Here's why people say this:
* Inconsistency: English has many exceptions to rules. For example, "I" and "a" are both vowels but pronounced differently.
* Borrowed Words: English has adopted words from many languages, leading to unusual spellings and pronunciations (e.g., "bouquet" from French).
* Phrasal Verbs: English uses lots of phrasal verbs (e.g., "look up," "break down") which can be confusing for non-native speakers.
* Idioms: English is full of idioms, which are phrases with a figurative meaning (e.g., "kick the bucket," "spill the beans").
The phrase "queer language" highlights the fact that English, despite its global dominance, is a complex and sometimes contradictory system. It's a way of playfully acknowledging the challenges and quirks of learning and speaking the language.