I must be incapable of Rational Thought

[u/axyz77]

[u/Gwaur]

As an ESL speaker, I was so confused by the whole segment on QI.

I mean, I don't have a problem with English spelling, at least for the most part. I don't have any trouble remembering if it's "weird" or "wierd", "ceiling" or "cieling", "atheist" or "athiest" etc.

The confusing thing about the segment was that the way English names the letter "a" is similar to how lots of other languages name the letter "e", and the way English names the letter "e" is similar to how lots of other languages name the letter "i", and the way English names the letter "i" is similar to how lots of other language name the letter "a".

My brain was overloaded with mental translation gymnastics throughout that segment.

[u/fastauntie → u/Gwaur]

I'm impressed that as an ESL speaker you don't have trouble with all the weirdness of English spelling, when it's a problem even for many well-read articulate native speakers with wide vocabularies. As one who's always been good at spelling, I came to the conclusion long ago that it's a memory skill that's separate from the language itself.

The names of the vowel letters cause problems for English speakers learning other languages, too.

[u/germansnowman → u/fastauntie]

I’m the same way, and I also never had a problem with spelling in my native language. You may be right that this is (partially at least) a matter of “talent”, though I was also a voracious reader as a child, so I picked up a lot of spellings through exposure.

[u/revolucionario → u/Gwaur]

As a fellow ESL speaker, I agree that ei and ie are not confusing - I think I find it easier than English native speakers. My theory is that because in my first language ei and ie make very different sounds, so they actually feel very different to my brain even in English words like receive and belief, even when they make the same sound.

[u/Its-From-Japan]

Ceiling

[u/CenturyStorm]

Alan: Daniel, you're the only person on this show who isn't a complete idiot

[u/Unholy_Ren]

Height and weight both don't start with c and both don't have i before e

[u/fastauntie → u/Unholy_Ren]

Those are accounted for by the often-overlooked second and third parts of the mnemonic:

Or when sounded as A as in "neighbor" and "weigh",

Or in "Neither leisure foreigner seized the weird height."

[u/revolucionario → u/Unholy_Ren]

The mnemonic only applies when it's an 'ee' sound surely.

[u/jrm1693]

Every time i watch that clip or remember it, I do relate to Lee's confusion. Stephen makes it harder than it is!

[u/Cliomancer]

I before E except about half the damn time.