I'm glad I grew up learning what passes for the English language. For people whose native tongue is Swedish, Pakistani or something else, English must be devilish to learn Ð especially the American version.

Being a writer of sorts, I try to keep an ear to the ground where language is concerned. And I'll admit my mother tongue turns on me now and then.

For example, "bad" used to mean something undesirable. And it still does in some contexts. But "bad," as the term is often used today, can mean just the opposite, such as "That's a bad set of wheels you got there, man."

One thing that makes English a tough language is not just the rules but the exceptions to them. Take the spelling rule: "i-before-e-except-after-c." "Weigh" and "neighbor" shoot that one out of the water. With English, you have to know the rules before you can break the rules successfully.

Another thing is so many words in our language have multiple meanings. How many different definitions are there for "set?" You can buy a "set" of tools. You can "set" a broody hen. You can "set" your house in order Ð or on fire. You can "set" the date. You can "set" a clock. If you're a doctor, you may "set" someone's broken bone. In some card games if you fail to make your bid, you go "set."

And English has a great many words and phrases that, when taken literally, mean approximately the same thing but in usage, mean the opposite. If you tell someone she looks like "a fresh breath of spring," she'll probably be flattered. But if you say, "You look like the end of a hard winter," you'll likely get a totally different reaction.

Why do "slim chance" and "fat chance" both mean little chance at all?

You see what I mean? It's understandable that some non-English-speaking immigrants object to schools requiring English be taught as a second language. If I were a foreigner (there's another word that breaks the "i-before-e" rule) who didn't speak English, I might decide to go back where I came from. n