Learning English
Post 1 of 20
I notice that many of the posters on these forums, are from non-English speaking countries.
I'm wondering how you learnt your English - did you simply study hard at school, or have you had experience in English speaking countries, or did you have private tutoring?
The reason I ask is that in Britain, we are terrible at learning other languages - even languages which are vaguely similar to English, such as French and Italian.
English is the "world language", I know, but that doesn't mean it's easy to learn.
I'm wondering how you learnt your English - did you simply study hard at school, or have you had experience in English speaking countries, or did you have private tutoring?
The reason I ask is that in Britain, we are terrible at learning other languages - even languages which are vaguely similar to English, such as French and Italian.
English is the "world language", I know, but that doesn't mean it's easy to learn.
30 Jul 2007 19:06
Post 2 of 20
Replying to [ChurchillUK]:
In a way you are answering your original question. We learn our native toungue as a child and in a childish way. We don't analyze, we take many things for granted, without realizing their origin or precise meaning, and misunderstand a lot. These mistakes then become part of our "knowledge".
That all changes when we learn a foreign language. Now we know how to analyze in an orderly fashion, and we do that, even if it often happens unconciously.
It might take us a long time to learn that language, we might never be perfect, but that is more "by omission" (lack of acquired knowledge" than "by comission" (saying something wrong we should know better).
Getting rid of old (bad) habits is a major feat, and our native language is one of the "places" where we see that. Foreigners have the advantage that - provided they have the right teachers - they never have a chance to develop bad habits regarding that language.
In a way you are answering your original question. We learn our native toungue as a child and in a childish way. We don't analyze, we take many things for granted, without realizing their origin or precise meaning, and misunderstand a lot. These mistakes then become part of our "knowledge".
That all changes when we learn a foreign language. Now we know how to analyze in an orderly fashion, and we do that, even if it often happens unconciously.
It might take us a long time to learn that language, we might never be perfect, but that is more "by omission" (lack of acquired knowledge" than "by comission" (saying something wrong we should know better).
Getting rid of old (bad) habits is a major feat, and our native language is one of the "places" where we see that. Foreigners have the advantage that - provided they have the right teachers - they never have a chance to develop bad habits regarding that language.
16 Aug 2007 10:15
Post 3 of 20
Interesting point of view: so I, as a Native Speaker, have the right to make these mistakes, as I have been brought up making them. Non Native English Speakers however, have no excuse to make any mistakes! Only joking - my Chinese is not nearly as good as any of the English written on this forum.
17 Aug 2007 01:48
Post 4 of 20
Replying to [ChurchillUK]:
Don't worry! All the Chinese I know is "88"... (pronounce it like English, and remember what the sound of it means in Chinese).
Don't worry! All the Chinese I know is "88"... (pronounce it like English, and remember what the sound of it means in Chinese).
17 Aug 2007 10:09
Post 5 of 20
Replying to [germex]: you know "88"?I am used to think those who very chinese style foreigner know "88"...
18 Aug 2007 02:30
Post 6 of 20
Replying to [heshelleyatgmaildotcom]:
A Chinese person told me, but that's a secret!![[em31]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_hush.gif)
A Chinese person told me, but that's a secret!
18 Aug 2007 17:53
Post 7 of 20
Quoting from [adimec]:
Replying to [Professor Carl]:
When we talk about word pairs like "learned - learnt", isn't the form with the "t" in the end used as an adjective?
For example:
"In my old job I learned many great techniques".
"In my new job I can make good use of my learnt techniques".
In the first sentence "learned" is a verb in past tense. In the second sentence "learnt" is an adjective to me.
The spellings and use of some words can be definitely said to be out of bounds. Many fall between the cracks and in some English speaking regions of the world go with the flow, other times sound odd. In the English I'm used to, "learnt" is rare. Several dictionaries say "learnt" is an alternate past participle or simple past of "learned". I've seen no examples as an adjective.
Another side of this word is with the spelling learnèd (on the keyboard, alt 138 for the letter with diacritic mark). One of the few words in English with a diacritic mark! It is pronounced with two syllables, and is an elegant-adjective way of saying "of high intellectual merit."
Another side of this word is with the spelling learnèd (on the keyboard, alt 138 for the letter with diacritic mark). One of the few words in English with a diacritic mark! It is pronounced with two syllables, and is an elegant-adjective way of saying "of high intellectual merit."
19 Aug 2007 07:46
Post 8 of 20
replying to ChurchillUK:How embarrassing - I have confused myself and am not sure which is correct?
[i.e., learned or learnt]
I'm sure nobody else gave it a second thought.
19 Aug 2007 07:49
Post 9 of 20
Replying to [ChurchillUK]:
I try to learn English before 5 months.I had private teacher and get in TOEIC exams 775 points.(good level for foreigner).
In the last three months i try to contact, as much as i can, with many people who speak English.
For my little experience English is very easy language.Do not forget that all the best movies and the great songs are English
I try to learn English before 5 months.I had private teacher and get in TOEIC exams 775 points.(good level for foreigner).
In the last three months i try to contact, as much as i can, with many people who speak English.
For my little experience English is very easy language.Do not forget that all the best movies and the great songs are English
21 Aug 2007 11:42
Post 10 of 20
Replying to [gamgre]:
How good is 980? That was my result last year. Though I messed up, jumping one line on the answer sheet. When I realized my mistake I tried to correct it, but as the darn CD continued its blah blah, I might have overlooked a mistake or two.
How good is 980? That was my result last year. Though I messed up, jumping one line on the answer sheet. When I realized my mistake I tried to correct it, but as the darn CD continued its blah blah, I might have overlooked a mistake or two.
21 Aug 2007 14:46