Saturday, September 6, 2008

Salmon, Tuna, Sea Bass ...?

What could the title of today's blog mean? You'll find out in the following section, Language Fun.


Language Fun

What do these letters spell in English sounds?

ghoti

George Bernard Shaw, famous for his plays, including Pygmalion, which was the basis for My Fair Lady, is supposed to have said this is one way to spell 'fish.' (Actually, he may have gotten this particular "word" from elsewhere, but Shaw was certainly a leader for English spelling reform.) This "word" is supposed to illustrate how ridiculous spelling can be in English. Here's how it works:

  1. 'gh' is pronounced 'f,' as in cough
  2. 'o' is pronounced like the short 'i' sound in women'
  3. 'ti' is pronounced 'sh' like the 'ti' in nation
Put these sounds together and you get the word 'fish.' As today's title says, Salmon, Tuna, Sea Bass...?


Language for Profit

In a previous posting, I mentioned different ways to study a foreign language. One of these of course is CD's, and I've found some truly complete programs for three languages that are worth studying: Mandarin, Japanese, and Arabic. You can find them at

http://www.encomium.com/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=13&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

If you're interested in one of these languages, please read the description and let me know what you think.

Like me, you may have heard about the great need for Arabic translators. If you want to join the United States military, knowing Arabic would be a real plus. For jobs in the United States, I've found that the salary range is quite wide. However, a six-figure salary is possible. Here are a couple of places where you can check out the facts: PayScale and Indeed.


Word for the Day

mellifluous

Let the honey flow! This word comes from two Latin roots: mel, meaning 'honey,' and fluere, 'to flow.' Although it can be used to refer to being filled with something sweet like honey, its most common usage is to describe a smooth, richly flowing voice. Have you been watching the political conventions or snippets from them? Does 'mellifluous' describe any of the voices? ;-)

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