> > There are just some things in English that make NO sense at all
>
> A lot of that is because english shameless steals interesting words
> from any other language where they happen to occur.  Whether or not
> they obey the rules from the original language.  So after you've
> imported both rule-following and exceptional words from a dozen
> languages, and applied some fraction of english rules to the results,
> it's not surprising that the result is a mess.

It can even import words from "its own" languages and have them as
exceptions to the rules which subsequently develop.

eg pronounce "Celtic".

The *proper* pronunciation is NOT "seltic" although numerous people say it
that way. (Closer top CalTech :-) ). The Celts were unarguably "British" but
the language has moved on and left this word behind.

There is one other english word that I have met that sounds "ce" at the
start of a word in this manner (hard C) and I can't presently think of the
other one. But it was probably a Celtic word too :-)

FWIW / Interesting: Englanders & Scottspeopleare genetically
indistinguishable from the Frenchpeople. The Welsh are genetically
discernibly different. A look at British history will tell you why but its
interesting to know that it can still be measured.

We camped above the Severn with a majestic view of the two bridges. I asked
a lady there if she used the bridges often. She said "No - I don't care to
have to pay to come back into my own country". History dies hard :-). The
annually celebrated hundreds of years old Battle of the Boyne (those
Frenchpersons at work again), and the still strongly remembered and felt
outcome of the battle of Kosovo (now only about 800 years ago) are two other
grand and sadly pitiful examples.



        Russell McMahon

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