Jobb  +  58130 Mon, 29 Nov 04 11:13 AM Edit the following please: A five-year-old American child has a vocabulary that contains 2500 words. But the vocabulary is greatly different to the vocabulary that a student of our high school has. Because the American kid's vocabulary contains 100 percent active words, and, the words are like cure-all - a word usually has severl meanings, yet the kid can use it perfectly. Many students said: My vocabulary has been up to 5000 words, why my English is so crappy? Our impression is that many words in the vocabulary has humbugged the students because they are passive or reluctant words which can only be remembered when reading, but the amount of the active words which can come to mind spontaneously when speaking, hearing and writing is far less than the amount of reluctant words, especailly the amount of those cure-all words which have multiple meanings and usages is rare. For example, students can recognize take/get/do/make etc, but hardly can they use them effectively or skillfully. Jobb Joined on Sun, Jul 11 2004 Regular Member 812 Vocabulary

	Mister Micawber  +  58168 Mon, 29 Nov 04 02:25 PM My edit: A five-year-old American child has a vocabulary of 2500 words, but it differs greatly from the vocabulary that one of our high school students commands. The American child's vocabulary contains 100-percent active words, with most having multiple meanings; yet the child can use them perfectly. Many of our students say, 'My vocabulary is almost 5000 words-- why is my English is so awful?' Our impression is that many acquired words have shortchanged our students, because they are passive words which are recalled when reading, where the number of active words which come to mind spontaneously when speaking, listening or writing is far smaller. In particular, those versatile words which have multiple meanings and usages are rare in their vocabulary. For example, students can recognize take/get/do/make, etc, but they cannot use them skillfully or effectively. Mister Micawber Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004 Yokohama Veteran Member 30,803 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.' Vocabulary

	Mister Micawber  +  58321 Tue, 30 Nov 04 04:44 AM 'Crappy' is not wise to use anywhere but in personal conversation with friends-- even as a quote. 'Crap' is human excrement. Oops! Oh, I see what you mean-- one of the pitfalls of on-line editing. Sorry about that; please delete the second 'is' for me. Mister Micawber Conversations

	Jobb  +  58343 Tue, 30 Nov 04 06:20 AM I think I should stay with tens of thousands of native English speakers everyday, or frankly, should stay in the US or the UK for some time. Or else, I'd misuse words here and there. :D Jobb

	Mister Micawber  +  58344 Tue, 30 Nov 04 06:24 AM Well, I can't invite you to an English-speaking country, but any time you want to come to Yokohama, I'd be happy to see you. Mister Micawber

	julielai  +  58347 Tue, 30 Nov 04 06:30 AM It takes years to get a handle on the English vocab. I struggle with English words all the time. But lately, I have developed a pictorial filing system in my head that helps me distiinguish between various words/phrases with similar meanings. The important thing is NOT to stuff Chinese meaning into English words. (I've tried it and it doesn't work.) julielai Joined on Sun, Oct 24 2004 Senior Member 3,827 Just another blogger (http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/julie-lai)

	CalifJim  +  58352 Tue, 30 Nov 04 06:49 AM Most people need four years of immersion in a foreign language to become really fluent. Some need even more. However, as soon as you have 8,000 to 10,000 words in your active everyday conversational vocabulary, you can really start to amaze yourself at how well you can do! Repeating common phrases over and over is (unfortunately) necessary. I have heard somewhere that the same phrase must be used correctly about 400 times in spontaneous conversation before it is mastered. CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,415 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Vocabulary, Conversations

	Jobb  +  58381 Tue, 30 Nov 04 09:27 AM Hmm... Japan is cool. But ahem, most of Japanese hate English or are afraid to learn English as Chinese do. In Japan, you would be overwhelmed by Japanese language, not English. although Mister Micawber is so good at English, many hands provide great strength. Hi CJ, I think I've had at least 11000 English words in my head! :D Jobb Learn English