What are the shortest complete sentences in the English language.
"I am." and "I do." are the shortest complete sentences in the English language.
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English Facts
English facts and facts about englishes.
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English... what more can you say?
English is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, and diplomacy and also on the Internet.
Where does the idiom "rule of thumb" come from?
The phrase "rule of thumb" is derived from an old English law which stated that you couldn't beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb.
China, or U.S., which nation has more english speakers?
China has more English speakers than the United States.
The longest word in the world
The longest word in the English language is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
What the heck does mind your P's and Q's mean?
In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."
A fact that helps put China's population in perspective
China has more English speakers than the United States.
Longest One Syllable Words
The longest one syllable words in the English Language are screeched and strengths
What was the battle of Normandy anyways?
The Battle of Normandy was the decisive battle of World War II fought in the summer of 1944 between the Allied nations and German forces. The Normandy Invasion, or D-Day, is the largest ocean-based invasions in history with nearly three million troops participating. The battle stretched from the English Channel to Normandy, France in German-occupied Western Europe.
What are the official languages of Canada?
Canada has two official languages, English and French, both made official under the Official Languages Act of 1969.
Who chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada?
Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada in 1857. One reason was that it sat between English- and French-speaking regions.
Who developed the Labrador Retriever into a modern breed?
English aristocrats, especially the Earls of Malmesbury and the Dukes of Buccleuch, imported dogs from Newfoundland in the 1800s and developed them into the Labrador Retriever. Their breeding programs essentially saved the breed after the original St. John's water dog died out.
What breeds went into creating the German Shorthaired Pointer?
The German Shorthaired Pointer was developed by mixing older German bird dogs and tracking hounds with the English Pointer, which added speed, elegance, and a sharper pointing instinct.
How long did the original Magna Carta stay in effect?
The original Magna Carta lasted only about ten weeks before Pope Innocent III declared it invalid, but later revised versions were reissued and became part of English law.
Which Magna Carta clauses are still law today?
Only three clauses of the Magna Carta are still part of English law, including the famous guarantee that no free man can be imprisoned except by lawful judgment or the law of the land.
Where does the word "curry" come from?
The word "curry" likely comes from the Tamil word "kari," which reached English through Portuguese and British traders.
What is the Ashes?
The Ashes, the famous cricket rivalry between England and Australia, began after a British newspaper published a mock obituary for English cricket in 1882. The trophy is a tiny urn said to hold burned cricket bails.
What are Hawaii's official languages?
Hawaii has two official languages: English and Hawaiian.
When was "D'oh!" added to the dictionary?
Homer Simpson's "D'oh!" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001.
Was orange the fruit or the color first?
In English, "orange" was the name of the fruit before it became the name of the color.
Who discovered hydrogen?
English scientist Henry Cavendish identified hydrogen as a distinct element in 1766, calling it "inflammable air."
Did Shakespeare invent words?
Shakespeare is credited with the first recorded use of hundreds of English words, including "eyeball," "swagger," and "lonely."
Did Tolkien work on the Oxford English Dictionary?
J.R.R. Tolkien worked on the Oxford English Dictionary, researching words like "walrus" and "wasp."
How do you pronounce "Van Gogh"?
In Dutch, "Van Gogh" is pronounced with throaty sounds that are very different from the common English pronunciation.
Who invented cribbage?
English poet Sir John Suckling is credited with inventing cribbage in the 1600s.
When did the two sides of the Channel Tunnel meet?
British and French tunnel workers broke through to meet each other under the English Channel on December 1, 1990.
When was a Channel Tunnel first proposed?
A tunnel under the English Channel was first proposed in 1802.
Who brought the printing press to England?
William Caxton brought the printing press to England in 1476, and printing helped standardize English spelling.
Who was Joseph Swan?
English inventor Joseph Swan demonstrated a working incandescent bulb around the same time as Edison, and the two later joined forces in a company called Ediswan.
Who first flew an airplane across the English Channel?
French aviator Louis Blériot became the first person to fly an airplane across the English Channel in 1909.
Which English words come from the Aztec language?
English words like "chocolate," "tomato," "avocado," and "chili" come from Nahuatl, the Aztec language.
Which English words come from the Vikings?
English words like "sky," "egg," and "knife" come from Old Norse.