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What is "inable" not a word, but inability is? Why is unable a word, but not "unability"?

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Originally posted by vivify
What is "inable" not a word, but inability is? Why is unable a word, but not "unability"?
I am inable to tell you why because of my unability at speaking proper English.

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Originally posted by vivify
What is "inable" not a word, but inability is? Why is unable a word, but not "unability"?
But "inable" was a word. It has gone out of use.

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Originally posted by FMF
But "inable" was a word. It has gone out of use.
Interesting.

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What about the proper way to pronounce "a" or "the"? For the former, should "a" be pronounced like the letter "A" or pronounced like "uh"? For example, should I say "this is 'A' glass of wine", or this is " 'a' (uh) glass of wine"?

Should I say "the" (pronounced 'T͟Hə' ) or it say it pronounced "thee"? Are there rules for when to use to use either pronunciations of those two words, or is it arbitrary?

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Originally posted by vivify
What about the proper way to pronounce "a" or "the"? For the former, should "a" be pronounced like the letter "A" or pronounced like "uh"? For example, should I say "this is 'A' glass of wine", or this is " 'a' (uh) glass of wine"?

Should I say "the" (pronounced 'T͟Hə' ) or it say it pronounced "thee"? Are there rules for when to use to use either pronunciations of those two words, or is it arbitrary?
Dude, just drink the wine.

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English is pretty stupid. Its just an accident that it became the international language.

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Originally posted by apathist
English is pretty stupid. Its just an accident that it became the international language.
Here's a great "I Love Lucy" clip highlighting how frustrating English can be:

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Originally posted by vivify
What about the proper way to pronounce "a" or "the"? For the former, should "a" be pronounced like the letter "A" or pronounced like "uh"? For example, should I say "this is 'A' glass of wine", or this is " 'a' (uh) glass of wine"?

Should I say "the" (pronounced 'T͟Hə' ) or it say it pronounced "thee"? Are there rules for when to use to use either pronunciations of those two words, or is it arbitrary?
a: Stick with "uh" unless you mean to emphasize "one."

the: "Thuh" before a consonant, "thee" before a vowel.

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Originally posted by HandyAndy
a: Stick with "uh" unless you mean to emphasize "one."

the: "Thuh" before a consonant, "thee" before a vowel.
What's weird, is that I naturally do that. Maybe I was taught this rule, forgot about it, but it became subconscious.

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Originally posted by vivify
What's weird, is that I naturally do that. Maybe I was taught this rule, forgot about it, but it became subconscious.
We learn by hearing others and getting used to customary speech over time.

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Originally posted by HandyAndy
a: Stick with "uh" unless you mean to emphasize "one."

the: "Thuh" before a consonant, "thee" before a vowel.
Amend that: "Thee" before a vowel, except "u" in certain cases (e.g., the United States, the universe).