English is a tricky speech to find out . aboriginal loudspeaker may take this for allow , fail to realize how intricate — andinconsistent — many of its orthoepy rule are . For instance , why doheart , beard , andheardall sound different ? What aboutroundedandwounded , orgrieveandsieve ?
AsThe Pokepoints out , a poem written in 1920 perfectly encapsulates the thwart nature of English . In fact , it ’s so tricky that even aboriginal English speakers with college level may struggle to get through it without mess up a word . TitledThe Chaos , the verse form was penned by Dutch author , traveller , and educator named Gerard Nolst Trenité .
It starts out easy , then get progressively harder . Here are the first eight stock :
Although the first edition of the poem had 146 crease , The English Spelling Society published an prolonged interpretation with 274 blood in the nineties ( which you’re able to read in full in the followingPDF ) . According to the society , the poem first appeared in a language exercise al-Qur’an Nolst Trenité compose , titledDrop Your Foreign Accent . He had expend some time working as a individual teacher in California , teaching the boy of the Dutch Consul - General .
More Articles About the 1920 ’s :
The unadulterated version contains about 800 example of irregular spelling and pronunciation , and although the poem is meant to be read with British English pronunciations in mind , it does n’t make much conflict if you ’re reciting it with a North American stress .
Keep in thinker , though , that some of the word have n’t stand the test of fourth dimension . " The selection of examples now look somewhat date stamp , as do a few of their pronunciation , " the bon ton express . " Indeed a few Logos may even be obscure to today ’s readers ( how many will know what a ' studding - sail ' is , or that its nautical orthoepy is ' stunsail ' ? ) , and not every rhyme will immediately ' click ' ( ' grits ' for ' groats ' ? ) ; but the overwhelming bulk of the poem represents as valid an indictment of the pandemonium of English spelling as it ever did . "
If you are n’t certain how to articulate some of the more unsung lyric , comply along with the video below from YouTuber Lindybeig , which feature an abridged variation of the poem .
[ h / tThe Poke ]
