English lessons

[Alex]

Indeed! My wife is Japanese and after studying for 10 years in the USA and then living 11 years in the UK, her use of the English language is still essentially Japanese in character. (doing nothing to disturb the harmony of society is an important characteristic of Japanese societal interactions)

My understanding of Japanese language is that it does not appear to require every 'i' to be dotted and every 't' to be crossed. The context is derived because a particular person happens to be speaking. This causes Mrs Jepho's spoken and written English to lose essential conjunctions and all information about ownership (who said what) and possession (who owned the item being discussed) The net result is a truncated form of pidgin English that appears as awkward to read and aurally, it sounds quite broken on occasion.

Haha, I so understand her.

 

[MOCAŠ]

Well, thanks for that. I come from a cold, cold land that defeated Hitler and sent first man into the space but is now a mere shadow of it's former self!

Give me a shout when you're ready for the lesson on the correct use of apostrophes...

Only kidding. I must say that your written English is remarkably good - certainly better than a lot of what we see on the forum. You clearly take a lot of care to ensure that what you write can be understood.

 

[John]

certainly better than a lot of what we see on the forum.

Shouldn't that be 'this' forum as you are specifying a particular forum?

 

[MOCAŠ]

Shouldn't that be 'this' forum as you are specifying a particular forum?

Not necessarily, as I didn't need to differentiate between this forum and another one. As someone once said, "there are often various correct ways in which to say the same thing". At least I didn't say "certainly better than a lot of what we see on a forum".

 

[crockers]

If you leave out the definite or indefinite article altogether when using nouns, your English will sound broken, eg: "I have car", "I've put some petrol in car".

Unless you're from Yorkshire. Then often the definite article is omitted.


"Trouble at mill"...

 

[Deleted member 37751]

"Trouble at t'mill"...

Fixed that fo' thee...

 

[snoop51]

Fixed that fo' thee...

You forgot "on Ilkley Moor bahtat" and "Tintintin"

Oh and "git thi darnt steers" or "it's t'other end 'ot snicket"

 

[crockers]

Fixed that fo' thee...

So how about "trouble down pit"....? Or is that "trouble down t'pit"? If so sounds more like a bird which if written down will be censored.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

So how about "trouble down pit"....? Or is that "trouble down t'pit"?

That's correct. The word 'the' is very rarely used round these parts.

Where I live, the Yorkshire accent is that heavy, but if you go to Barnsley even I sometimes need an interpreter....

If tha wuz t'dig an oil fo' thee, tha'd be a rate good 'un!
Which translates as;
If I was to dig a hole for you, I would be a really good person!

 

[MOCAŠ]

Unless you're from Yorkshire. Then often the definite article is omitted.


"Trouble at mill"...

See post #13.

I've already acknowledged that some dialects tend to omit articles, as well a committing a variety of other solecisms in comparison to standard English.

Are you trying to claim Alx as one of your own? If you're interested, Alx, there'll be a choice between a free whippet or a loft of pigeons on graduation.

 

[MOCAŠ]

If tha wuz t'dig an oil fo' thee, tha'd be a rate good 'un!
Which translates as;
If I was to dig a hole for you, I would be a really good person!

Even I, a softy southerner, was able to understand that, although I would have translated "I tha wuz..." as "If I were...".

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Even I, a softy southerner, was able to understand that, although I would have translated "I tha wuz..." as "If I were...".

Maybe in a written context it is easier to understand, but believe me, Barnsley and the Dearne Valley has the stereotypical Yorkshire accent that even I, only 15 mile up the road, can struggle to understand.

 

[BTB 500]

My wife (German) is pretty good at understanding a Glaswegian friend now, but still completely floored by a Geordie we know

 

[MOCAŠ]

My wife (German) is pretty good at understanding a Glaswegian friend now, but still completely floored by a Geordie we know

Well, I knew they could be violent, but really...