.tumblr.com/post/7254948369/so-recently-ive-seen-posts-about-the-usage-of
12. โThe correct way to spell potatoโ
This person explains how all the silent letters and weird sounds the English language uses make no sense. To his account, if we were accurately using them then potato would be spelled โGHOUGHPHTHEIGHTTEEAU.โ
Source:
Twitter
13. โWill will smith smith?โ
If you have a name like celebrity Will Smith, your name can be used in different ways that make it sound ridiculous. Like โwill will smith smith?โ or Will Smith will smith.โ
14. The F-word has so many meanings
This meme is another perfect example of all the ways one word in the English language can be used. For example, the f-word can be used in tons of different ways, both good and bad. What were they thinking when they created this language?
Source:
Imgur
15. Spelt or spelled?
Only in America is spelled not spelled like spelt, you see how confusing it is to even try to explain some of the nonsense surrounding the English language? I feel sorry for anyone trying to learn it, what a mess.
https://tomche.tumblr.com/post/55596332552/pantryraids-dlubes-pantryraids-is-spelt
16. Why pineapple?
For whatever reason, the English language just has to be different than others. The word pineapple is the perfect example, in almost every other country the word for pineapple is โananasโ but we just have to make it different. Why pineapple though?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTpyvGqApyW/
17. So confusing
Having double meanings on words just makes the English language extremely confusing, and this Tumblr user says it perfectly: โI just realized that โleadโ rhymes with โread,โ but โleadโ also rhymes with โread.โ Two completely different words, spelled the exact same, how obnoxious.
18. โItโs what Itโs
โIt is what it isโ is a super popular saying, but what happens when you use the shorter version of โit isโ โitโs?โ It becomes super confusing, thatโs what happens.
https://nktjn.tumblr.com/post/149882630954/its-what-its
19. Tricky English
This Tumblr user got over 280,000 notes for this funny post, probably because tons of people related to it. It says: โSometimes I English very well but sometimes no.โ
20) Double meanings
Double meanings, like looking โprettyโ and being โprettyโ tend to make the English language so darn tricky. Not to mention, for people who donโt speak English very well that has to be ridiculously confusing.
21. Pronunciation problems
Why is it that some words have silent letters and sounds that make the pronunciation of them different, but then words like โsalmonellaโ you pronounce every letter? Iโm not sure why they made it that way, but this Tumblr user would really like to know.
22. Horrible apostrophes
This Tumblr user was trying to explain how the English language uses apostrophes to shorten words to his friend from Korea, and understandably the foreign exchange student was confused by it. โShe just kind of stared at me in horror for a minute.โ
23. Beautiful words
The English language isnโt all bad according to this Tumblr user, she ever went as far as posting a list of the โ100 Most Beautiful Words in English.โ Thatโs great and all, but itโs also really
https://yahel.tumblr.com/post/782985065/the-100-most-beautiful-words-in-english
24. โI yam who I yamโ
This meme is supposed to be read โI yam who I yamโ but some people read it โI potato who I potatoโ or โI sweet potato who I sweet potato.โ Tumblr user noctstiel didnโt read it that way at all, he just โthought it was bread.โ
25. #rickrolled his way straight into the English language
The fact that thereโs been a verb created for describing sending people funny Rick Astley memes and links is beyond me. It just goes to show, anything can be added to the English language.
26. Huh?
The English language has an endless amount of weird and confusing rules, and this one sits right at the top of the list. This is more like a riddle than a sentence, oh English language, why do you do this to us?
27. English language conquests
This Tumblr user feels like the abbreviation โIโmaโ is one of the English languages โgreatest conquests,โ but is it really? I mean, the fact that weโve managed to shorten a four-word phrase into three letters is either genius or just pure laziness.
28. โHad Hadโ
The word โhadโ is already a super weird word when you really think about it, so when you add in the fact that it has more than one meaning it can just be annoying. Example: I had had a puppy, but then he grew up. That sounds ridiculous and looks even worse.
29. Iโll, Aisle, Isle
Can you imagine trying to learn a language and being told that multiple words that sound exactly the same actually have totally different meanings? Thatโs the English language for you, how rude.
30. โENGLISH IS HARDโ
These meme posted to Instagram gives 13 examples of why the English language is so difficult, and it couldnโt be more accurate. Itโs like they were purposely trying to confuse us when they created it, but I guess weโve just got to deal with it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMFnErcjrSB/
31. โAY YO MAโ
British people say โmomโ like โmum,โ and evidently this Tumblr user had trouble grasping that. To takshammy did their best to translate โbut mumโ for her and ended up with โAY YO MA.โ Sounds about right.
32. Hyphen irony
This person on Instagram pointed out the irony in using a hyphen to describe non-hyphenated words, and sheโs not wrong. She better get used to it though, the English language is full of ironic sayings and meanings.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuAp0BfFtd0/
33. Their That Then
The best part about this Tumblr post is the hilarious comment from user langleav. After user tweakerwolf suggests replacing the โWโsโ with โTโsโ in where, what, and when, langleav commented: โruns around the house telling everyone.โ
34. I before E
This coffee mug highlights the โIโ before โEโ rule, by listing a full sentence with words that completely contradict it. Why would they do this to us, itโs just wrong I tell ya.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmv3g3FnIL2/
35. Donโt call it that
This funny little poem shows us just how complicated the English language can be, and itโs really got a good flow to it. Whoever wrote this knows their stuff when it comes to the downfalls of English.
https://www.instagram.com/p/g7aPJ6IsX3/
36.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoAtzKYHJEh/
37. โWhy English is so hard to learn
Author Marlene Davis wrote these examples of why the English language is hard to learn, and itโs those dreaded double meanings again. I feel like after they created all the words they probably realized there were so many double meanings, but at that point, it was too late and we were stuck with it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B68UQGqjllw/
38. Hypocritical English
Hereโs another meme pointing out the irony in the โIโ before โEโ rule, and once again the rule makes no sense. Why even make a rule if youโre just going to do the opposite. Oh I get it, rules are must be meant to be broken.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Q92YMGN9JK/
39. โWhy aliens fly straight past usโ
The fact that โphโ can also be used as an โfโ really has this Instagram user angry, he even suggests that itโs the reason aliens havenโt made contact. Donโt you know? They may already walk among usโฆ
https://www.instagram.com/p/BACy4LznBpW/
40. Fun facts
This Tumblr user shared the reason that the plural for the word goose is geese but moose is not meese and itโs actually pretty interesting. Apparently, itโs because the word moose is a Native American word and is only 400 years old.
https://linguisticsyall.tumblr.com/post/63732188795/o-eheu-direcartographies-fun-fact-the
41. Another โIโ before โEโ dilemma
User Grammaโs Girl also has a bone to pick with the โIโ before โEโ rule, and it has to do with the word โtheir.โ You have to admit though, she has a valid point.
Source:
Twitter
42. #stupidenglishlanguage
Twitter user Ed Cook pointed out the fact that bi-monthly has two different meanings, and weโve got to give it to him, it makes no sense. So what does that mean, youโve got to specify every time you use โbi-monthly?โ
Source:
Twitter
43. Playing a bass like your bass
This meme will have you cracking up, and itโs not just because there are two meanings for the word โbass.โ Just look at the hilarious picture, if that doesnโt make you laugh, Iโm not sure what will.
https://www.instagram.com/p/62MGfSytXP/
44. Why? Just why?
This mother that homeschools made an Instagram post to show just how ridiculous it is trying to teach kids about phonics. โWhy do we say dear and deer the same but not bear and beer?โ Good question.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMzerCHL71r/
45. Pronounce this for me
Instagram page englishmakesnosense posted a meme asking how youโre supposed to pronounce GIF? Is it a hard โGโ or soft โG?โ Canโt help you there, I honestly have no idea.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMAMBvAFu46/
46. What the?
If you look at the word โunderstandโ by both of the words separately it makes absolutely no sense. Neither word describes what โunderstandโ actually means, so why in the heck did they pick those words? Who knows.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CJFVlJHMW28/
47. โAnd Bob was Allโ
This meme shows how โsaid,โ โlike,โ and โallโ completely change the meaning of the sentence when using quotations. Sheโs really excited about the fact that โallโ suggests youโre being โa dick about it,โ and it actually is pretty hilarious but still rather confusing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBU_4x9nDBV/
48. Compliment vs Complement
If youโve ever used โcomplementโ in the wrong context, donโt feel bad, youโre not alone. This has to be one of the easiest ones to flip-flop, which begs the question again, why?
Source:
Twitter
49. Two โbโsโ
Twitter user Seth Sommerfeld posted โEither rabbit needs one b or habit needs two,โ and he has a great point with this post. Unfortunately, itโs not that easy to get words changed. Time to start a petition.
Source:
Twitter
50. Valid points
This post shows people who have valid complaints about the English language and theyโre totally right. My favorite one is: โWhy does fridge have a โDโ in it, but refrigerator doesnโt?โ So true, that makes no sense whatsoever.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9dGmFmFHjy/
After seeing these 50 reasons why the English language can be ridiculous, youโre probably wondering what in the world they were thinking when creating it? Who knows, it might be confusing, but at least it makes for some hilarious meme material!
