Things English lacks.

[thecrecarc]

Overall, I think English is a great language. However, I often notice that there is a strange lack of words when I want to say something.
One of the major ones I notice is a lack of the plural form of "you". It often seems incorrect to use "we" or "us" or "they". Instead, there is this awkward "You guys" or "Y'all" or some other strange stop-gap measure. I believe we as ATOT should finally formalize a form of "you plural" for English.
Another missing component is the lack of a genderless human pronoun. Sure, we have "it", but it symbolizes more of an inanimate object, a distant cold pronoun. However, if we are referring to an actual person, but one whose gender is unknown, it seems wrong to use "it.

Are there any other "missing" components of English?

Edited for grammar Nazis.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Is there any other "missing" components of English?

:laugh:

 

[AreaCode707]

My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707
My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

In Russia, there are many shades of orange but only one shade of red.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Having grown up in Minnesota, English is seriously lacking in words to describe different types of snow.

 

[coldmeat]

Yous guys

 

[RESmonkey]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Overall, I think English is a great language. However, I often notice that there is a strange lack of words when I want to say something.
One of the major ones I notice is a lack of the plural form of "you". It often seems incorrect to use "we" or "us" or "they". Instead, there is this awkward "You guys" or "Y'all" or some other strange stop-gap measure. I believe we as ATOT should finally formalize a form of "you plural" for English.
Another missing component is the lack of a genderless human pronoun. Sure, we have "it", but it symbolizes more of an inanimate object, a distant cold pronoun. However, if we are referring to an actual person, but one whose gender is unknown, it seems wrong to use "it.

Is there any other "missing" components of English?

FAIL. Go learn English. It's supposed to be masculine.

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Having grown up in Minnesota, English is seriously lacking in words to describe different types of snow.

From Minnesota as well, and I agree with this completely.


Also, this is not a thread about grammar, but missing words and phrases. Take your pointless arbitrary and often forgotten rules elsewhere.

 

[arrfep]

Originally posted by: coldmeat
Yous guys

HEYYYYY YOOUUUUUU GUUUUYYYYYSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CRXican]

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Is there any other "missing" components of English?

:laugh:

ARE

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: CRXican

Originally posted by: So

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Is there any other "missing" components of English?

:laugh:

ARE

Yes, yes, I know. Sigh... fixed I guess.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: MagnusTheBrewer
Having grown up in Minnesota, English is seriously lacking in words to describe different types of snow.

Haha, nice.

 

[dbk]

In Korean, you have a complete set of words to use when you're speaking to someone with respect (teachers, parents, police, older folk, etc) - goes beyond saying please, yes maam, etc. Hard for non-Koreans to understand.

 

[dennilfloss]

You guys need to separate the singular you from the plural you again. Bring back thee & thou.

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: dbk
In Korean, you have a complete set of words to use when you're speaking to someone with respect (teachers, parents, police, older folk, etc) - goes beyond saying please, yes maam, etc. Hard for non-Koreans to understand.

I find this in various languages irritating and not helpful. In fact, one of the better points of English in my opinion is the LACK of these "formal" words. Mr. and Mrs. should be enough, maybe a sir or maam. But respect is shown through behavior, not if you choose the right noun.

 

[dbk]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc

Originally posted by: dbk
In Korean, you have a complete set of words to use when you're speaking to someone with respect (teachers, parents, police, older folk, etc) - goes beyond saying please, yes maam, etc. Hard for non-Koreans to understand.

I find this in various languages irritating and not helpful. In fact, one of the better points of English in my opinion is the LACK of these "formal" words. Mr. and Mrs. should be enough, maybe a sir or maam. But respect is shown through behavior, not if you choose the right noun.

I agree with you, but since that's been the norm for like 5000 years, it's expected

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: AreaCode707
My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

Gold, darkorange? Peach? gold? Maybe he meant brown? I Don't remember different color for orange (I grew up speaking Russian) but there is for light-blue.

 

[AreaCode707]

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: AreaCode707
My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

Gold, darkorange? Peach? gold? Maybe he meant brown? I Don't remember different color for orange (I grew up speaking Russian) but there is for light-blue.

We were looking at a darker orange and fluorescent orange. I dunno, I don't speak Russian.

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: AreaCode707
My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

Gold, darkorange? Peach? gold? Maybe he meant brown? I Don't remember different color for orange (I grew up speaking Russian) but there is for light-blue.

Many languages do not have a clear distinction between blue, green, and sometimes black.

 

[lyssword]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc

Originally posted by: lyssword

Originally posted by: AreaCode707
My brother in law tells me we're missing a word for the color orange. "There's orange, and then there's THIS color." (He points at another, differently shaded orange object.) He's a Russian speaker and they are two distinct colors in Russian apparently.

Gold, darkorange? Peach? gold? Maybe he meant brown? I Don't remember different color for orange (I grew up speaking Russian) but there is for light-blue.

Many languages do not have a clear distinction between blue, green, and sometimes black.

Ok, I found something, the color is probably "rizhiy" which is the color of a fox or orange color cat. Here's a quote I googled about this color:

"There are adjectives in Russian that do not exist in English and vice versa. I couldn't tell you what color my dog is, because there is no word for "Rizhiy" in English. The best I can come up with is "rust" - which isn't a word for color - or "reddish-brown." The way we talk defines how we think on a basic level."

 

[StinkyPinky]

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Overall, I think English is a great language. However, I often notice that there is a strange lack of words when I want to say something.
One of the major ones I notice is a lack of the plural form of "you". It often seems incorrect to use "we" or "us" or "they". Instead, there is this awkward "You guys" or "Y'all" or some other strange stop-gap measure. I believe we as ATOT should finally formalize a form of "you plural" for English.
Another missing component is the lack of a genderless human pronoun. Sure, we have "it", but it symbolizes more of an inanimate object, a distant cold pronoun. However, if we are referring to an actual person, but one whose gender is unknown, it seems wrong to use "it.

Are there any other "missing" components of English?

Edited for grammar Nazis.

English used to have a plural form of "you". It only dropped out of common use about 200 years ago. I wonder why.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Overall, I think English is a great language. However, I often notice that there is a strange lack of words when I want to say something.
One of the major ones I notice is a lack of the plural form of "you". It often seems incorrect to use "we" or "us" or "they". Instead, there is this awkward "You guys" or "Y'all" or some other strange stop-gap measure. I believe we as ATOT should finally formalize a form of "you plural" for English.
Another missing component is the lack of a genderless human pronoun. Sure, we have "it", but it symbolizes more of an inanimate object, a distant cold pronoun. However, if we are referring to an actual person, but one whose gender is unknown, it seems wrong to use "it.

Are there any other "missing" components of English?

Edited for grammar Nazis.

English used to have a plural form of "you". It only dropped out of common use about 200 years ago. I wonder why.

That's why southerners use "ya'll".

 

[maziwanka]

english is actually one of the most expressive languages out there. there's like 50 billion ways to say things

 

[thecrecarc]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: StinkyPinky

Originally posted by: thecrecarc
Overall, I think English is a great language. However, I often notice that there is a strange lack of words when I want to say something.
One of the major ones I notice is a lack of the plural form of "you". It often seems incorrect to use "we" or "us" or "they". Instead, there is this awkward "You guys" or "Y'all" or some other strange stop-gap measure. I believe we as ATOT should finally formalize a form of "you plural" for English.
Another missing component is the lack of a genderless human pronoun. Sure, we have "it", but it symbolizes more of an inanimate object, a distant cold pronoun. However, if we are referring to an actual person, but one whose gender is unknown, it seems wrong to use "it.

Are there any other "missing" components of English?

Edited for grammar Nazis.

English used to have a plural form of "you". It only dropped out of common use about 200 years ago. I wonder why.

That's why southerners use "ya'll".

Ya, and other parts use "you guys" or "youse" or "you lot" or various other variations thereof. Unfortunately, those are often unwieldy, stopgap measures. We need a definitive "you" plural.

Originally posted by: maziwanka
english is actually one of the most expressive languages out there. there's like 50 billion ways to say things

I agree with this, and combined with the fact that many annoying parts of other languages (such as formal nouns, noun genders, etc.) are removed or simplified makes English awesome. It does not make it perfect though

 

[ChaoZ]

Originally posted by: dbk
In Korean, you have a complete set of words to use when you're speaking to someone with respect (teachers, parents, police, older folk, etc) - goes beyond saying please, yes maam, etc. Hard for non-Koreans to understand.

The less honorifics the better.