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Do English speakers know every word from the dictionary?
Post Reply RetroFed Forum Forum Index » Ask Lemmy
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AuthorMessage
BJW lemmus.org Epp@lemmus.org
Joined: 2026-02-12
#52 · Quote Reply
Agent641 wrote:
Many words are just awkward Cronenberg creatures made up of parts of other words, so even if I haven't heard a word before, it's often not hard to deduce it's meaning from context and components. In university I learned a bunch of new words though, like inchoate, ameliorate, atavistic and suzerainty. And reading old, old newspapers I learned of some great words that we just don't use anymore, l...

And penultimate means second to current. So ultimo is an abbreviated reference to the penultimate month.
4
spittingimage lemmy.world spittingimage@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-06-20
#53 · (edited) Quote Reply

Only the really serious Scrabble players.
9
dustycups aussie.zone prex@aussie.zone
Joined: 2023-06-27
#54 · Quote Reply
trailee wrote:
Preventative now passes spell check as well, even though it just means preventive. Using less while meaning fewer is one of my biggest irks.

"I could care fewer"
2
Windex007 lemmy.world Windex007@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-02
#55 · Quote Reply
kestrel7_7 wrote:
I'd argue that emoji aren't exactly logographic language, but just their own adjacent thing. Like when I was a kid and people still exchanged handwritten letters, they would have smiley faces, hearts, etc. Even before emojis came out, we had this in digital text with things like :D and <3 People have always done this stuff informally, and we still don't (to my knowledge) put emojis in contra...

That's a good point, but I do think some would qualify as being logographic since you kinda DO have to know, like what 🍆 means.

But, that instance makes me realize it might be possible to infer meaning via context like with any other word in any other language: 👨👧🫦👅🍆💦

Which actually makes me think I'm not really comprehending the practical realities of Japanese
3
1hitsong lemmy.ml 1hitsong@lemmy.ml
Joined: 2023-06-04
#56 · Quote Reply
BJW wrote:
And penultimate means second to current. So ultimo is an abbreviated reference to the penultimate month.

I knew this word thanks to Taskmaster.
2
trailee sh.itjust.works trailee@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2024-02-25
#57 · Quote Reply
dustycups wrote:
"I could care fewer"

Less is a real word with valid uses, although that specific phrase isn’t one of them with the logic carelessly inverted. You meant “I couldn’t care less”, as in, I already care so little that it’s not possible for it to go any lower.
1
dustycups aussie.zone prex@aussie.zone
Joined: 2023-06-27
#58 · Quote Reply
trailee wrote:
Less is a real word with valid uses, although that specific phrase isn’t one of them with the logic carelessly inverted. You meant “I couldn’t care less”, as in, I already care so little that it’s not possible for it to go any lower.

1
tigermountain lemmy.world tigermountain@lemmy.world
Joined: 2026-06-15
#59 · Quote Reply

Oh sure. All of us do. Every single word.
4
trailee sh.itjust.works trailee@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2024-02-25
#60 · Quote Reply
dustycups wrote:

woosh

/s-dar broken.
1
CouncilOfFriends lemmy.world CouncilOfFriends@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-08-02
#61 · Quote Reply

I only know the cromulent words, those that embiggen the smallest man.
5
Clay_pidgin sh.itjust.works clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works
Joined: 2023-06-14
#62 · Quote Reply
1hitsong wrote:
I knew this word thanks to Taskmaster.

Taskmaster mention! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joXFkklm5w8&t=4
1
Rugnjr lemmy.blahaj.zone Rugnjr@lemmy.blahaj.zone
Joined: 2025-11-10
#63 · (edited) Quote Reply
Denjin wrote:
Norse is just German with extra steps.

Consider the following:
Tree German: Baum, Danish: Træ

Smile
German: Lächeln, Danish: Smil

Cup
German: Tasse, Danish: Kop

Window
German: Fenstee, Danish: Vindue

Also history. Where exactly did the Germanic influence on English come from, historically? I wrote a lot here but it was too much complexity so suffice to say: A little low German migration and a lot of Norse/viking migration, plus Normandy french (who themselves were earlier a viking influenced french)
2
agavaa lemmy.world agavaa@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-09
#64 · Quote Reply
spittingimage wrote:
Only the really serious Scrabble players.

And even they don't learn all the words over 8 letters, since the rack holds 7 tiles and your returns diminish quickly.
3
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