re: The Next Day / On The Next Day? page 6

Abbie,

Re: Some things are simply not translatable into another language.

Perhaps I presumed too much and didn't make myself clear enough to you. I wasn't referring to "things which are not translatable" or technical terms. I meant simple words like "friend", "dance", "sing", "band", fantastic, etc., and simple sentences like "I am fine.", "Let's have dinner." etc. If you live in England (which I presume you do), you can easily get hold a modern Indian movie on DVD/VCD and if you take the time to watch it for just half an hour, you would know what I am talking about. If you do go to Hong Kong(a former British colony), take some time to watch a Chinese TV channel and you'd hear for yourself the "English" words and phrases which creep in every now and then.

Re: Do you know the meaning of the English words "chop-chop"?

If you were to say that in Iraq, it would mean "chop the heads of the hostages!"

I wonder what MrP would have to say if I wrote a sentence like, "I want a taxi chop-chop!"

(BTW, "chop-chop" has nothing to do with "chopsticks" even though the OED claims that to be the case. I believe it originated from the expression commonly used by British and American masters telling their household Chinese cooks to "chop-chop" the meat/vegetables and get the "chow chow" ready.)

To Temico,

"it is very rare to find an Indian person who can utter a few sentences in his own native tongue without adding a few "English" words/sentences in between"

I am an Indian. My native language is Tamil. It is very much true that we are using lots of "English Words" during our conversation in Tamil. I think, no one can change this trend. Here, speaking in English has become a fashion. And those who speaks English are considered elite, cultured and so on. And job opportunites are given to those who strong and command over English. So it has indirectly put people here to learn English.

British rule has put lot of changes in our languages and culture. I am sure that Tamil will definetly accept and withstand these changes.

I really love "English" in one thing that it is so powerful with just 26 letters.

Quote: "Change is the only permananent thing in the world"

msn.

Thanks for the confirmation, senthivelann.

I think when you use 'on the next day, means you are saying about your own past day . Means you are only the doer. In other words we should use 'on the next day' when we are talking in a direct speech about our past time. Opposite it, the next day means we should use it in indirect speech. The next day can be used in both future and the past time while (on the next day ) can only be used in the past time . I studied it in an English book .. Here I am not giving information, I just wanted to aware of it if I am correct . Please guide me. Thank you so much .