Search results for 'tag:Articles tag:British English' matching tags 'Articles' and 'British English'

Re: article usage

Clive — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:55:02 GMT

Hi,
Let us assume this is the definition of the word 'fever'. What is the difference?
If you have a fever (or fever??), you have body temperature that is higher than usual.

I think people prefer 'a fever' over 'fever' and wonder why.

Such matters can be very idiomatic.
Very generally speaking, 'a fever' suggests you are thinking of one instance, one occurrence.

You'll even hear people occasionally speak/write of 'a cancer', rather than 'cancer'. Yet in the case of cancer. 'no article' is the common usage.

In British English, at least the way I speak it, we don't even say 'She has a fever'. We say 'She has a temperature'.

As I said, such matters are often very idiomatic.

Best wishes, Clive

A head for figures?

Stenka25 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:10:54 GMT

StartFragment>

In 'figure' article in a dicitonary, 'a head for figures' come up two times and

6 figures [plural] British English :the activity of adding, multiplying etc numbers [= arithmetic]

â¢ a natural ability with figures

8 a person in a painting or a model of a person:

â¢ the figure in the background

â¢ A Head for Figures

I want to know what 'a head for figures' means?

It seems like the meaning of the expression can be 'be good at arithmetic' in meaning six. But in meaning eight I cannot figure out what the 'a head for figures' refers to. Does it still mean 'be good at arithmetic'?

Thanks in advance.

A head for figures?

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:07:39 GMT

StartFragment>

In 'figure' article in a dicitonary, 'a head for figures' come up two times and

6 figures [plural] British English :the activity of adding, multiplying etc numbers [= arithmetic]

â¢ a natural ability with figures

8 a person in a painting or a model of a person:

â¢ the figure in the background

â¢ A Head for Figures

I want to know what 'a head for figures' means?

Thanks in advance.

Re: Is English the Next Latin?

Kooyeen — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:56:58 GMT

Cool article Barb!

Ruslana
By the way, Tanit, I knew a Chinese once, and he told me Chinese was not so difficult as it might seem at first sight.

Yeah right, Lana, LOL! A Chinese said so! Did you ever find an American who started learning Chinese after high school and said... "Oh, yeah, it's so simple!" Pretty much impossible!
Seriously, my opinion is that English is already an international language and the most important one for global communication, and I don't think anything is going to change soon. Because I know tons of Chinese people who are learning English, are improving, use it for work, study it in school because it's mandatory... How many Americans do the same, learning Chinese? And Europeans? And if you want to be a famous singer or band, are you going to sing in English or... another language? Chinese? Nope, everyone is singing in English, even if it's not their native language.
Chinese seems the only language that is likely to become very important, as of now, but there are so many difficulties in learning it that it seems almost impossible that all the world will try to learn Chinese well, and become fluent, and making it the most important and used global language for international communications.
What I think is likely to happen is that English will be spoken throughout the world, also as a second language, and there will be lots of dialects: Chinglish, Arabenglish, Spanish-English... And not all of them will be mutually intelligible. But hopefully there will be a couple of dialects that will be the mainstream ones, used in international communications, etc. Now the most important dialects are American English and British English... One day maybe Chinese-English will be the most influential and important one, who knows?

Re: Is English the Next Latin?

Zerox — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:41:21 GMT

Interesting article, and the subject as a whole. I believe that the biggest menace to the English language is the English language per se, that is, with its myriad of varieties. I wouldn't be surprised if some day mutual intelligibility is lost, say, between British English and Australian English.

But as I said: this subject really whets my appetite.

Re: it's ten of 5.00

Yankee — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:16:27 GMT

But it IS taught. I have taught it, and know other American ESL teachers who have, too.

This usage of the word 'of' is not a big secret. That it's a "typical" difference between British English and American English is actually pretty well-known in ESL circles. At least that's my experience. Look at this Wikipedia article (scroll down to "Time-telling"):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_differences#Time-telling

Re: Homework

Cherisharoma — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:35:24 GMT

Dear Teacher/Clive,

Many thanks for your kindness and patience.

According to your explanation, what I understand is as below.
With the article "the", we should say "next/following".
Without the article, we should say "next".
eg Tom said to me, "Let's go on a picnic next (not following) Sunday.", but I suggested that we go the next (or following) Sunday.
Is it right? Is there any difference between American English and British English? Please let me know.
Thank you.

Have a great weekend!

Re: which is correct!!!!!!

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 10:32:16 GMT

Thanks a lot for your views but i want to know whats the right usage in british english, and this line i am using as a caption for the article which is related to car(omly one model that's Hyundai Santro)

British English and American English

An Jiyoung — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 11:32:11 GMT

Hello,

I know there are many differences between British English and American English.

I am a Korean. There are native English teachers from the U.S., England, Australia and other English speaking countries.

I am not sure which English we are learning. It could be mixed..

so I wonder when you read an English article which non-English speaker wrote using both American English and British English together, how you would think about it? Is it going to look funny to native English speaker? or You (native English speaker) also

sometimes use both American and Birtish English on a article?

Re: Please help me!

Alex CS — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:03:03 GMT

Hello,

I found this text on the web. Feather in his cap could mean achievement and it seems it is used in British English.

Do anyone agree?

"There are 43 police forces in England and eight in Scotland and if the units are adopted nationally the new managing director of Ingenico's northern European operations, Nick Parsons, would gain an early feather in his cap."

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