Shocking facts about the English language
Shocking facts about English
Level: Intermediate
Author: Tutor Kudzai Ramhewa
"We never stop learning because life never stops teaching", this proverb is also true regarding the English language. No matter how much you think you know about English, there is always something new to learn; even for natives! Here are more fascinating facts about English that can help you understand the language better.
For long, people have mistakenly believed the word 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' was the longest English word. This word was popularised in the movie Mary Poppins, and as a result was added to the dictionary. The longest word is actually 'Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis' which refers to a type of lung disease cause by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust. Now, try say it!
Even though most Americans speak English, English is not the official language of America. Some, but not all, states have made English their official language, but the U.S government has not declared English or any language for that matter as it's official language. English is only a de facto primary language in the country.
Most widely spoken languages have an official organisation that decides language standards. English, however, does not have such an organisation. The need for such an organisation has been debated for centuries without consensus, but most believe it is better to not have one.
Lastly, the shortest grammatically correct sentence in English is a word made up of two letters: "Go". It's a command- a phrase that tells people to do something.
Now, which of these facts surprised you and which one's did you already know๐ค?
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