Search results for 'tag:Prepositions tag:Pronunciation' matching tags 'Prepositions' and 'Pronunciation'

Looking for some tips and/or curriculum suggestions

mikesusangray — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:50:11 GMT

Hi all!

I've been giving English conversation lessons to a theology professor for about a year now. He's getting on in the years - a couple years from retirement - and his primary goal has been just to get his spoken English going a little stronger. His mother tongue is French but he's been teaching at a German language university for many years.

I'd like to add some more specific inputs to our lessons but I can't seem to find the right material. His passive skills are excellent - he reads widely and with perfect comprehension in his field - and he can communicate quite understandably. He is a linguistics specialist and can grasp any concept about the language immediately. I brought along Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use and he could plow through a chapter in five minutes with perfect conceptual comprehension.

However, he also continues to make very simple errors - for example, he has trouble choosing between present simple and continuous or often uses the present tense for past events. Sentence order tends to get wander hither and yon while definite and indefinite articles come and go with the tide. (Prepositions are a problem too, but I won't beat him to hard there - prepositions are difficult in any new language.) In many cases his mistakes are typical of French or German speech patterns.

One other limitation is that he enjoys the weekly lessons (a good hour), but doesn't have much time to study in between.

Right now we spend about 15 minutes reading a chapter from Advanced Grammar in Use and about 45 minutes talking about just about anything under the sun, while I take notes and show him problems under the categories Pronunciation/Articles & Prespositions/Word Order/Other Grammar/Vocabulary/Idioms. However, I don't think the work book is a good choice - particularly since he doesn't do the homework - and it seems like he isn't making very good progress with his typical problem patterns - though he greets them like old friends when I point them out.

Any tips here?

Re: adj & verbs with prepositions - pronunciation

sumryan — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:11:53 GMT

Adjectives and verbs are considered 'content words' so they are usually stressed. Prepositions are considered 'function or structure words' so they are usually unstressed.
Of course, as explained by the author above, this all depends on the context.

Here is a link to a sentence stress lesson
http://www.englishclub.com/pronunciation/sentence-stress.htm

Susan
<link removed by a mod.>

Re: English prepositions strike back... again

Kooyeen — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:00:25 GMT

Hmm, sorry, I really know nothing about baseball! (or cricket) You know, there's virtually no baseball at all here (but I've seen it in American movies on TV )

As for the pad on my back, I thought it was ok as well, since I thought "pad on" was pronounced the same as "pat on". Then I started to have doubts, and I suspect the "a" in "pad on" is actually a little bit longer than the "a" in "pat on". Should I post in the pronunciation section? I'm sure we already discussed something similar, and it was hard to draw a conclusion (I think it was the difference between "pedal" and "petal").

Re: What makes English so difficult to learn?

Einmalige Narizsse — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 03:53:16 GMT

Well, maybe I'll say, where and with things I have difficulties.

Firstly and it's the most important: tenses. In my mother tongue, we don't have so many freaking tenses
Secondly, this problem is with every new language. The way you think and make sentence. Sometimes I translate from my language to english. and it makes no sense. Or more correctly, it would be: i used to translate.
Thirdly: "a/an" and "the"- of course, you can get used to it and learn, but i really hate it
Moreover: prepositions and phrasal verbs
And last but not least: English pronunciation: huge, Hugh, hug- I know, maybe for you, it's clear, but for me it's silly ;D and "woman" and "women" (by the way, I love English idioms, they're so funny)

But there's is one thing I have to add. Honestly, I think, that there are more difficult languages, for example Hungarian, Hebrew (especially, alphabet. I've been learning it for 2 months and I know just few letters ) or Polish. Even German- have you ever seen adjective? and the way you have to inflect it?

Regards,
Einmalige Narzisse

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: Is American English lazy English?

Marvin A. — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:41:22 GMT

Wow, what a lot of nonesense.

Is American English simply lazy English with disregard for the fundamentals of the language, or is it a valid simplification of an overly complex and irregular language?

Huh? What are you talking about?

I was hoping nobody would ask, but since you did, I much prefer the attitude of the British. They have enough respect for the language to use correct spelling

How is modern British spelling more "correct"? Who determines correct spelling anyway? The differences in spelling between the US and the UK are mostly due to there being multiple forms that were considered "correct" at the time: such as "color" and "colour".

(The British have) clear enunciation

Oh they do, do they? Are you referring to RP, which is spoken by about 4% of the population, or are you referring to Glaswegian?

(And the British have the) correct use of prepositions and general grammar (and Americans don't)

Huh?

It is not my intention to offend users of American English, users of the imperial system of measurement or anyone else who cares little for international standards.

By your logic, the imperial system should be the correct one. After all, it was invented in Britain. They simply "dumbed down" their system (as you like to say), and switched to the metric system.

I know literacy levels in most western countries are declining rapidly. Could this be a contributing factor?

What does literacy have to do with it?

they use American enunciation

There are several dialects of North American English.

(The "American enunciation", grammar, etc.) all these also have been standardized

Um, no. There is no standardized pronunciation in North American English.

British is regarded as classical English?

"Classical English"? Modern British dialects, particularily RP, have diverged more from the English that both RP and General American are derived from. The non-rhoticity is one thing.

When one considers that the countries on the following list and a multitude of other nations have deep historical if not current connections with Britain and British English, I think it is quite likely that the use of Bitish English is far more widespread and popular than one might think at first glance.

Canada

Um. Canada does not speak "British English".

Oh, by the way, British English is taught in Australian schools, and I think it would be fair to say that Australians take great pride in the preservation of 'proper' (the Queen's) English

Australians speak *Australian English* not British English. They are not "taught" British English. Their spelling system is closer to the British standard though. As for Australians speaking the Queen's English, nothing could be father from the truth, in fact most non-Australians think that most forms of Australian English sound very much like Cockney.

Interesting that Australians take much pride in using British English - that actually would support the thesis that it'll hardly happen that the British English will be replaced by the American English, what do you think?

Um. They don't use British English... But they're of course not going to adopt an American accent. That would be like thinking that people from Berlin would adopt a Swiss German accent.

As nationalities continually interact around the word, shouldn't there be ONE set standard for both measurement and English? Emagine if you gave a spelling test to students from different English speaking countries. Q. What would be the correct spelling for the word "COLOR/COLOUR" ? (for example) Who would pass the test and who would fail?

Um. Both were used in the past as acceptable variants.

As nationalities continually interact around the word, shouldn't there be ONE set standard for both measurement and English?

No. English is a pluricentric language.

American English now is mostly ebonics lol

Rubbish

In a nutshell American and British English are but two dialects of ENGLISH.

They are not two "dialects". There's really no such thing as "American English" or "British English". There are many dialects of English in North America, as well as many dialects in the Britain.

I don't think I would consider British English "Classic English". British English and American English were assumable one in the same 200 years ago.

Exactly. But remeber, even at that time there was not just one form of English. There were many dialects.

I started this thread in 2003, and I have to admit I now feel a little silly about it.
Thanks to the input in this thread (and others) I realise my stupidity at having been so outspoken.

Good.

U.S. has a very diverse population. The pressure, naturally, is to simplify English so everyone, including the non-native speakers, can understand each other.

Rubbish. How has it become simpler?

They should learn to write properly, that is, English, proper English

Write properly? What is this "correct spelling" anyway?

So you're quite likely to hear a rising 'Australian' intonation in plain statements, for example â which to some BrE ears makes every statement sound like a question.

That's also found in North American English. It's associated with California English and Valley girls for the most part. It has very little to do with Australian influence.

Re: how to pronounce 'sp', 'st' and 'sk' in the middle of the word?

Kooyeen — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 19:34:55 GMT

Hi, this is interesting, it reminds me of something I read in a book for improving pronunciation (the famous "American Accent Training"). The title of the paragraph is "Spoon or Sboon?"

She (the author) say: "Say spoon. Now say sboon. Hear how they sound the same?" This is similar to your p/b problem. Anyway, I disagree, spoon and sboon sound similar to me, but not the same, and people say spoon, not sboon. She go on saying: "Hear how they sound the same? This is why I'd like you to always convert the preposition to to duh when you are speaking, no matter what comes before it (voiced or unvoiced sound)." I have to disagree again. I don't think to becomes duh after unvoiced consonants. Examples: "Way duh go!" (ok, vowel sound), "I need duh know that" (ok, voiced consonant), "To be or nod duh be" (I don't think so, I think it's simply "To be or not to be"). In the book, however, she explicitly write in the phonetic transcription "T'bee r nah d'bee".

In the end, that paragraph was one the ones I didn't pay too much attention to. But maybe she's right, and I'm just a bad sutdent not willing to listen to teachers

Re: preposition OF

CalifJim — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 08:03:33 GMT

of always has the 'v' sound at the end except in (typically faster) informal conversation, where the 'v' is sometimes dropped when the following word begins with a consonant, 'of' then being identical in sound to the word 'a'.

Help! Help! An alligator's got a hold of me! (a hold a me)
A friend of my sister's got a pony for Christmas. (a friend a my sister's)
That's the end of the story. (the end a the story)
A lot of the children already knew how to read. (a lot a the children)
He was the star of the show. (the star a the show)
Today's the start of football season. (start a football season)
She played the queen of spades. (queen a spades)

This form of of is sometimes written o' (but with the same pronunciation as the 'a's above) and has become a fixed part of a few words such as o'clock, jack-o'-lantern, will-o'-the-wisp, and man-o'-war.

This comment applies to American English.

CJ

Re: preposition OF

Kooyeen — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 00:58:43 GMT

Hi ICU,
I think it's usually pronounced uh-v, any other pronunciation would be strange, IMO. I'm not sure, but maybe I once heard something like off, that is, with an f instead of a v. Maybe I heard it in some audio file, searching some archive for pronunciation samples. If ever I heard it, I guess it was some kind of British accent or even a foreign accent.

Re: Consideration of...to...for...

Marius Hancu — Wed, 31 May 2006 17:28:59 GMT

Garner, Modern American Usage
and get a subscription to this online dictionary

-----------
Main Entry:conÂ·sidÂ·erÂ·aÂ·tion Pronunciation Guide
Pronunciation:knsidrshn
Function:noun
Inflected Form(s):-s
Etymology:Middle English consideracioun, from Middle French consideration, from Latin consideration-, consideratio, from consideratus + -ion-, -io -ion

1 obsolete : OBSERVATION, CONTEMPLATION <his careful consideration of each object>
2 : continuous and careful thought : DELIBERATION, ATTENTION <to read a book with consideration> <to take a matter into consideration> <his request was under consideration>
3 a : something that is considered as a ground of opinion or action : MOTIVE, REASON <weighing several considerations> b : a taking into account <in consideration of the enormous difficulties involved>
4 : thoughtful regard : sympathetic notice <his consideration of the needs of others>; specifically : attentive or formal respect <diplomats used to the punctilious consideration of foreign officials>
5 : a result of reflecting or pondering : mature opinion <his considerations favoring one profession over another>
6 : the act of regarding or weighing carefully <during his consideration of the problem>
7 : ESTEEM, REGARD, ESTIMATION <a person of consideration in his own field>
8 : something given as recompense: as a : PAYMENT, REWARD <a consideration paid for legal services> b (1) : something that is legally regarded as the equivalent or return given or suffered by one for the act or promise of another : an act or forbearance or the promise of it done or given by one party in return for the act or promise of another -- see GOOD CONSIDERATION, VALUABLE CONSIDERATION (2) : a judgment of a court
- in consideration of preposition : as payment or recompense for <a small fee in consideration of many kind services>

Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002.
http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com-----------