http://www.englishforums.com/search/pro.htm?q=user%3aseme&o=DateDescendingSearch results for 'user:seme'en-USXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/PleaseSlangDialogs/hcbrn/post.htm#595643Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:45:41 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:595643seme"do all day" ... this is the first I've heard this used as prison slang, but I think from context it's pretty clear that they're talking about serving life in prison. Prison sentences are referred to as "doing time" hence he can "do 20". I'm a little surprised this hasn't come up in Without a Trace yet for you JCDenton because they say it ALL THE TIME in Law and Order :) "He did 10 for assault" "I can do 5 easy", etc etc etc Anyway, Graham tells Danny 20 years in prison doesn't scare him and Danny responds that Graham is facing a life sentence which Graham obviously snorts at because it's absurd to get a life sentence for attempted robbery ("do all...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThisEthicalMistakePart/hbzxr/post.htm#591249Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:04:29 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:591249semeDepends, morals and ethics are technically different things. Morality is a system of beliefs that define right and wrong action. Ethics is the study and interpretation of those systems. The difference is a bit clearer when you compare "immoral" behavior to "unethical" behavior. Immoral behavior are actions that are clearly identified as wrong (example: murder, stealing, abuse). Unethical behavior are actions that are not wrong by themselves but can be interpreted as "bad" depending on the context. So for example, if a school teacher has sex with his student ... that's immoral, if he gives the student an A+ in class that's unethical because there's nothing inherently wrong about giving a student...http://www.englishforums.com/English/VocabularyBuilding/hbbgn/post.htmThu, 20 Nov 2008 17:56:53 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:589964semeHm, not sure if it's okay to put this here ... but seeing as it's very specific to Vocabulary and Idioms I hope it's okay :) As some of you know, I teach on EduFire (http://www.edufire.com) which has a really useful classroom platform for studying languages online. Well this Saturday (Nov 22) and next (Nov 29) I'm teaching a FREE vocabulary class for English language learners. This is an hour lesson to expand your vocabulary with advanced (university level) words, idioms, a bit of slang, and regional differences (UK vs US English). You will need to register with EduFire first but this is also FREE, so I hope to see many of you there either this Saturday or next :) http://edufire.com/classes/101-words-words-words ...http://www.englishforums.com/English/HousesInUs/hrmcp/post.htm#588496Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:32:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:588496semeBecause in most cases what's described as a "walk-in closet" is simply a very large closet, not a whole room. True there are "walk-ins" that DO look like mini-boutiques with seating areas, shelving, mirrors and lots of space ... and if that's the case then sure you can certainly change in there. But most people who have what they describe as "walk-in closets" do not have that; they have only a closet where they have to step all the way into the closet to reach all the items. So that's why I don't think it's an appropriate translation :)http://www.englishforums.com/English/HousesInUs/hrmcp/post.htm#588170Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:46:38 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:588170seme1) a walk-in closet is just a closet big enough for you to walk inside of it :) You're not really supposed to change your clothes in a walk-in, just pick out the items you want and change in the bedroom like normal. So, I don't think calling it a "changing room" is really appropriate at all. 2) He means that the faucet is smooth and seamless. Sometimes we call this look "having clean lines" hence a "clean" look. I guess this must be one of those ultra modern expensive designer faucets, because she essentially agrees that it's attractive looking just by itself. 3) Accent here is like "highlight": little details that add character. An accent in speaking in essentially just little changes...http://www.englishforums.com/English/StirredHumanityIntoGreatness/gqqkb/post.htm#584531Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:12:05 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:584531semeOther than the traditional cooking definition, to stir has an additional meaning similar to "to inspire" or "to push into activity". We use this word this way when we feel strong emotions moving and mixing inside of us (hence "stir") and we feel compelled to act. So basically the sentence means intellectual revolution pushes humanity to be great.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Currency/gxmxj/post.htm#573646Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:00:37 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:573646semeSee I've seen this definition in dictionaries before, but I never agree on the example sentences they use. We sometimes use "currency" to describe an action or element that has so much influence it can "buy" reactions from people. For example: "Your strength and bravery doesn't have any currency here." So there are dictionaries that will tell you that a sentence like "T he currency of a slang term 'phat' in the community cannot be understated" means the "current-ness" or "new-ness" but I disagree. I think most people would understand such a sentence to mean that the slang term 'phat' carries a lot of power in the community, like money.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ReportedSpeech/2/gxdpr/Post.htm#571299Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:13:00 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571299semehahah, yes, I agree with you completely on this :) But after two or three throw-down fights with other English teachers (and students @_@) over certain things I guess I've made concessions on certain topics. It's much easier to satisfy a student with "this is what we should use, but people break this rule all the time" then it is to try to convince them that everything they know is wrong XD XD XD Or worse that there may be no strict rules to guide them at all. English teaching, unfortunately, seems to attract the worst kind of pedants who want nothing more than to yell at you for violating the sacred rules of English and being corrupted by the dirty vernacular. It's so exhausting. Bravo to you for keeping your...http://www.englishforums.com/English/JustThreeSituations/gxvcj/post.htm#571293Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:41:46 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571293semeI wouldn't say - is just an expression when you are describing a situation that is difficult to define. You want to give people a general idea of what it's like but you also want to make sure they understand that the description is not 100% accurate. For example: "I wouldn't say I love him, but since he left I've been thinking about him all the time." So for Brigitte she's saying 'I didn't actually fight but I did something very close to fighting'http://www.englishforums.com/English/ReportedSpeech/2/gxdpr/Post.htm#571153Sun, 28 Sep 2008 03:28:23 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571153semeNot a theory :) The classic example is with scientific facts, things that are always true no matter what the time. So if the doctor says "Water freezes at 0 Degrees C" I report that as "He said water freezes at..." Although technically (and after a quick search I see that there are many good threads on this forum that go into detail on this) this is a difference between the way we are supposed to speak and the way we actually speak. The very very strict grammar is to always backshift, but in practice people don't do that and from time to time backshifting when the situation you are describing is still true can lead to confusion. That confusion usually disappears in the course of conversation because people...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ReportedSpeech/gxdpr/post.htm#571099Sat, 27 Sep 2008 23:38:19 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571099semeWell now I want to cry, I spent about a good 20 minutes typing out a clearer explanation only to have the forum eat it. It's completely gone. Needless to say I'm not going to retype the whole thing. So I apologize if this seems rudely short ... this is what is comes down to: We backshift in reported speech because the action of speaking is taking place in the past. If it's something said five minutes ago you don't have to backshift, if it's something said five months ago you do. So "think" becomes "thought" "it was" does not have to become "it had been" because the "it" may be something that is still true in the present. Here are two examples: "I was walking in...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ITeachOnline/gxvrq/post.htmSat, 27 Sep 2008 22:17:43 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571080semeI saw a few other posts like this in this section so I'm going to assume it's okay. After working for private businesses for a long time, I've decided to move to teaching exclusively online through EduFire. I know many people here would like to practice their English with a native speaker for free and are disappointed that teachers online charge, but at least with EduFire even a "conversation lesson" is much more than a conversation. The EduFire system allows for video chat like Skype but also allow us to share files. I can upload scenes from movies and TV shows, play them in the virtual "classroom" and go over vocabulary (for example). I can write out notes on a digital whiteboard or scan in activities...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ForThoseEslTeachers/gnwgp/post.htm#571075Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:44:10 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571075semeWell there's a big problem here ... which grammar rules? :D :D :D There is no strict code in English of RULES, three textbooks can give three completely different "rules" for the same point of grammar, the "rules" taught in beginner levels often have to be unlearned later on (for example every single one of my Korean students has been taught that a gerund follows a preposition. There's no such rule in English, it's total nonsense ... plus it means they all come into class saying things like "I came here for studying English" which drives me nuts), then there are major differences between what is grammatically correct and what is common in spoken English, not to mention a few minor grammatical...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ReportedSpeech/gxdpr/post.htm#571071Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:17:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571071semeYou don't have to backshift when the information you're reporting has not changed, when it is still true at the present time. If you do it is still grammatically correct but people may assume the situation is different now. So it depends on context. For example if I meet a guy on the street and he says "I'm 25 years old..." The next day I will report that as "He said he's 25 years old" because unless his birthday was that very day ... he still *is* 25 years old. However two or three years later I might report it as "He said he was 25 years old" because now that information is no longer still true in the present. In your example it's too difficult to say A is better than B because there...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ThrowDown/gxckx/post.htm#571061Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:41:07 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571061semeCouple of thoughts, first meatloaf isn't leftover cooked meat ... it's like a loaf of bread made from (usually) ground beef, pork, and veal with eggs, bread crumbs and spices to hold it all together. Most people find it disgusting because it is impossible to tell what kind of meat has been used or the quality of it ... but my mother's is delicious :) :) It's my favorite. The phrase "Meatloaf Monday" is just a reference to public cafeterias that in general only serve one meal choice a day. And having watched the scene from Smallville ... I don't think Bette actually says "carton of cloves" but I can't figure out what that last word was :/ It's possible, since I believe the character is...Sat, 27 Sep 2008 20:18:22 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:571059semeUploaded on Saturday, September 27, 2008