Search results for 'tag:Jokes tag:Speak english' matching tags 'Jokes' and 'Speak english'

Re: Please make corrections/edits to the following paragraphs.

Feebs11 — Thu, 31 May 2007 23:56:58 GMT

Jackson6612 wrote:
Please make corrections/edits to the following paragraphs.

Paragraph 1:

I know it does not seem nice to ask you for this favour, but I have no one else to ask for this. I need some information from X University. I cannot speak English, so if I tell you my problem, then would you call X and ask them few questions? If you cannot do it, then there is nothing to worry about.

Paragraph 2:

That's very kind of you. The phone number to be called is 123456. On this page you can find additional information. I think the programme I am inquiring about is called Y Course. Please ask them these questions:

1: Are they still offering this programme?

2: Can international students also apply for this programme?

3: Can one get admission into Electrical Engineering Programme of X University after completing that Y Course?

4: If they have stopped offering that Y course, then please ask them about any other university which is offering such a programme?

I'm extremely grateful to you for this favour.

Paragraph 3:

Thank you very much. You are a very kind person. Please remember to ask all those questions, because answers to those questions can change someone's life.

Thanks a lot. I hope they pick up the phone in this year. [What does this mean>or are you making a joke?]

Paragraph 4:

I had emailed them two weeks ago, when I asked you to call them. They didn't reply to that email. Please try to call them one or two times. If they don't answer, forget it. It's okay then. Thanks a lot for taking so much trouble.

Re: What is English for You?

Destroy — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 22:17:32 GMT

it is a very beautiful language...maybe it is "trivial" at the moment, now, it isn't a lost or unknown language!...but in my country a lot of people can't know it.. maybe here it isn't a true reason (if you not go away for work or passion) to learn english..there isn't this culture of learn foreign lenguages...we are attacked at our origin , at our origin's language..(latin for example)

so, for me, it is an alternative passion, my friends aren't speak english..(ok, at school, but at school english is a joke!)

Re: Received Pronunciation & Mid Atlantic English

Colombo — Tue, 16 May 2006 10:41:48 GMT

Tallulah Tam wrote:

I feel that Alan Jay Lerner was not so concerned about his own grammar when he wrote the song, he insults the intelligence of the audience by using the word "hung" incorrectly, especially when putting the words into the mouth of Professor Higgins who as I said, should, and most likely would, have known better. Also the rhyming is bad.

Henry, 'Look at her, a prisoner of the gutter,
Condemned by every syllable she ever uttered.
By law she should be taken out and hung,
For the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue.'

I would modestly suggest:-

Look at her, a prisoner of the gutter,
Condemned by every syllable to utter.
By law she should be taken out to hang
For the cold-blooded murder of the English twang.

First of all, I like your version of the verse! But then, does "murdering the English twang" make one deserve being hanged? (I'm sure I'm slipping up with my grammar here!) Isn't twang one of the things that murders the English tongue? (I'm intending no pun or joke, it's only a vocabulary question.)

I've always taken for granted that Alan Jay Lerner, being an American, would take great care not only over making Higgins' speech irreproachable, but also over avoiding americanisms and anachronisms. As far as I know he's done the latter, but I'm amazed to find ungrammatical sentences from Higgins! Even if it's for the sake of rhyming, I think he should have tried to think of something better. After all, it's his job... But Tallulah, you say the rhyming is bad. Is it? I've just looked it up in the dictionary, and all the words seem to rhyme well (the exact words in the song are "gutters" and "utters").

Incidentally, all the rhyming words ("gutters", "utters", "hung" and "tongue") contain a vowel sound (that represented by an inverted v) that I think Scousers pronounce in a funny way. As an anecdote related to English accents, in the English examinations over here there always are several questions about phonetics (which, more than my cup of tea, are my cup of bitterness). Well, the only questions about vowel sounds I have some chance of getting right are those about this "inverted v" sound. All I have to do is to imagine how George Harrison or Ringo Starr would pronounce a word, and I know whether it contains that sound or not. Stupid little trick... But it works.

Tallulah Tam wrote:

Personally I DO think such a transformation is possible one only has to witness the transformations of Glynnis Paltrow and Madonna who now speak better English than the English. I am also personally acquainted with a Dutch Professor who speaks perfect English with Received Pronunciation and no trace of a foreign accent. Richard Burton is another example; when once asked how he managed to lose his Welsh accent he replied, "blood, sweat and tears". I don't know how old you are, but perhaps you remember The Jenkins brothers Clive and Roy? British politicians. To hear them speak you would not have believed they were reared in the same household. Clive had a very thick Welsh mining community accent but Roy who won a scholarship to Oxford cultivated a Received Pronunciation accent so far back it was almost ridiculous.

No, I had never heard of the Jenkins brothers (probably I'm too young, or maybe they're not so well known outside of England, I don't know). But, apart from the Dutch professor, I think all the persons you've mentioned have English as their mother tongue (people from Wales speak both English and Welsh, don't they?) So I wonder whether all they have to do is to get used to pronouncing certain sounds in the proper places. I mean, when I speak English my main difficulty is to try to produce sounds that are not in my own language and that I haven't got accustomed to hearing from an early age. I simply can't do it with most of them. But when Eliza Doolittle says, for example, that "the ryne in spine sties minely in the pline", although it's all wrong, I don't think she is uttering any sound that doesn't belong to "normal" English; only that she uses them where they don't belong. (Although, of course, I'm on dangerous ground here; I know very little about English accents and my ear isn't sharp, to say the least, so maybe Eliza's speech is full of non-standard sounds.)

Tallulah Tam wrote:

My handy encyclopedia is Macmillan's, and it only lists Sir Rex Harrison, (Reginald Carey Harrison) as a British actor, followed by his achievements. It does not mention his place of birth. But actors are usually exceptionally good at mimicry (although Robert Redford refused to learn a British accent for his part in "Out of Africa"). Sir John Mills for instance was never heard speaking in any other accent but what was considered to be a high class English accent, except if the part called for it, such as in "Ryan's Daughter, but someone once commented that his natural accent was quite a strong West Country accent. James Mason is yet another example who killed his Huddersfield accent to play upper class British gentlemen in his films. The first time I heard James Mason speak with a flat accent (in a film) I was quite shocked! As you say, it would have been "a bit shocking" to have heard Rex Harrison speak with a Liverpudlian accent.

Rex Harrison was born very near Liverpool (in a place called Huyton, I think), but what I don't know is what is considered the scouse area. I suppose that, even if it's not properly a Scouser, Rex Harrison's accent can't be very different from it... Now that you mention all those examples of actors' accents, I realize that watching all the films dubbed doesn't help to learn to speak English, does it? I think I have seen less than ten films in English in all my life. There are some cinemas that show films with subtitles (not in my town), but I loathe them. I'm not used to it, so when I go to one of these cinemas I cannot watch the film, I spend all my time reading the subtitles! "My Fair Lady" is one of the exceptions; I bought the DVD and now I almost know it by heart in English.

(Now starts the off-topic section. My apologies!)

As to the film "Pygmalion", I recorded it from the TV a couple of years ago, only to find that, with those nasty timetables, the film had started more than one hour too late, and I could only see the beginning. So I cannot compare it to "My Fair Lady". But I had already heard that it was much more faithful to Shaw's play than "My Fair Lady". Probably, "Pygmalion" expresses much better Eliza's pride, intelligence, idependence, etc. As Shaw said at the end of the play, "Galatea never does quite like Pygmalion: his relation to her is too godlike to be altogether agreeable" (I liked it, so I learned it by heart). However, Alan Jay Lerner preferred his own ending (which I have found purists and feminists equally abhor ). When he wrote "My Fair Lady" (the theatre play) he explained how Shaw had written a sequel in which Eliza ends up with Freddy and not with Higgins. Lerner also said "Shaw and Heaven forgive me!, I am not certain he is right" (once again, I liked it ). I suppose that's the schmaltzy in me, but I prefer "My Fair Lady"'s ending! As to the scenes that quotation mentions... "Stiff and affected"... It's a good excuse to watch it all again, although I suspect what my verdict will be (I'm slightly partial to "My Fair Lady", hadn't you realized it?)

Re: Difference Between "To" and "For"

Matress — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 22:27:26 GMT

It's a very difficult subject - to use 'to'or 'for'

My family is very important to me. That is the right sentence.

a) I sent a letter to Mary. In that sentence I wrote a letter to Mary and sent it to her in another city, country... b) I sent a letter for Mary. In that one Mary wrote a letter for someone and couldn't mail it then other person maybe a friend maild it because she was very busy.

TO VERBS

FOR VERBS

I gave a present to him. = I gave him a present.
Iâll show the figures to you. = Iâll show you the figures.
He sold a car to me. = He sold me a car.
He sent a letter to Mary. = He sent Mary a letter.
Can you lend this book to me? = Can you lend me this book?
The boss told a joke to us. = The boss told us a joke.
Who teaches English to them? = Who teaches them English?
I paid $10 to the repairman. = I paid the repairman $10.
Will you pass the sugar to me? = Will you pass me the sugar?
Read a story to the children. = Read the children a story.
I wrote a letter to my friend. = I wrote my friend a letter.
Hand that book to me, please. = Hand me that book, please.
He offered a job to Mary. = He offered Mary a job.
He'll bring something to me. = He'll bring me something.
She sang a lullaby to the baby. = She sang the baby a lullaby.
I'll throw the ball to you. = I'll throw you the ball.

Let me buy a present for you. = Let me buy you a present.
I got some food for you. = I got you some food.
She made a sandwich for me. = She made me a sandwich.
Did she cook dinner for you? = Did she cook you dinner?
Can you do a favor for me? = Can you do me a favor?
He can find a job for you. = He can find you a job.
He left a message for you. = He left you a message.
Shall I pour more tea for you? = Shall I pour you more tea?
Reserve hotel rooms for us. = Reserve us hotel rooms.
Save the stamps for him. = Save him the stamps.

TO VERBS

FOR VERBS

The teacher said "Good morning" to the students.
Heâs going to introduce Mary to his family.
I already explained the project to the staff.
Mr. Cole described the new house to his wife.
I sometimes speak English to (with) my wife.
Bob reported the accident to the police.
I repeated your ideas to my parents.
He admitted his mistake to the boss.
I'll mention your plan to the director.
Dr. Bishop recommends this medicine to some patients.
Richard has announced his engagement to his friends.
It sounds good to me.
The salesgirl suggested a gift to Philip.

Can you carry the suitcases for me?
Could you open the door for me?
He asked the bank teller to cash a check for him.
Doctors like to prescribe medicine for the patients.
She is going to prepare the meal for the guests.
I asked her to sign the letter for me.
Can you hold this for me, please?
I changed the traveler's checks for you.
I asked the secretary to make an appointment for me.
He translated an article for me.
I recorded a tape for you.
I'll take the car to the mechanic for you.
The salesgirl suggested Philip a gift for his girlfriend.
Can you play the piano for me?

*GO TO* EXPRESSIONS	*GO FOR* EXPRESSIONS
go to work go to school go to bed go to church go to town go to court go to pieces go to hell go to Porto Alegre go to the bank, go to the office, etc.	go for a walk go for a ride go for a drive go for a beer go for it

WWW.SK.COM.BR

Re: Can someone check my grammar ( especially fragment and commasplice )

paco2004 — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 08:17:45 GMT

Hello Hoang

I too am a learner of English (I'm Japanese). I know your essay is to be corrected by native speakers. But if you donât mind, please take a look of my version. It is not a correction of your essay. Please take it rather as a kind of worse alternative a mere English learner wrote. I believe some of our kind teachers will come and correct your essay.

Life seems to be full of obstacles that God created to challenge our toughness. Success does not come without obstacles on the way. I have experienced a lot of trouble in studying the new language. For those who speak English as a second language, English is not such a simple language that can be learned in a couple of days.

In the first year, I barely understood the conversation of people around me. Their conversations were so fast for me to catch up with, yet I pretended that I understood them clearly. I laughed at jokes that I did not even find the humor of them. I felt a fear, which obsessed me during my first year. The fear is that I could not belong to the group and I might be laughed at for not speaking English, and it made me hesitant to speak. I could not even pick up the phone because I knew that on the person on the line should speak to me in English. I did not do well at school either. I failed most of subjects that required reading skills such as history, government, etc. This essay probably is not written without the kindness of my host mom. She helped me go through each single step in the process of writing an essay, helped me see every mistake I usually make. She took me through the tough time. I am sure I could not get where I am right now without her help.

The biggest obstacle comes from inside, not from outside. The fear to face my weakness made English my biggest obstacle. I would have never learned anything if I had not conquered that fear. Everyone has his or her own obstacles, but I believe every obstacle could be overcome with a little effort.

paco

Can someone check my grammar ( especially fragment and commasplice )

Hoang — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 06:57:40 GMT

topic : the biggest obstacle i have had overcome

Life seems to be full of obstacles that God created to challange our toughnesses. Ssuccesses do not come without obstacles on the way. I have experienced a lot trouble in studying the new language. For those who speak English as the second language, English is not simple language that can be learned in couple days.

In the first year, I barely understand the conversation of people around me. Their conversations were so fast for me to catch up, yet I pretended that I understand them clearly. I laughed along the joke that I did not even find the humor of it. I had the fear which obsessed me during my first year. A fear of not belonging to the group, and being laughed at for not speaking English made me hesitated to speak. I could not even pick up the phone because I know that on the other line someone will speak English to me. I did not do well at school either. I failed most of subjects that require reading skill such as history, government etc. This essay probably is not written without the kindness of my host mom. She helped me go through single step in the process of writing an essay, helped me see every mistake I usually make. She took me through the tough time. I could not get where I am right without.

The biggest obstacle comes from within not without. The fear of facing my weakness made English my biggest obstacle. I would never learned anything if I have not conquered my fear. Everyone has his or her own obstacle with a little effort every obstacle could be overcame.

Re: British vs American English

Tallulah Tam — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 16:02:07 GMT

Hello Lusia,

You do not state your native language. It would be helpful to know which country you are from. As you can see I am British living in America so I will try to answer your questions, I will be corrected if I am wrong, (I hope)

Generally it is fairly easy to guess a person's background from their accent. The English, Scots, Welsh, Irish, Canadians, Americans, Australians, New Zealanders etc., etc., all speak English with their own distinct accent, and different parts of England and America have different accents too. We are very tolerant of people trying to speak our language, (unlike the French). If we understand that yowk means joke we let it pass. Obviously in a language school it would not pass but in everyday conversation on the whole we would politely ignore it.

For the second part.

Is word knackered as popular in US as in UK? Being knackered meaning being tired/exhausted?

1) I have never heard the word knackered used in The States.

Do knackers mean pants (underwear) in US?

2) Since I have never heard the word over here I don't know, but I think you may be confusing the word with knickers, which used to be what ladies briefs, (underwear term not a legal term) were called in England when they were much bigger. Or knockers which is a rude term for breasts. (not sure which side of the Atlantic that started)

What about Ohh, bollocks!, Buggar!, Bummer!, Crickey! (that's Australian)? If not in public use, what do you say for these in US?

3) The "F" word gets a lot of use over here, (unimaginatively). Out of the selection above, "bummer" is the only one I have heard.

Can someone explain why a British a r s e means an American ass? I was blown away to discover that one time.

4) I thought it was just their pronunciation of the same word until I looked it up, but you are right, it is actually in the American dictionary! "ass n. (vulgar) 1. the buttocks 2. the rectum.

If you don't mind my saying so, you seem to be unduly concerned with the baser aspects of the language.