Simply they win by luring you into the 3 card monte. Not by the outcome of said game....
Things that seem simple to others that you find confounding:
- Thread starter BurlyShirley
- Start date
Human languages, make no sense to me, nor to most of the co-workers I've had. Most human languages have more exceptions to their syntax rules than rules themselves. Latin based languages like spanish seem to be the worst. I know a little japanese, which is on paper one of the most logical languages, and speak passable spainish - which makes little sense to me what I know is simply by rote.
After taking calcuseless, I can no longer add, subtract, multiply, or divide. I need a calculator for the simplest of things.
Just because fail has a negative connotation doesn't make it a negative in the grammatical sense.
Double negatives would be
Don't go nowhere.
We don't need no education.
I can't have nothing.
Or "that dudes driven train didn't not fail going through the rock section" but who the **** says that anyway?
Drawing.
I can't draw to save my life, yet for my job I have to sketch things.
I can't draw to save my life, yet for my job I have to sketch things.
with all due respect, as a fairly technical person who is comfortable with foreign language, i think you are missing the point. grammar is nothing more than a systematic way of putting together thoughts. when i learn a new language, i simply learn the rules of grammar and pronunciation and begin trying to apply them.
the most difficult part of learning a language for most techies is that they will not allow themselves to blunder and fumble while trying to speak for the first time -something that happens to everyone who learns a new language. this part or learning seems to be too socially awkward for the already (generally) socially awkward techies...
btw, both pronunciation and grammar in latin based languages is far more consistent than english.
using public transportation for the first time in a new place.
do you buy the tickets (or tokens) at the station, on the train or at the convenience store three blocks away?
do you cancel the ticket on the platform or on the train?
do you buy single trip tickets or multi-trip passes?
does the vending machine take cash or credit?
is this my stop?
do you buy the tickets (or tokens) at the station, on the train or at the convenience store three blocks away?
do you cancel the ticket on the platform or on the train?
do you buy single trip tickets or multi-trip passes?
does the vending machine take cash or credit?
is this my stop?
I have trouble with right/left. Who knows how many people have gotten lost because I told them to turn the wrong direction.
All the different "Age of Consent" laws across the states really confuse me at times.
like you care....
There you go. I don't hear anyone speak like that commonly, but there have been a handful of times it has come up. Your examples are much better than mine.
There's something else I struggle with... coming up with examples when necessary. Like when I was spelling something out letter for letter on the phone to someone and I came to the letter k. I paused... "kkk" went through my head but that didn't seem appropriate so I said "k, as in cat with a k". The person on the other end of the line definitely got a chuckle out of that.
Baseball.
Chemistry.
Chemistry.
Cars. And fixing them.
I can do all kinds of small engine repairs (lawnmower, chainsaw, etc), 99% of my bike repairs, and am generally pretty handy around the house. But I don't venture beyond an oil change with a car. And I don't understand why many people are in love with these gas guzzling, money sucking, complicated modes of transportation.
I can do all kinds of small engine repairs (lawnmower, chainsaw, etc), 99% of my bike repairs, and am generally pretty handy around the house. But I don't venture beyond an oil change with a car. And I don't understand why many people are in love with these gas guzzling, money sucking, complicated modes of transportation.