ForumGarden

I'm married to a foreigner... GREEK. We have many times where I have to explain the difference between two words that are not quite homophones, but sound alike to the foreign ear.

I thought perhaps we'd like to each post some that come to mind... it might also be helpful for the poor spellers and the brits and canadians to understand our destruction of the English language

But for starters... it's just a simple "sound alike"

Imminent and Eminent

eminent ~Towering or standing out above others; prominent: an eminent peak.

imminent ~ About to occur; impending: in imminent danger.



Disclaimer... I use dictionary.com to check myself.

bye, by, and buy. I'm always wanting to type the wrong one.

Any number of them from the classic to, too and two through affect and effect to licence and license.

but maybe that's English English?

Bryn Mawr wrote: Any number of them from the classic to, too and two through affect and effect to licence and license.

but maybe that's English English?licence is Britty... yes.

all good examples.

Far Rider wrote: Dang, dang and dang always get me cornfused....:wah:
you think you are confused ... us Canucks use both American and Brit English so license or licence applies to us.

Their

There

They're

Read and Read ahahahahaha never understood how you taught a foreign person how to differentiate between those 2

I read a book, I read a book, yeah that helps NOT

minks wrote: you think you are confused ... us Canucks use both American and Brit English so license or licence applies to us.

Their

There

They're

Read and Read ahahahahaha never understood how you taught a foreign person how to differentiate between those 2

I read a book, I read a book, yeah that helps NOT(qualifiers...)

I read a book everyday

I read a book last week

SweetDarlin wrote: licence is Britty... yes.

all good examples.


A licence is a piece of paper allowing you to do something.

To license is the act of getting or giving that piece of paper.

English, who'd invent it?

Bryn Mawr wrote: A licence is a piece of paper allowing you to do something.

To license is the act of getting or giving that piece of paper.

English, who'd invent it?not here... that was my point. We only use license... licence is only in the dictionary as a British spelling

Tale and tail.....................

SnoozeControl wrote: He wound the bandage around his wound.ohhh good one!

reminds me of the inconsistencies...

cough, enough, bough, through

SweetDarlin wrote: not here... that was my point. We only use license... licence is only in the dictionary as a British spelling


So I'd assumed from your comment, and why I gave the difference over here.

Bryn Mawr wrote: So I'd assumed from your comment, and why I gave the difference over here.d'oh.. okay...

sometimes even when you understand the language you can still misunderstand...

A guy goes into a cake-shop and asks for some Gattucks. The lady behind the counter politely says "I think you'll find it's pronounced Gateaux sir"

He apologises for his faux-pas, but as he is leaving the shop, he drops the cake and mutters

"Oh bolleaux"

Uncle Kram wrote: A guy goes into a cake-shop and asks for some Gattucks. The lady behind the counter politely says "I think you'll find it's pronounced Gateaux sir"

He apologises for his faux-pas, but as he is leaving the shop, he drops the cake and mutters

"Oh bolleaux"hehehehe...

Uncle Kram wrote: A guy goes into a cake-shop and asks for some Gattucks. The lady behind the counter politely says "I think you'll find it's pronounced Gateaux sir"

He apologises for his faux-pas, but as he is leaving the shop, he drops the cake and mutters

"Oh bolleaux"


Surely he apologised for his fox pass? :sneaky: :wah:

Mince and mince

Uncle Kram wrote: Mince and mince


No love.......I said Mince, not Minks....alright?....no MINCE......turn your hearing aid up love

Uncle Kram wrote: No love.......I said Mince, not Minks....alright?....no MINCE......turn your hearing aid up love


I forgive your fox paws

i don't know if these have been mentioned....their, they're, there. their is possessive, it's their car. they're is they are. there is often a place..let's go there. ..........then there's (there is) your and you're. your is possessive, it is your car. you're is a contraction for you are. ....i have an ongoing power struggle and madness-inducing trauma with a certain friend of mine here at FG over these, he does it just to make steam come from my ears, it makes him giggle. :rolleyes:

FUNNY STORY... this is not exactly on topic, but nearly so. Several years ago my neighbor (from Texas) was telling me about company coming and said "Mike's wife will be here, too" I asked who?" and he repeated "Mike's Wife." like I knew who Mike was. When i asked "Mike who" he looked at me like I'd lost my mind and his wife broke out laughinging and said 'HE said 'My ex-wife""

I have accused Texans of having their own language, but until then I had always been able to decipher it.

Mince and Mints?

Dye and Die?

ass and arse-why is it so many can't pronounce rrr's properly? I can safely say i have never found an ass the least bit appealing.

I left the house, turned left out the door then turned back because I'd left my keys in the house but luckily had left the latch on the snib.

Actually I'm married to a foreigner too-my wife's english:yh_rotfl

100% on the skillwise test-smug git that i am