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A Note to Non-Native English Speakers

 
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A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 2:59:02 AM   
KG Erwin


Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline 		I have been truly impressed by the ability of some of our foreign members to express themselves clearly in the English language. At times, it puts some native English speakers to shame with their bad grammar and atrocious spelling. No names need to be mentioned.

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RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 5:59:18 AM   
m10bob


Posts: 8622
Joined: 11/3/2002
From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
Status: offline 		Uhhh....I thought being from West Virginia was one of the states considered "honorary foreign citizen", (another, of course being Texas.)

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RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 6:21:01 AM   
KG Erwin


Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline 		Of course, Bob. I'm proud to be a West Virginian, and in case you didn't know, my wife was born in Texas. Our daughter has a very interesting genetic makeup -- she's musically talented and very outspoken. She has the best (and worst) of her parents' personalities.
I'm definitely gonna have an interesting time in helping her reach her potential.

Now, back on topic, I'm impressed by guys like Puukkoo and Einar and many others whose native language isn't English. They are easily understood, at least in writing. Talking to them may be entirely different-- you think about it, American English is VERY hard for those who can't say "the" or "those". The "th" sound is damn near impossible for many non-natives. I have the same problem with German umlautted vowels, like ü or ö .

< Message edited by KG Erwin -- 1/30/2006 6:38:38 AM >

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RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 2:47:11 PM   
Puukkoo


Posts: 472
Joined: 7/19/2005
From: Seinäjoki, Finland
Status: offline 		Thanks for your appreciation Sir!

Yes, you have not heard me actually ever speaking in English. Anyway you should be prepared to take at least some of your words back. My English is an horrible mixture of American and British sounds.

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Post #: 4
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 3:31:15 PM   
IBTyrone


Posts: 432
Joined: 7/29/2003
From: Kentucky, USA
Status: offline 		Hey Puukkoo.

The other point I think that needs to be made here is that most of us, Americans at least, only speak one language, English. I have a great amount of respect for anyone who even attempts to speak or write a language other than their native language. And Gunny is correct--you do it very well.

(in reply to Puukkoo)
Post #: 5
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 3:38:09 PM   
Terminus


Posts: 41459
Joined: 4/23/2005
From: Denmark
Status: offline 		Checking back in after a long absence...

Much of the reason for the language skills of people like Puukkoo and myself is that the school system in Western Europe has always made a big effort to teach foreign languages, something which is more or less absent in the US system. I myself speak, aside from Danish, English, German and French fluently, and can get by to some small degree in Spanish.

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RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 4:09:05 PM   
Korpraali V


Posts: 659
Joined: 7/11/2005
From: Finland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Terminus

Checking back in after a long absence...

Much of the reason for the language skills of people like Puukkoo and myself is that the school system in Western Europe has always made a big effort to teach foreign languages, something which is more or less absent in the US system. I myself speak, aside from Danish, English, German and French fluently, and can get by to some small degree in Spanish.


And as a Danish, you'll probably know something about Norwegian and Swedish too...

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Post #: 7
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 1/30/2006 4:26:57 PM   
Terminus


Posts: 41459
Joined: 4/23/2005
From: Denmark
Status: offline 		Well, yeah...

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Post #: 8
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/1/2006 7:14:07 AM   
Korpraali V


Posts: 659
Joined: 7/11/2005
From: Finland
Status: offline 		For me this - and the Depot - has been a great chance to practice and develope my English writing and understanding.

(Still having some problems with at/from/on/in/for/of etc.)

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Post #: 9
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/1/2006 7:54:43 AM   
junk2drive


Posts: 12907
Joined: 6/27/2002
From: Arizona West Coast
Status: offline 		I was born in Michigan but my parents and family were all from West "by god" Virginia. And no, Kenny and I and the rest of the state are not related (maybe).
I too am amazed at the non native English speakers that post in forums that I visit and when I correspond with them. They have raised the bar for me to capitalise letters, use punctuation, and spell check.
I am also appalled at the people from the USA, Canada, Australia and especially the UK.

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Post #: 10
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/1/2006 8:17:14 AM   
KG Erwin


Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

I was born in Michigan but my parents and family were all from West "by god" Virginia. And no, Kenny and I and the rest of the state are not related (maybe).
I too am amazed at the non native English speakers that post in forums that I visit and when I correspond with them. They have raised the bar for me to capitalise letters, use punctuation, and spell check.
I am also appalled at the people from the USA, Canada, Australia and especially the UK.


What county in West Virginia is your family from?


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RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/2/2006 1:48:14 AM   
acrosome


Posts: 91
Joined: 8/8/2001
From: Tacoma, WA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Puukkoo

Thanks for your appreciation Sir!

Yes, you have not heard me actually ever speaking in English. Anyway you should be prepared to take at least some of your words back. My English is an horrible mixture of American and British sounds.


But, hell, if you know enough to write "an horrible" instead of "a horrible" then you are already ahead of 95% of Americans... myself included, most of the time.

But you did learn British English initially, correct? Very few people learn American English in school.

(in reply to Puukkoo)
Post #: 12
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/2/2006 6:21:32 PM   
Puukkoo


Posts: 472
Joined: 7/19/2005
From: Seinäjoki, Finland
Status: offline 		Yes, it was very much like "BBC News" English at school. I don't really know why I did write "an horrible".

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Post #: 13
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 5:53:12 AM   
sabrejack


Posts: 158
Joined: 9/9/2005
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive


I am also appalled at the people from the USA, Canada, Australia and especially the UK.



Why you for talking about us like we don't talk proper?



Racist.

(in reply to junk2drive)
Post #: 14
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 7:19:19 AM   
Major_Mess


Posts: 451
Joined: 2/8/2004
From: The True North. Strong and Free
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

I am also appalled at the people from the USA, Canada, Australia and especially the UK.



Please elaborate for us colonials J2J, je nes comprende................ eh!

Appalled at what exactly one wonders?

Huh?

Huh?



Major Mess

(I've got your back SabreJack)



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Post #: 15
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 7:29:39 AM   
chief


Posts: 1660
Joined: 9/28/2000
From: Haines City FL, USA
Status: offline 		Ah yes the American Lingo ......Just where did it come from ?

From England, France, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Scotland, Mexico, Cuba, etc. etc. and oh yeah Kemo Sabe the American Indians. It may have started off English, but it lost something in the translation.

My humble apoligies to those not covered by etc.

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Post #: 16
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 9:18:18 AM   
Cyanide


Posts: 16
Joined: 2/1/2006
Status: offline 		Wow. I'm amazed that some of you don't naturally speak English. In fact, this is one of the most literate forums I've ever been part of. No usage of "u" and "ur", people capitalizing correctly. It's a breath of fresh air compared to 99.5% of the "intarweb".

(in reply to chief)
Post #: 17
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 3:12:33 PM   
sabrejack


Posts: 158
Joined: 9/9/2005
Status: offline 		Don't forget that the US of A is also the land that has colleges where you can learn to speak (and write?) in Klingon...

200 million geeks can't be wrong...


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Post #: 18
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/8/2006 9:01:53 PM   
Afrika Korps


Posts: 204
Joined: 7/2/2002
From: Rhode Island
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: sabrejack

Don't forget that the US of A is also the land that has colleges where you can learn to speak (and write?) in Klingon...

200 million geeks can't be wrong...




That's tlhIngan Hol, you stinking pitaH!

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DAK

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Post #: 19
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/15/2006 12:13:00 PM   
Colonel von Blitz

 

Posts: 262
Joined: 12/4/2000
From: Espoo, Finland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL:
Yes, you have not heard me actually ever speaking in English. Anyway you should be prepared to take at least some of your words back.


This, I think, applies to majority of finnish people. For some reason, most of us can read and write english quite well, but speaking...that's a whole different thing. On the other hand, our neighbors in sweden, usually speak english a lot better.

I bet the major reason for this is the fact, that finnish language differs more than swedish when compared to english.

-Colonel von Blitz-

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--Light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak--

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Post #: 20
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/15/2006 12:50:07 PM   
Korpraali V


Posts: 659
Joined: 7/11/2005
From: Finland
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Colonel von Blitz

I bet the major reason for this is the fact, that finnish language differs more than swedish when compared to english.

-Colonel von Blitz-


True, but the other reason is that Finns afraid to speak English. Too little practising and when you speak, you speak with so low voice that it turns to murmur. And then you are again afraid to speak it...

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Post #: 21
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/15/2006 2:19:25 PM   
Einar Fridgeirs

 

Posts: 90
Joined: 1/21/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: KG Erwin

Of course, Bob. I'm proud to be a West Virginian, and in case you didn't know, my wife was born in Texas. Our daughter has a very interesting genetic makeup -- she's musically talented and very outspoken. She has the best (and worst) of her parents' personalities.
I'm definitely gonna have an interesting time in helping her reach her potential.

Now, back on topic, I'm impressed by guys like Puukkoo and Einar and many others whose native language isn't English. They are easily understood, at least in writing. Talking to them may be entirely different-- you think about it, American English is VERY hard for those who can't say "the" or "those". The "th" sound is damn near impossible for many non-natives. I have the same problem with German umlautted vowels, like ü or ö .


He, "th" is easy compared to attempting to distinguish between "w" and "v". We use those interchangeably. I can never get that right. But overall, I´ve also been complimented on my english speech. Ah, the wonders of american girlfriends!

Bet you´d be stumped by Icelandic mainstays such as "Æ" "Ð" and "Þ". Many americans on IRC envy us for our Þ sound(I´m not even sure this is showing up properly on your screen by the way!) because we can make a cooler version of :P!

:þ


(in reply to KG Erwin)
Post #: 22
RE: A Note to Non-Native English Speakers - 2/15/2006 4:09:21 PM   
Code Talker

 

Posts: 48
Joined: 10/3/2001
From: The Colony, Texas
Status: offline
quote:

Uhhh....I thought being from West Virginia was one of the states considered "honorary foreign citizen", (another, of course being Texas.)


Who y'all callin' foreign?

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Post #: 23
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