Do you know English?

[killdozzer]

As long as we can make ourselves understood on a forum such as ASR, there are no problems. I think it works well on ASR.

What can thus happen here, as in other forums, is..What is it called, I think there is a name for the femomen. That is, when something is written with irony but is perceived as not ironic and on the contrary written without irony is perceived as irony?
Therefore, it is not so stupid to think that it can happen. Best to then add some smily.

That's what's my winky emoji is for. I completely agree. I think people should use them much more than they do and also people who read should attribute meaning to them. If you see an emoji, don't blow steam. At least ask if you're not sure.

I agree.

 

[DanielT]

I am guilty of editing my posts. Many times I write and it seems fine at the time, I forget about it, and when I revisit it days or even months later, I see a spelling mistake or weird phrasing. Edit comes to rescue.

I also remember business trips abroad. In the morning fresh and rested my conversation would be a lot more fluent. As a long working day went by, at dinner at night, specially after some alcohol, words would be harder to remember, and the fluency stumbling... I knew it was happening but nothing you could do until sleeping a full night got me back to speed. So there is also that to consider.

I try, if I remember, after I have published a post and after about at least ten minutes I come up with something I want to add so..Wait ...

Edit:
I add an edit and add. Then the reader sees that something new has been added. It can of course on ASR have some comic consequences because now say that someone put a thumb up on this post and I then add something (imagine yourself, something really bad and nasty, not because I would do so but still).

There is a lot to discuss. Do you have a debate in your countries regarding the overuse of smileys? For my part, I like smileys but, well the taste is different.

 

[Scgorg]

I would say I speak English at a level that's roughly equivalent to my Norwegian, perhaps somewhat worse (in terms of overall fluency, my pronounciation/accent is a different matter). The kitchen accessories task was interesting, because I realized there were utensils whose names I know neither in Norwegian nor English (and I do not speak any other languages!). For many people I think certain subjects are easier to discuss in a different language, assuming they are proficient at said language. As an example: discussing audio literature or IT is much easier to do in English, because most of the content itself is in English. This probably goes for many fields and professions where English is primarily used.

At the same time; I would have a much easier time discussing Norwegian politics in Norwegian, for obvious reasons.

 

[Timbo2]

I'm a native English speaker, but have many non-native English speaking coworkers and friends. One of the nice things about this site is that it allows members to note their locations.

I will generally try to take the most charitable interpretation of posts made by non-native speakers and assume that no rudeness was implied.

However, as a native speaker this sometimes leaves me in a bit of a dilemma how to reply. Do I use what could be considered by a native speaker to be a too direct and/or simplistic reply? With my friends and coworkers I know their English ability and can tailor my reply. With somebody on line that is much more difficult to do.

 

[DanielT]

I realized there were utensils whose names I know neither in Norwegian nor English....

You're a real man!

... The wife cooks at your house.
(example of the need for a smily so it is not misinterpreted for anything other than a joke)

 

[escape2]

 

[Scgorg]

You're a real man!

... The wife cooks at your house.
(example of the need for a smily so it is not misinterpreted for anything other than a joke)

I live alone, so the explanation is rather something like this:
I am making food, and I realize I need some specific utensil. "Okay, time to pick up the utensil that is [adjective(s)]"

 

[Ralph_Cramden]

I cook a lot, am a native English speaker, but I still refer to some of my kitchen utensils by the generic term "gadget" or similar. Some of them are meant for a specific purpose, but often used for something else.

 

[DanielT]

I live alone, so the explanation is rather something like this:
I am making food, and I realize I need some specific utensil. "Okay, time to pick up the utensil that is [adjective(s)]"

You're a real man!

This time without smily for that I think.

Care about kitchen utensils and such shit when there is Hifi, cars, boats and other fun. That's how I am in any case.

Edit:
I said with a twinkle in my eye, it can be fun to cook sometimes.

 

[BlackTalon]

(I'm not generally fond of sayings.)

I recommend you avoid Russian -- there are sayings for everything, and they can be difficult to comprehend.

Example:

Me: "It's 11:00 pm. I think I will go to bed in a few minutes."

Wife: "We say 'A bear has three whiskers on the left side of it's face so do not pick strawberries'."

 

[HammerSandwich]

Here are some classics.

Posting "I speak English" without an @HammerSandwich? Harumph, sir! Harumph!!

 

[raif71]

I remember the British comedy sitcom "Mind Your Language" during the 80s about foreign students learning English and the humour of them tripping over learning and using english. Enjoyed the episodes very much.

 

[amirm]

I remember the British comedy sitcom "Mind Your Language" during the 80s about foreign students learning English and the humour of them tripping over learning and using english. Enjoyed the episodes very much.

Had not seen that. Just watched the first couple of episodes. It is great fun!

 

[amirm]

Overestimates:
If we think we can speak English as well as a person who has it as a mother tongue, go to the kitchen and open the drawers. Do you know the English names of all kitchen accessories?

Funny story related to this. When I worked for Sony and going to Japan, I wanted to learn Japanese. One day at lunch there I asked my Japanese counterpart the word for knife. He says, "knife-o!" I asked, how about fork? He said, "fork-o!" I said I wanted to learn the real Japanese names, not the adopted English ones. He said hardly anyone uses them! So I went ahead and used those English adopted words with the waitress and worked like a charm...

 

[Drengur]

A more apt test for Swedes would be:
"How do you pronounce these names:
- Jackie Chan
- David Hume
- Charlie Chaplin"

 

[raif71]

Funny story related to this. When I worked for Sony and going to Japan, I wanted to learn Japanese. One day at lunch there I asked my Japanese counterpart the word for knife. He says, "knife-o!" I asked, how about fork? He said, "fork-o!" I said I wanted to learn the real Japanese names, not the adopted English ones. He said hardly anyone uses them! So I went ahead and used those English adopted words with the waitress and worked like a charm...

Haha....I can imagine the japanese in Mind Your Language speaking english words with "o" at the end. LOL

 

[ZolaIII]

Funny story related to this. When I worked for Sony and going to Japan, I wanted to learn Japanese. One day at lunch there I asked my Japanese counterpart the word for knife. He says, "knife-o!" I asked, how about fork? He said, "fork-o!" I said I wanted to learn the real Japanese names, not the adopted English ones. He said hardly anyone uses them! So I went ahead and used those English adopted words with the waitress and worked like a charm...

Do you know any Sanskrit (to certain amount)?
Even if you do you can't translate it to English exactly as it misses to much voices (palatalisation).
I can on my own language (so I can Chinese and anything else) that it remains exactly the same because my language is quite different to anything else and has a imperativ rule that you don't change anything (speak as it sounds and write as you speak).

Sorry that there are no Latin characters in comparison but character and voices set would be a future cut to Armen or Greek.
Modern meanings of words do cut the ties to its real meaning (ontological) as they didn't exist before and post modern pretty much cuts everything.
Best regards and have a nice day.

 

[DanielT]

Funny story related to this. When I worked for Sony and going to Japan, I wanted to learn Japanese. One day at lunch there I asked my Japanese counterpart the word for knife. He says, "knife-o!" I asked, how about fork? He said, "fork-o!" I said I wanted to learn the real Japanese names, not the adopted English ones. He said hardly anyone uses them! So I went ahead and used those English adopted words with the waitress and worked like a charm...

He he..

Agents can also experience something similar.

Edit:
Hmmm, maybe this is considered racist nowadays? That hit me right now. Not my intention. I'm as far as I know not racist. Besides, Japan is a place I would really like to go to.

 

[Jimbob54]

Ditto many common household items, where I know the Yiddish word but not English. Like the doodad you fill with hot water for soaking your feet- it's a shissel, but no idea how to say it in English.

I guess "foot bath" should cover it. As long as you don't get given a bed pan.

 

[Gorgonzola]

So my problem is that I'm unilingual in English -- sad, really. I had 7 years of French in primary and high school but never really mastered it; I can't blame myself entirely because poor teaching methods were a big factor. I'm speaking of French instruction in the English language school system in Quebec a many years ago; hopefully things have changed there since.

One issue, (fairly minor), is different English usage in between Britain and North American: stupidly here in Canada we tend to use a blend. A few instances:

• USA & Canada: hood (as of a car); Britain: bonnet
• USA & Canada: trunk; Britain: boot
• USA & Canada: shock absorber; Britain: damper (which is more accurate)
• USA: color & flavor; Britain: colour & flavour; Canada: mostly colour & flavour
• Canada & Britain: cheque (as issued on a bank account); USA: check
• USA & Canada: fall (most often); Britain: autumn
• ... it gets even weirder when it comes to slang terms.

In particular I wish I spoke French, German, Spanish, and Mandarin. (My son speaks a fair bit of Mandarin. Our daughter-in-law was born in Beijing.)