STRANGENESS IN ENGLISH

A LIST TO AMUSE, EDIFY, AND EDUCATE


Contents:

  1. Only-word puzzle
  2. Dangling conversations
  3. Amphiboly
  4. Secure the building???
  5. Not quite what was meant
  6. Metaphors: mixed
  7. Strange when translated
  8. British, or English?
  9. Obvious meanings that aren't
  10. Slanguage (clean)
  11. HOME

Here is the list:

  1. What is the ONLY word can be added anywhere in the following sentence to produce ten more sentences with distinct meanings?

    I helped my dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday.

    To the Answer

  2. Dangling constructions can be extremely funny:
  3. Amphiboly is confusing one meaning of a word with another. Sentence order can distort meanings. All of these sentences can have more than one meaning. See how many you can find: Headlines can be even funnier:
  4. Now take a simple phrase, "Secure the building," and see the different meanings different occupations attach to it:
  5. Sometimes we say not quite what we mean:
  6. Metaphors can be amusing, or distressing when mixed:
  7. Some names and things are a little strange when translated into English:
  8. What British and Scottish words are in American English:
  9. I) Words, typos, or phrases that aren't, but have obvious meanings:
  10. Slang is often used to cover up illegal, immoral, or fattening activity, or to denigrate those who try to remove such activities:

ANSWERS:

The word is "only." Here are the ten sentences:

  1. Only I helped my dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday. (Nobody else helped.)
  2. I only helped my dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday. (I didn't do all of it.)
  3. I helped only my dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday. (I didn't help the cat.)
  4. I helped my only dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday. (I don't have two dogs.)
  5. I helped my dog only carry my friend's slippers yesterday. (I didn't help chew them.)
  6. I helped my dog carry only my friend's slippers yesterday. (Not my slippers too.)
  7. I helped my dog carry my only friend's slippers yesterday. (I have no more friends.)
  8. I helped my dog carry my friend's only slippers yesterday. (She has only one pair.)
  9. I helped my dog carry my friend's slippers only yesterday. (Not three weeks ago.)
  10. I helped my dog carry my friend's slippers yesterday only. (Never again!)