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   Hi, Ardith Hinton! -> Alexander Koryagin   
   I read your message from 16.01.2022 00:11   
      
    AH>> If one has a dictionary which explains the etymology, i.e. from   
    AH>> whom we borrowed the word, it's easier to understand spellings   
    AH>> like "yacht" & "caught".   
      
    AH> Perhaps I should have typed "knot", rather than "yacht"... but then   
    AH> you might learn more, if you look up "yacht" for yourself, than you   
    AH> would have learned if you are fairly content with what you already   
    AH> know about "knot". My point is that native speakers tend to   
    AH> struggle with these issues as well... so what you are seeing in   
    AH> Dallas's message is our version of gallows humour.   
      
   I also didn't say my words seriously.   
      
    ak>> It is also a big question what percent of all English words is   
    ak>> known to all the people speaking English.   
      
    AH> No argument AFAIC. When last I heard there were +/- half a million   
    AH> words in the English language, not counting technical terms... but   
    AH> the average social conversation included only about 300 of them. I   
    AH> don't talk down to the folks I meet in this echo, yet they seem to   
    AH> keep coming back for more....: - Q   
      
   It seems to me that I can't imagine how on earth a person can remember one   
   million words. And, besides, we should note that today 90% of people don't   
   read any books. ;)   
      
    ak>> So, when speaking English, maybe it is a good idea to simplify   
    ak>> phrases and don't use old fashion words.   
      
    AH> In some cases, yes. In others it's sufficient if you get the   
    AH> drift... while people like Anton & me will have a wonderful time   
    AH> with material like "lest thy clownish bearing discover thee". I   
    AH> don't remember now what you were asking about on that particular   
    AH> occasion... but I immediately added IVANHOE to my "must-read" list   
    AH> & was not disappointed. It's a good adventure story which like most   
    AH> classics can be appreciated on a variety of levels, and as a   
    AH> teacher I'm delighted when others can admit they have no idea what   
    AH> I'm babbling about. In my experience very few junior high school   
      
   I believe that now in the USA there should be a simplified version of IVANHOE,   
   as it is for the Bible. ;)   
      
    AH> students do that... and one of my former students told me I was the   
    AH> only teacher he'd ever met who said "I don't Inknow". If you tell   
    AH> me you don't understand I can slow down or try rewording what I   
    AH> said or get back to you when I've examined the matter further.   
      
   What does it mean "I don't Inknow"?   
      
   Bye, Ardith!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   english_tutor 2022   
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