The English language has a reputation for being a rule breaker. It delivers a long list of dos and don’ts and then turns around and ignores them in different scenarios and multiple ways. The language contradicts itself every step of the way, making it difficult for those new to the language and even seasoned pros to keep tabs on all the exceptions to the rules.
To English enthusiasts, however, navigating these exceptions is a bit like signing up for an online gaming platform with a variety of slot games to be played—it’s entertaining and exciting. But for those who just want clear, easy-to-follow rules, the language leaves plenty to be desired because even the rules for navigating contradictions in English are not clear-cut.
Whether you’re an English enthusiast looking to understand the nuances of the language better or someone just wanting a quick fix for dealing with the language’s complexities, we’ve compiled some of the most common contradictions you’ll find in English, as well as a few tips for remembering how to properly navigate them.
Oxymorons
Many commonly used phrases and words, like bittersweet, deafening silence, and accurate estimate, are oxymorons. They’re made up of words with opposing meanings, so, logically speaking, they shouldn’t make sense. Yet oxymorons are widely used in English. The term ‘oxymoron’ itself is one—it roughly translated from Ancient Greek to ‘cleverly stupid’. Oxymorons are used for many reasons, from creating dramatic effect to enhancing entertainment value. Generally, oxymorons are awfully good (see what we did there?) ways to communicate ideas, whether spoken or written.
Silent Letters Don’t Always Stay Silent
Usually, silent letters remain silent, such as ‘design’ (‘designer’) or ‘know’ (‘knowing’). They can be confusing in spelling or pronunciation but remain consistent across their different word variations. However, some words throw in an extra twist when they take on different variations or related forms.
Take, for instance, the word ‘crumb’. On its own, the ‘b’ sound is dropped from its pronunciation. The same goes for the plural version of the word, but when exploring other word choices, like ‘crumble’, the sound of the letter ‘b’ is suddenly pronounced.
Other examples include ‘muscle’, where the ‘c’ sound is dropped, but is pronounced for the variation ‘musculature’ and ‘sign’, which drops the ‘g’, but its form ‘signature’ does not. Unfortunately, there’s no hard and fast rule for knowing when a letter will stay silent. The best way is simply to listen to others or practise the pronunciation. For many English speakers, these pronunciations become second nature.
Homophones
The different spellings of words that sound the same and have different meanings, or homophones, are confusing elements of English. One would assume that with spelling and pronunciation rules, a word pronounced one way should only be spelled one way, but this is far from the truth. English is filled with words that call this rule into question, such as they’re, there, and their, which all sound like the same word when spoken but have different meanings and spellings. Context becomes essential for understanding these words or knowing which spelling to use.
Heteronyms
Just as words can be spelled differently but sound the same, some words can be spelled the same but pronounced differently, adding another common contradiction to properly using English. The pronunciation changes the meaning of words. For instance, ‘tear’, when pronounced to rhyme with ‘dear’ or ‘fear’, refers to what our eyes produce when crying. ‘Tear’, pronounced to rhyme with ‘bear’ or ‘air’, refers to ripping or pulling something apart.
As with homophones, context is important in understanding how to pronounce words correctly. If a sentence reads ‘a single tear fell down his cheek’, we know from context that ‘tear’ is pronounced to rhyme with ‘dear’. In a sentence saying, ‘she started to tear apart the paper’, the pronunciation would rhyme with ‘bear’.
The Rule ‘I Before E Except After C’ Doesn’t Always Ring True
When spelling English words, the rule ‘i before e except after c’ is frequently touted. While this rule applies in some cases, there are many exceptions. Examples of breaking this rule include words such as ‘weird’, ‘seize’, ‘neighbour’, and ‘height’. Usually, a word breaking this spelling rule is pronounced with an ‘eh’ sound, while a word following it has an ‘ee’ sound. However, it’s important to note that even this helpful tip has exceptions, such as ‘protein’.
Plural Nouns Not Ending With an ‘S’
Assuming a plural variation of a word simply involves adding an ‘s’ to the end is usually a safe bet. But as with many rules, it would seem this is one made to be broken. Women, men, mice, data, fungi, and feet are plural nouns that don’t end with the letter ‘s’ and are just the tip of the plural noun iceberg that defies this rule. These nouns are known as irregular plural nouns because of this characteristic.
Never Start a Sentence With ‘Because’
Many English speakers believe they shouldn’t start a sentence with the word ‘because’ or a coordinating conjunction like ‘for’, ‘and’, ‘nor’, ‘but’, ‘or’, ‘yet’, or ‘so’, which connect independent clauses. These aren’t the only words that people hesitate to use at the beginning of sentences. Other words often used for connecting phrases or clauses in sentences, such as whether, although, however, or while, are opposed too. Using these words to start sentences is often discouraged among students learning the ins and outs of grammar, but it turns out it’s not grammatically incorrect to start a sentence with them. This has been common practice in English for centuries.
In writing, starting a sentence with one of these words can make for more conversational pieces because it’s more attuned to how we speak. It isn’t appropriate for every style of writing. You’d likely want to avoid it in academic work or scholarly journals, but for casual writing, it can add life or emphasise key ideas. So, use your coordinating and subordinating conjunctions at the beginning of your sentences if it calls to you—you’re not doing anything wrong.
