Search results for 'tag:Prepositions tag:American English' matching tags 'Prepositions' and 'American English'

Re: in school? at school?

Cool Breeze — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:11:47 GMT

Both prepositions are correct. In is used quite a lot in American English: What did you learn at/in school today?

Re: George is wasting his time and energy on pursuing a girl

Angliholic — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:52:41 GMT

Grammar Geek wrote:

Let's go back to my original: I would use no preposition.

He spent three hours studying English. He's wasting time chasing that girls. I love spending time visiting museums.

I can only tell you that "George spent three hours in studying English" is not idiomatic American English. It may be BrE usage.

(I agree you spend money on things.)

Thanks, GG.

To make sure, if you had to choose from "in" and "on" in the following, which would you use?

George spent three hours in/on studying English.

Re: George is wasting his time and energy on pursuing a girl

Grammar Geek — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:49:17 GMT

Let's go back to my original: I would use no preposition.

He spent three hours studying English. He's wasting time chasing that girls. I love spending time visiting museums.

I can only tell you that "George spent three hours in studying English" is not idiomatic American English. It may be BrE usage.

(I agree you spend money on things.)

Re: Is American English lazy English?

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:02:27 GMT

"I much prefer the attitude of the British. They have enough respect for the language to use correct spelling, clear enunciation and to observe the correct use of prepositions and general grammar. On the other hand, some Americans seem to like reinventing the language as they go."

To use a British word, bollocks! Americans at least pronounce all the syllables in words like "territory" and "secretary". Most of them also pronounce the letter "r" in all positions, where standart British English no longer does. They speak at a slower pace than British English, and as a British English teacher, I am told by my foreign students invariably that they find American English easier to understand. Their pronunciation is closer to the London pronunciation of the early 17th century than modern British RP.

I do not understand what you mean by correct. Do you mean your personal use of English, and do you measure other people's English against this? You seem to me to be one of those, who has never studied linguistics or phonology, let alone grammar, but thinks they can sound off about language in some sort of authoritative way.

Re: failure or failed ?

Grammar Geek — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:23:03 GMT

Hi Zoe (I think I mentioned once before that "Zoe" is also my daughter's name.)

Only in how it's used.

Due to the failing results, Because of the failing results.

I just found several Web sites that try to say they are very different, but to my native ear, I just don't hear it.

See this:

Due to and owing to mean just what because of means. All three are prepositions. Owing to fought and won its way to respectability a good while ago, and now due to has almost won its battle, although there is a residue of conservative unhappiness over it when it does not follow a linking verb, as in He arrived late, due to a flat tire. Some Edited English and Oratorical speech will still avoid such uses, but at all other levels all three locutions are Standard: Because of [owing to, due to] his having sprained his ankle, he walked with a cane. Because of [owing to, due to] his sprained ankle, he walked with a cane.

Re: Preposition - On or In

Grammar Geek — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:10:03 GMT

BrE - British English

AmE - American English

In the US (AmE) if you say someone is "in" the street, it means where the car are. If you say someone is "on" the street, they are along the road. However, "in the street" is used in BrE as "on the street" is used in AmE. Mostly.

Re: Specific questions about translation of a CV

Feebs11 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:28:40 GMT

Colombo wrote:
I'm trying to translate my CV into English, but I'm finding a lot of difficulties. Apart from the overall chronic style of the result, there are certain things that I find I don't know how to say. I'm copying a list here, in case someone can lend me a hand (for which I'd be immensely grateful). I am sorry to ask so many questions (I've tried to find the answers in dictionaries before asking), and I hope I'm writing in the correct forum (I think all my questions are more voabulary- than grammar-oriented).

- Should the names of institutions be translated? I don't do so, in general, but I wonder whether it could/should be done when the translation is literal and unequivocal (for example, like in "Polytechnic University of Madrid"), or when it might be useful to know what the institution is (like in "Programme for the Assessment of Teachers of the Spanish Office for the Assessment of Quality and Credentials"... Whatever that is - I hardly understand it, even in Spanish!) Not necessary to do so - if you feel there is a difficulty, put the translation in brackets.

- Which preposition must I use to indicate where I got a degree? "A degree from the University X"? Yes

- Talking of degrees, I'm not sure which one I've got. I know there are BSc, MSc and PhD, but I don't know very well how to determine whether what I've got is a BSc or a MSc. Does one choose between one and the other, or does one need to have a BSc in order to study a MSc? Here in Spain, one can choose between studying a short or a long degree (3 or 4 years in the first case, 6 in the second). After getting any of these degrees, one can start working towards a PhD directly (I mean, those people who have studied the short degree don't need to compensate by studying another couple of years before beginning their PhD studies). I've got one of the long degrees (6 years), so would that be a BSc or a MSc? I'd like to make it clear that it's been a long degree, but I don't know whether I should have made some kind of post-graduate studies in order to call it a MSc. And also, are the BSc and the MSc the same things in British and American English?   BSc = Bachelor of Science; MSc = Master of Science - the latter indicates you have taken a further degree. Put the Spanish name of your degree and explain its nature if asked.

- In these 6-year degrees, after one has passed all the subjects, a final research work must be done in order to get the degree. What's its name (if there's an equivalence) in the UK and the US? Post-graduate study/research.

- PhD degrees over here consist of two separate parts: two years of courses and two-to-infinite years of research work. Once you've finished the first of these parts, you get a certificate stating you've studied all those courses (in case someone knows the Spanish universitary structure, I'm taking about the "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados"). Is there anything equivalent in the British and American systems? I don't think I could call it a MSc, since this certificate's actually a part of the PhD degree. In the UK a university is free to admit anyone to a Ph.D. programme; however, in practice, admission is usually conditional on the prospective student having successfully completed an undergraduate degree with at least upper second class honours, or a postgraduate master's degree

- Is there any technical established term for a "course on work-related risks"? I've translated it directly from Spanish, but I don't know whether there is a better way to say it (although I think it's easily understood as it is). Not as such - there are many courses that include this topic, particularly those relating to Health and Safety or Physiotherapy.

- What is the technical term for a person who is in charge of a R&D project? "Head researcher"? Possibly "Supervisor".

- Is it right to say "Assistant PhD teacher" to indicate a job as assistant teacher for which a PhD degree is required (not a job as assistant teacher for PhD students). Not a term that is used in the UK. It would probalby be termed "Assistant Teacher. This post requires a PhD or equivalent."

- Another question about prepositions: does one play an instrument in an orchestra?   Yes

- Is it right to say something like "2003: beginning of studies of x"? "began studies relating to...."/"started studies of...."

- Could anyone tell me where I can find the "official" names of the subjects in a music degree? Or, more specifically, I need to know the name of a subject in which the different musical forms and structures are studied. Some sites for UK universities:   http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/courses/musi.shtml:
http://www.ukwebstart.com/musicdrama-colleges.html
Thank you very much in advance for your help! I would have copied here the whole CV, but I thought that would be too much...

Specific questions about translation of a CV

Colombo — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:07:42 GMT

I'm trying to translate my CV into English, but I'm finding a lot of difficulties. Apart from the overall chronic style of the result, there are certain things that I find I don't know how to say. I'm copying a list here, in case someone can lend me a hand (for which I'd be immensely grateful). I am sorry to ask so many questions (I've tried to find the answers in dictionaries before asking), and I hope I'm writing in the correct forum (I think all my questions are more voabulary- than grammar-oriented).

- Should the names of institutions be translated? I don't do so, in general, but I wonder whether it could/should be done when the translation is literal and unequivocal (for example, like in "Polytechnic University of Madrid"), or when it might be useful to know what the institution is (like in "Programme for the Assessment of Teachers of the Spanish Office for the Assessment of Quality and Credentials"... Whatever that is - I hardly understand it, even in Spanish!)

- Which preposition must I use to indicate where I got a degree? "A degree from the University X"?

- Talking of degrees, I'm not sure which one I've got. I know there are BSc, MSc and PhD, but I don't know very well how to determine whether what I've got is a BSc or a MSc. Does one choose between one and the other, or does one need to have a BSc in order to study a MSc? Here in Spain, one can choose between studying a short or a long degree (3 or 4 years in the first case, 6 in the second). After getting any of these degrees, one can start working towards a PhD directly (I mean, those people who have studied the short degree don't need to compensate by studying another couple of years before beginning their PhD studies). I've got one of the long degrees (6 years), so would that be a BSc or a MSc? I'd like to make it clear that it's been a long degree, but I don't know whether I should have made some kind of post-graduate studies in order to call it a MSc. And also, are the BSc and the MSc the same things in British and American English?

- In these 6-year degrees, after one has passed all the subjects, a final research work must be done in order to get the degree. What's its name (if there's an equivalence) in the UK and the US?

- PhD degrees over here consist of two separate parts: two years of courses and two-to-infinite years of research work. Once you've finished the first of these parts, you get a certificate stating you've studied all those courses (in case someone knows the Spanish universitary structure, I'm taking about the "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados"). Is there anything equivalent in the British and American systems? I don't think I could call it a MSc, since this certificate's actually a part of the PhD degree.

- Is there any technical established term for a "course on work-related risks"? I've translated it directly from Spanish, but I don't know whether there is a better way to say it (although I think it's easily understood as it is).

- What is the technical term for a person who is in charge of a R&D project? "Head researcher"?

- Is it right to say "Assistant PhD teacher" to indicate a job as assistant teacher for which a PhD degree is required (not a job as assistant teacher for PhD students).

- Another question about prepositions: does one play an instrument in an orchestra?

- Is it right to say something like "2003: beginning of studies of x"?

- Could anyone tell me where I can find the "official" names of the subjects in a music degree? Or, more specifically, I need to know the name of a subject in which the different musical forms and structures are studied.

Thank you very much in advance for your help! I would have copied here the whole CV, but I thought that would be too much...

Re: inculcate

Marius Hancu — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:51:34 GMT

And the final word:
-------

Kenneth G. Wilson (1923â). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.

inculcate (v.)

The prepositions combining with inculcate are usually in or into, as in We have tried to inculcate some of the principles of the work ethic in [into] our students. On, onto, and with also combine, but very rarely: Inculcate if you can on [onto] your classes a sense of the excitement of discovery. Inculcate your classes with a sense a pride.

When used with with, inculcate takes a direct object first: We tried to inculcate a sense of pride into the team or We tried to inculcate into the team a sense of pride, but We tried to inculcate the team with a sense of pride. This last combination is probably Standard but it is rare in Edited English, and some conservatives donât like it at any level.

Re: Are they correct again

Grammar Geek — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:38:58 GMT

Learnenglish,

"Whose do you want to buy?" requires the right context to be correct.

You want to buy a used bicycle. I have one that I can sell you. Jim has one that he can sell you. Now that you have seen them both, whose do you want to buy? (Do you want to buy his, or mine?)

In common, everyday spoken American English, you will just about NEVER hear "Whom do you want to meet?" although it is quite correct. Usually you don't hear "whom" unless it comes right after a preposition.