English Language Oddities

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Sanction, fast, buckle.

Originally posted by Sam The Sham
Interesting, I can see sanction, but how do fast and buckle have opposite definitions?

Originally posted by HandyAndy
Fast: Moving quickly (fast cars) or firmly fixed and unmoving (fast colors).
Buckle: Fasten and secure (like a seat belt) or weaken and collapse (as a bridge under pressure).

Originally posted by clandarkfire
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other
two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list,
but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the
officers UP for election an ...[text shortened]... go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, and it is time to shut UP.....!

Originally posted by clandarkfire
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other
two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list,
but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the
officers UP for election an ...[text shortened]... go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, and it is time to shut UP.....!

Originally posted by clandarkfire
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other
two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list,
but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the
officers UP for election an ...[text shortened]... go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, and it is time to shut UP.....!

Mhmmm...

Yeah. Just try spelling it. Is it with three M's at the end or two?
Hell, go crazy and make it four... mhmmmm...

And what does it actually mean? Mhmmm?
Or are you agreeing with me? Mhmm!
Is it actually a word? I mean, it doesn't even have a vowel; does it stump you? Mhmm!

In fact, one could probably argue if it's a Scottish word or an English word.
In evidence, the only cultural reference I can actually find on the word is the Scottish traditional song, sung by the Corries and in it they use one "m" at the end.


The m-hm song:

Ye'll have heard o' the de'il as he wandered thro' Beith
With one wife in each oxter and one in his teeth
When someone cried out, Will ye take mine in the morn
But he waggit his tail and he cockit his horn
And he only said, M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
He'd such a big moothfu' he couldnae say, Aye

When I was a laddie lang syne at the school
The Maister he cried me a dunce and a fool
But for a' that he said I could ne'er understand
Except when he roared, Jimmy haud oot yer hand
But I only said, M-hm
I grim'ced and said, M-hm
I wasnae o'er proud but o'er dour tae say, Aye

One day a queer word as langnebbed as himsel'
He vowed he would thrash me if I couldnae spell
Says I, Mister Quill, wi' a kind o' a quiver
I'll spell ye yer word if you'll spell me anither
Let me hear you spell M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

Had ye seen how he scoured and he scairted his pate
And he cried out, Ye villain, come oot o' yer seat
Get oot o' ma gate, ye're the plague o' the school
And the de'il on me kens if you're most rogue or fool
But I only said, M-hm
I smiled and said, M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

Now M-hm's no big but it's gie hard to spell
If ye saw it in print would ye ken it yersel'
So if yer o'er lazy tae open yer maw
Just keep yer mouth shut and say nothing at a'
Never say, M-hm
That wee bit word M-hm
That auld Scots word M-hm, ye ken it means aye

Originally posted by clandarkfire
There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."