| Страниц в теме: < [1 2 3] | 10 Words you need to stop misspelling Автор темы: Amy Duncan (X)
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Lingua 5B 
Босния и Герцеговина
Local time: 20:41
Член ProZ.com c 2009
английский => хорватский
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| ;) Great poem, John | Jan 6, 2010 |
Excellent poem. Very educational.
Yes, the discordance between English spelling and pronunciation is problematic enough for native speakers, let alone foreign speakers.
In my language, for example, we have one letter = one phoneme scheme, which is much simpler.
This is also why dyslexia is much more present in English speaking countries/ people, due to the phonetic structure of the language.
[Edited at 2010-01-06 21:31 GMT]
| | | | Steffen Walter
Германия
Local time: 20:41
Член ProZ.com c 2002
английский => немецкий
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| The double-consonant elimination exercise | Jan 6, 2010 |
Prior to reading this thread, it never occured to me that so many English words can be shortened by one letter in order to accomodate the economy of language in everyday usage. Also, the cost incured by ocupying too much space on servers and other computers could be lowred significantly. And while we're at the cost issue, it is of course always important to repay principle and intrest on time
| | | | Rachel Fell
Великобритания
Local time: 19:41
французский => английский
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| English grammar knowledge | Jan 7, 2010 |
This is dated 2004 (Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (2004), 24:126-145 Cambridge University Press)
With the rise of communicative methodology in the late 1970s, the role of grammar instruction in second language learning was downplayed, and it was even suggested that teaching grammar was not only unhelpful but might actually be detrimental. However, recent research has demonstrated the need for formal instruction for learners to attain high levels of accuracy. This has led to a... See more This is dated 2004 (Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (2004), 24:126-145 Cambridge University Press)
With the rise of communicative methodology in the late 1970s, the role of grammar instruction in second language learning was downplayed, and it was even suggested that teaching grammar was not only unhelpful but might actually be detrimental. However, recent research has demonstrated the need for formal instruction for learners to attain high levels of accuracy. This has led to a resurgence of grammar teaching, and its role in second language acquisition has become the focus of much current investigation.
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract;jsessionid=58AD4FCF2A719FC822ABFD84D5CB5984.tomcat1?fromPage=online&aid=223396
I think it was "downplayed" in first language teaching shortly before then, which is why many people are hazy about it - and only last year we had this misguidedness (in my view...):
The spelling mantra "i before e except after c" is no longer worth teaching, according to the government.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8110573.stm ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Испания
Local time: 19:41
Член ProZ.com c 2007
английский
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| another controversial suggestion | Jan 7, 2010 |
I agree that something needs to be taught, and I still remember the rhyme, although I also remember it had to end in "except for ..." But with the addition of innovative teaching methods (such as a little reward for each valid exception presented to the class).
However, to conclude the article, the BBC cites Jack Bovill, chairman of the Spelling Society, who
added that it would be helpful if spelling were allowed to evolve.
(Thank goodness that wasn't written "helpfull")
Now, I would really like to see the end of our "gh" words - the Americans have already made a start with plow for plough. I really hate having to justify the pronunciation of these words to my adult English students, words like: bough, cough, rough, though, through
Perhaps we could start something here ar ProZ?
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Oliver Walter
Великобритания
Local time: 19:41
немецкий => английский
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| My 2 comments | Jan 7, 2010 |
They're mine too, except for "effect" and "affect": however, judging from the "contact" page linked from that one, emailing the author would not effect a change.
I learned that it is (almost?) always valid if expanded to "i before e except after c, when the sound is 'ee''"
Oliver
| | | | Christine Andersen
Дания
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Член ProZ.com c 2003
датский => английский
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| I´d like to join the fuddy duddies too! | Jan 7, 2010 |
Paul Stevens wrote:
Call me an old fuddy-duddy if you like, but, in the UK at least, I feel that mistakes such as these are much more prevalent these days largely because:
(a) by and large, kids in recent years have become a lot lazier in using the written language correctly, partly because of the vastly increased use of texting and
(b) when I was at school, grammar and spelling was drummed into me to such an extent that I would have been ashamed to have made any of these mistakes. Nowadays, these and other grammar or spelling mistakes are commonplace to such an extent that it is not unusual to read newspaper articles which include a number of such errors, and this irritates me enormously!
Same here!
And most of the time - at seven different schools - we actually enjoyed working out the difference between its and it´s, your and you´re etc. etc.
I had a lot of English teachers through a nomadic existence, but they all knew their grammar and made sure we learnt it too. I feel sorry for the children today who are not taught grammar. They often lack a self confidence that we took for granted, and are convinced that learning languages is not for them! Nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without discipline and effort, but it is not impossible.
Even if MT and CATs do take over our profession (and I´ll believe it when I see it, not a minute before!) - the younger generation miss out on the sheer enjoyment of playing with languages and seeing their own in a new perspective.
If it is any comfort, there are similar discussions about Danish, and probably other languages, on this site and elsewhere. Danish grammar, pronunciation and spelling are not entirely logical to Danes, and without a solid linguistic background and/or a good ear for language, they can be a nightmare for foreigners. The ´soft´ consonants and silent letters seem very tenuously related to the sounds... Danes say the same about French and think it is difficult!
À propos foreigners being better at English than the natives, I have indeed learnt a lot about my own language from Danes...
Thanks, Amy for a good, serious laugh!
| | | | | I always laugh when reading the Daily Telegraph and The Times | Jan 8, 2010 |
When I was in school (in Germany) I was tortured with grammar and spelling lessons in English and French. Funnily enough not in German.
I have found out that I was a lot better than the English students in spotting mistakes and spelling errors on the Powerpoint slides we were shown at the College of Law.
Don't misunderstand me: I am fit enough in German grammar as well as my parents were keen teachers.......
Go and read the online editions of the large newspapers: not one sing... See more When I was in school (in Germany) I was tortured with grammar and spelling lessons in English and French. Funnily enough not in German.
I have found out that I was a lot better than the English students in spotting mistakes and spelling errors on the Powerpoint slides we were shown at the College of Law.
Don't misunderstand me: I am fit enough in German grammar as well as my parents were keen teachers.......
Go and read the online editions of the large newspapers: not one single day without really bad errors in spelling and grammar! Lynn Truss' 'He eats, shoots and leaves' should be made a compulsory book for journalists at least at the Daily Telegraph or The Times. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Erik Freitag
Германия
Local time: 20:41
Член ProZ.com c 2006
голландский => немецкий
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| German spelling reform - pointless | Jan 8, 2010 |
This might be slightly off-topic, but still: This discussion and similar ones always remind me how ridiculous, unnecessary and pointless the reform of the German spelling (which compared to English is extraordinarily simple) is.
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| I can spell... | Jan 8, 2010 |
a lot better than most of my English friends...
edit: in English, I meant... lol
[Edited at 2010-01-08 14:13 GMT]
| | | | | And words people need to stop misusing | Jan 8, 2010 |
Translator vs. interpreter.
First of all, I am not going to translate for your meeting. I will translate your speech if you give me a hard copy. But I'm not going to do a "simultaneous translation."
Well, unless you pay me a lot, then you can misuse it all you want. But every time you use the word "translate" incorrectly, I'm going to correct you in my mind.
| | | | LEXpert
США
Local time: 13:41
Член ProZ.com c 2008
хорватский => английский
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| On "Simultaneous Translation", plus my favorite misspelled word | Jan 8, 2010 |
Aside from the fact that customers with good money should be forgiven this quirk or pecadillo, the usage is not wrong in every case. While you are performing "interpreting", your output itself is still "the translation". A listener does not put on his headphones to listen the "interpretation", but the "translation" (even he is listening to the "interpreter" performing "interpreting"). In court, if there is a question about what was said, the reporter would read back "the translation".
... See more Aside from the fact that customers with good money should be forgiven this quirk or pecadillo, the usage is not wrong in every case. While you are performing "interpreting", your output itself is still "the translation". A listener does not put on his headphones to listen the "interpretation", but the "translation" (even he is listening to the "interpreter" performing "interpreting"). In court, if there is a question about what was said, the reporter would read back "the translation".
With translate deriving from the Latin translatus, to transfer or to carry over/across (e.g., into another language), I think the differentiation is more one of result than mode. Interpreting is from L interpretari, to expound, explain, give an understanding. Hence translation is more full, direct, and exact, while interpreting, due to external factors such as the limits of human memory and the need for immediacy of response, is necessarily less so.
To the list of easily misspelled words, I add: surreptitious (NOT surrepEtitious!). ▲ Collapse
| | | | Amy Duncan (X)
Бразилия
Local time: 16:41
португальский => английский
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Автор темы | Fellow Fuddy-Duddies... | Jan 8, 2010 |
I regret to inform you that the word "alright" is now in the dictionary. Oh horrors! Although at least my Collins dictionary has a usage note saying:
The form "alright," though very common, is still considered by many people to be wrong or less acceptable than "all right."
Pass the spirits of ammonia, please!
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Oliver Walter
Великобритания
Local time: 19:41
немецкий => английский
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| More compacted word pairs | Jan 8, 2010 |
Prompted by Amy's "alright", I have noticed frequent misuse consisting of combining other pairs of words into single words:
everyday is an adjective (cups and spoons are everyday objects), not an adverb: example of misuse "We serve hot meals everyday"
similarly with login (and logout), which is a noun, and the verb is log in:
Login on this system takes a long time;
To use this computer you must log in first.
Oliver
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