I love the English language. Its quirks an inconsistencies reflect the turbulent, chaotic history of the speakers of that language. From the original ice age settlers, who left little or no trace of their language even though the British are largely descended from them[0], to the Celtic invaders who brought Celtic language and culture to the British Isles around, 2500 years ago, to the Anglo-Saxons who came 1000 years later laying the base of the English language, and finally the Norman invasion which brought its own words. Apart from migrations and invasions of the homeland, there was direct borrowing from French and Latin, as well as probably many non-European influences from the colonial era.

But I can see how these things are just annoyances to people who are just trying to learn English to communicate. In any case, we are stuck with English, that's network effects for you.

[0] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0719_050719_...