Not just ESL, but any SL. The abbreviations will be encountered in practically any bilingual dictionary (where one of the languages is English). Really? I just glanced through my bilingual (X/English) dictionaries and introductory texts and failed

Donna Richoux wrote, in part: (snip) Don't forget, it's not just ESL students who use dictionaries. Any English speaker who learns a foreign language will also need one, and the same abbreviations occur, although I'm more used to

Just in case someone actually needs to know: STH = something SB = somebody Standard usages in the ESL world. Not just ESL, but any SL. The abbreviations will be encountered in practically any bilingual dictionary (where one of the languages is

Greetings. Just in case someone actually needs to know: STH = something SB = somebody Standard usages in the ESL world. Not just ESL, but any SL. The abbreviations will be encountered in practically any bilingual dictionary (where one of the

Donna Richoux wrote, in part: (snip) Yes, it has caused brief confusion when "they" Hey, that's not mine. take for granted that we, too, know "sb," "sth," and "s.o.," but I don't think it's a

But why? It seems cruel to teach ESL students something no native speaker uses. Learning a language (especially as an adult) is different from using it like a native speaker. Learners have to learn a *lot* of stuff, such as grammatical labels,

This topic has been treated at least twice in AUE, yet there are still long-time readers ignorant of these two common abbreviations and why & where they're used. But why? It seems cruel to teach ESL students something no native speaker

"Michael West" (Email Removed) wrote on 02 Mar 2004: I've wondered that myself. I doubt there's any good reason ... I'd guess it's just shorthand that leapt the corral fence. I don't teach students to use

Steve Hayes filted: wtf is sth & sb? My dictionary gives the meanng of the abbreviation "sb" as "substantive". Mine says it's antimony and it's miscapitalized..r Just in case someone actually needs to know: STH =

Sanyi Benczik asks about: I was caught speeding; as if I have not had ... speeding; as if I had not had enough tickets already! Both (are standard). It depends on when the speeding in the first clause took place. If it was recently, then it's