English is closer to Chinese/Japanese as a pictographic system, since there are so many exceptions to the phonetic rules, syntax, and grammar that govern it, that it’s often easier to just memorize whole words and phrases, than to guess how to use them from alphabet alone
To repeat an interweb truism…
English isn’t a language; it’s three smaller languages sitting on each other’s shoulders and wearing a long coat and a fedora.
To repeat another interweb truism…
English is closer to Chinese/Japanese as a pictographic system, since there are so many exceptions to the phonetic rules, syntax, and grammar that govern it, that it’s often easier to just memorize whole words and phrases, than to guess how to use them from alphabet alone
And the other one:
“English is a language that lurks in dark alleys, beats up other languages and rifles through their pockets for spare vocabulary”
It did come from England. So that tracks.
Never heard that one, but it’s true. When I need to spell a word I ask “does it look right?”