Is It Odd that Many Words in English are Supernumerary? Or Is that Superfluous? Extraneous? Unnecessary?
Not at all.
English has an uncountable thousands of words it doesn’t need. If you don’t believe me, check out “A Word a Day,” and learn the meanings of words that are completely useless. The last two days brought us:
- April 14: Flocculent (adjective: having a fluffy, woolly texture).
- April 13: Impetrate (verb: to obtain by request or entreaty).
Maybe this impressed people a century ago, but if I wrote that a sheep was flocculent, I think you’d be rolling your eyes.
While some English speakers 400 years ago were discovering gravity, developing calculus, using newly minted telescopes to explore our solar system, and refining our understanding of logic as originally put forth by Aristotle, others were inventing words for groups of animals.
Sure, it’s useful to have words like “pack” (for dogs), “herd” (for cows and horses), “flock” (for birds), and perhaps a few others. But what about a group of owls (a parliament), flamingos (a flamboyance), or ferrets (a business)? And that’s just the beginning.
By contrast, Spanish has too few words, IMO. For those interested, here are the 15+ possible meanings in English of the verb “llevar.” As someone who made an honest attempt to learn the language, I’d go into panic mode when someone would say something with any conjugation of that verb. S***! Is he talking about wearing something, Giving someone a ride? Bringing something? Getting along well with someone? Stealing something?
If you believe that a loving God has a plan for you, and is steadily guiding you towards happiness, then you disagree with the assertion here.
Mark Kelly, like the vast majority of his fellow Americans, wishes to see Trump removed from office, as the president is clearly criminally insane.
One has to admire the Pope and how he’s trying to bring peace to our world.
It’s said that those who act decently because they fear the wrath of God and being sent to hell in the afterlife are simply terrible people on a leash. That speaks to me.
Thomas Sowell is not an idiot, and thus he must know that no one wants a social order in which everyone’s lives turn out the same. Does anyone truly believe that drug addicts, morons, and lazy slobs should enjoy the same fruits of prosperity as temperate and diligent people?
Can be done. Cost inefficient as hell. Huge energy losses.
We have starving veterans living in our streets and dying of treatable diseases.
Eric Trump is usually depicted in the press as a moron. Is this fair? Is he really this stupid?
The Pope stands in opposition to pointless, illegal wars, cruel and inhumane treatment of the poor, and criminal insanity.
