Monday, January 05, 2009

661 - English simplicity

So let's take a simple word like 'lay'. You would think the past participle would be 'layed'. Nope. No such word. You would think even further that a spell checker would know what you meant. Nope. How about 'clayed, played, flayed, rayed or payed"? No thanks. I was a bad speller to begin with. I think spell checkers are making me worse.

But back to getting layed. Like I said you can't get layed because it doesn't exist. And even dictionary.com doesn't want to guess what you're trying to say. The correct answer is the 38th guess for what you where trying to say. (And as I'm typing this I'm noticing 'say' and 'said'.)

So now you guessed. I'm trying to get 'laid'. Well after I did figure that out I double checked dictionary.com. When you look at this, think about this being the first word that somebody that was going learn when learning English. Go here to get 'laid'. (Yes that definition is there. It's number 58)

10 comments:

Amanda said...

Why? Why is English this way? Maybe Bilbo can come drop the answer off.

Aaron is now saying things like go-ed and do-ed. And then I get the inevitable "Why?" when I tell him its went and done.

Bilbo said...

If it takes this much analysis, no wonder you can't get laid. Maybe I have the same problem. Amanda - I'll try to figure out the answer...it probably has something to do with Old English vowel mutations or something stupid like that that's only of interest to linguists.

Gilahi said...

Everybody knows that "lade" is a present-tense verb meaning "to fill a ship with cargo". So you don't actually get "lade", you get "laded", after which, you're "laden".

No wonder you're having problems.

lacochran said...

You're going about this all wrong. First, get some alcohol...

Anonymous said...

I'm going to Hawaii because when you get off the plane you get leied

Anonymous said...

There is nothing simple about the English language, which is ok by me cos it just means I have an excuse when I make mistakes.
check out this list of the common errors in English, there are really good one.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/errors.html

fiona said...

I'd look for a smarter lay, you know the type who DOESN'T need you to spell it out for her!...just saying

The Mistress of the Dark said...

I got leied at the Tiki Lounge in Pittsbugh..Muhahahaha

Mike said...

Amanda - See the link that Rima left. Interesting info.

Bilbo - I does happen every once in awhile.

Gilahi - Yeah I ..... What?

Lacochran - Bring some over. I'm ready.

Bandit - Been there done that.

Rima - good link.

Fiona - Don't pick on Claudia. It's not her fault. I just need lots of help.

Mistress - I assume there was alcohol involved.

Me - This was way to much work. And Mistress popped in while I was typing all my clever responses.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Sweetheart. You're worth all the help I give you!