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Author Topic: Can you explain yourself?  (Read 3146 times)

Offline adamwatch

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Can you explain yourself?
« on: March 18, 2011, 08:47:40 am »
Many posts on this site use English which is not understood by all. It would be a good idea if posters explained some of the terms used, so that others from  different nations can understand them. That way we could all improve our English. I give as an example one post about missing  "Irn Bru", I think many Americans may not know what this is. A little explanation would help.

Just a suggestion

Adam
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Offline Yu_Bumsuk

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2011, 08:51:51 am »
Here's a site where you can find an explanation to any possible non-Americanisms or slang you encounter: www.google.com
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Offline #basedcowboyshirt

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2011, 08:55:51 am »
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Offline JamericanTeacher

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2011, 08:56:22 am »
Quote from: Yu_Bumsuk on March 18, 2011, 08:51:51 am
Here's a site where you can find an explanation to any possible non-Americanisms or slang you encounter: www.google.com

LMAO!!!
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Offline travish65742

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2011, 08:58:19 am »
Ha that's awesome.
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Offline gmosborn

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2011, 09:04:13 am »
As an American I think Yu is quite right.  Yu, I about fell out of my chair when i read your comment thanks for today's best laugh
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Offline Artist Formerly Known as Moderator Jason

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2011, 09:06:08 am »
Quote from: cowboyshirt on March 18, 2011, 08:55:51 am
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=irn+bru

Which is exactly what it did.  it took all of 5 seconds and I posted the wikipedia entry on to the thread.  If I don't understand something, i google or something.  Everybody does under the age of 35...
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Offline rachelshaeh

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2011, 09:07:32 am »
Quote from: Yu_Bumsuk on March 18, 2011, 08:51:51 am
Here's a site where you can find an explanation to any possible non-Americanisms or slang you encounter: www.google.com

bahahahahahaha
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Offline sunshinefiasco

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2011, 09:11:23 am »
Quote from: Yu_Bumsuk on March 18, 2011, 08:51:51 am
Here's a site where you can find an explanation to any possible non-Americanisms or slang you encounter: www.google.com

FACT.
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Offline gmosborn

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2011, 09:12:58 am »
hey! I'm over 40 and use google quite a bit...
I'm 40! I'm a man!.....ok a bit over 40
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Offline Ross84

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2011, 09:20:56 am »
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Offline Halcyon

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2011, 09:29:34 am »
That was brilliant!  Definitely going to win best  :laugh: of the day!
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Offline gilbert.a.h

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2011, 09:32:44 am »
Quote from: adamwatch on March 18, 2011, 08:47:40 am
Many posts on this site use English which is not understood by all. It would be a good idea if posters explained some of the terms used, so that others from  different nations can understand them. That way we could all improve our English. I give as an example one post about missing  "Irn Bru", I think many Americans may not know what this is. A little explanation would help.

Just a suggestion

Adam

Isn't it silly that we have to assume that there is some "standard" English that everybody knows and we are somehow supposed to know which people do understand which words and which people don't???

Wow, it is scary that you would think that. I'm sure you know many words that I haven't a damn clue about, but I'd bet you aren't aware of all of the words that I don't know.

Google is amazing. You can also use just about ANY search engine to find out what words mean. Shesh, there are dictionaries too!!!!!

You are supposed to be a teacher, which means you are supposed to figure out things that you don't know instead of complaining. Imagine if we only taught the students the English they know. That would be super boring (assuming we are all English teachers).
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Offline conorsean

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2011, 09:56:09 am »
Here bes me, wha? Give yersel' a shake leik. every gluebag and their ma knows how you talk Belfast liek. Need till wind yer neck in, mucker. Need to split the scene, the three wheelers are coming in the saracens. Keep 'er lit, ballbags.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2011, 09:57:42 am by conorsean »
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Offline jh162

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2011, 10:16:37 am »
I would suggest www.urbandictionary.com
I find google rarely has good explanations for colloquialisms.
Though not applicaple for the original query here since it's not a local phrase.
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Offline JimmyJenkins

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #15 on: March 18, 2011, 12:03:29 pm »
 ;D

Quote from: conorsean on March 18, 2011, 09:56:09 am
Here bes me, wha? Give yersel' a shake leik. every gluebag and their ma knows how you talk Belfast liek. Need till wind yer neck in, mucker. Need to split the scene, the three wheelers are coming in the saracens. Keep 'er lit, ballbags.
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Offline adamwatch

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #16 on: March 18, 2011, 12:10:38 pm »
Isn't it silly that we have to assume that there is some "standard" English that everybody knows and we are somehow supposed to know which people do understand which words and which people don't???

***Not silly at all. I listened to an American making a speech at the UN today and I remarked how good the English was, I understood every word. If that same American had made a speech with lots of words I did not understand I would be surprised, as a native speaker we share a common basis of English and should be able to understand one another. I think as educators we should conform to a common almost "standard English" whilst realising that there are variations. if we all decided to use local variations of English, then who would understand us ?

Adam
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Offline adamwatch

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #17 on: March 18, 2011, 12:15:19 pm »
"Here bes me, wha? Give yersel' a shake leik. every gluebag and their ma knows how you talk Belfast liek. Need till wind yer neck in, mucker. Need to split the scene, the three wheelers are coming in the saracens. Keep 'er lit, ballbags."

***Thank you for proving my point! It's English but are you suggesting I "google" every word to understand it and would that actually work?

Adam
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Offline elspeth

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #18 on: March 18, 2011, 12:20:45 pm »
Glad to see a humorous thread that WASN'T pruned by the mods.

Props.
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Offline kertrats

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Re: Can you explain yourself?
« Reply #19 on: March 18, 2011, 12:22:44 pm »
I, for one, am into life-long learning, regardless of the form that takes.  When we are teaching our students the rules of grammar and the like, of course we should adhere to standard, international English.  However, having a conversation on the message boards is another story.  I enjoy learning new phrases and idioms from other cultures.  I'm from Canada, and I totally surprised a friend of mine from the UK when I declared an attractive woman to be "quite fit."  He was impressed I used it properly in context.  I love incorporating new things into my speech!

That said, I think teaching some "local flavour" or idioms to your high-level classes is never a bad thing, either.  Just make it clear that it is a special case, and not necessarily "proper English."  I would remember to keep that confined to your high-performing students, though.

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