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MineralMan

(147,197 posts)

33. Yes. The irregularity of verb conjugations in English

Reply to treestar (Reply #31)

Thu Feb 28, 2019, 12:49 PM

Feb 2019

is a stumbling block to learning. However, there are irregular verbs in most languages I know. Many of them are part of the basic parts of the language, besides. Verbs for to be, to go, to have, etc., are irregular in many languages.

It's just that English has borrowed so many words from so many languages, that it's chock-full of really irregular verbs. And don't get me started on spelling/pronunciation. That's a nightmare for every English learner.

Still, every language has its own quirks.

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Highlight:

What is the past tense of "to slink," as in "to slink away from an important negotiation?" [View all] MineralMan Feb 2019 OP

According to the learned Dr Seuss it is "slunk" CentralMass Feb 2019 #1

Mmmm...Roast Beast! MineralMan Feb 2019 #2

If it's stink, stank, stunk. . . I guess it would be slink, slank, slunk. TheBlackAdder Feb 2019 #15

Not necessarily FakeNoose Feb 2019 #22

Or "think, thought, thought." MineralMan Feb 2019 #28

Dang. I was just sticking to the Dr. Seuse Grinch theme. TheBlackAdder Feb 2019 #37

Pet peeve of mine... llmart Feb 2019 #36

Thank you for pointing that out. Sloppy on my part. CentralMass Feb 2019 #40

Trump bombs bigly Soxfan58 Feb 2019 #3

Nice! MineralMan Feb 2019 #4

"turned tail" dalton99a Feb 2019 #5

Great photo! MineralMan Feb 2019 #6

Gotta go with slunk. panader0 Feb 2019 #7

That's right. Also slinked. LastLiberal in PalmSprings Feb 2019 #12

To take a trDump at the negotiating table. magicarpet Feb 2019 #8

His personal Vietnam / Bay of Pigs. tinrobot Feb 2019 #9

He slunk like a skunk... comradebillyboy Feb 2019 #10

Indeed he did. Smelled like one, too. MineralMan Feb 2019 #11

Trump's tiny flaccid performance in Vietnam RainCaster Feb 2019 #13

Flaccid is an excellent word to pair with Trump! MineralMan Feb 2019 #14

Slink, slank, slunk cyclonefence Feb 2019 #16

Aha! An additional alternative! MineralMan Feb 2019 #17

Well, I was an English major n/t cyclonefence Feb 2019 #20

As was I. MineralMan Feb 2019 #21

My New American Dictionary says you are right! CTyankee Feb 2019 #18

Oh for heaven's sake cyclonefence Feb 2019 #19

Well, I just happen to have my dictionary at my computer desk... CTyankee Feb 2019 #23

I have consulted an authoritative source on this: MineralMan Feb 2019 #24

I'm somewhat irregular myself cyclonefence Feb 2019 #25

Well, English is such a strange language. MineralMan Feb 2019 #27

It shows when little kids are learning to talk treestar Feb 2019 #31

Yes. The irregularity of verb conjugations in English MineralMan Feb 2019 #33

Larry David Says "Slunk" ChoppinBroccoli Feb 2019 #26

This was my choice for a response. saidsimplesimon Feb 2019 #30

Trump #Fail slunk away like the failure as a person he is. UCmeNdc Feb 2019 #29

Slunk because Mme. Defarge Feb 2019 #32

Slink slank slunk JCMach1 Feb 2019 #34

Think, Thank, Thunk. MineralMan Feb 2019 #35

Trump was Qaddafi'd by a corn cob by Kim Jong Un as he boarded AF-1. TheBlackAdder Feb 2019 #38

Either one is correct, per Merriam-Webster meow2u3 Feb 2019 #39

Slithered. Nt lostnfound Feb 2019 #41