Subject: Jo´s Language Corner
Posted by: jolana
Date: Jun 10 11
Hi. I don´t mean to start a blog as my life is quite well-ordered and slightly boring. Anyway, I have been learning English for many years and I still come across problems. I´d like to use your knowledge of native-borns and I´d be glad if you could help me in some language problems.
Posted by: jolana
Date: Jun 10 11
Hi. I don´t mean to start a blog as my life is quite well-ordered and slightly boring. Anyway, I have been learning English for many years and I still come across problems. I´d like to use your knowledge of native-borns and I´d be glad if you could help me in some language problems.
173 replies. On page 5 of 9 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
postal315 
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I could read the lyrics! What a happy song, I still like "Tie Me Kangaroo Down" The Southern American accent can be unintellible at times. Don't people giving directions say North South East West. One alternative is the clock face way, or maybe military. Go two miles at twelve o'clock etc. Reply #81. Sep 23 11, 4:55 PM |
lesley153
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How do you do? Have another Australian song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKaUL2mtAqA Reply #82. Sep 23 11, 5:31 PM |
daver852
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I've always liked the movie "Barry McKenzie Holds His Own." The first English language movie with English subtitles! Reply #83. Sep 23 11, 7:50 PM |
| postal315
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Hi lesley, sorry no can do youtube. ( grammer) My old equipment, not a problem with links or whatever. Daver, that's hilarious! Reply #84. Sep 23 11, 8:18 PM |
Blackdresss
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Daver, have you ever tried to watch the movie "Snatch" with Brad Pitt? Even with subtitles, he is completely unintelligible (is that a word?) In fact, some of the subtitles just say this: "???????????" Even they can't figure him out! More on directions and how they vary depending on where you live in a bit. Reply #85. Sep 23 11, 10:07 PM |
romeomikegolf
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Going back to this one "Perhaps it's only rich people, who have a huge house in the country, and a pied-a-terre in London, who still talk about going up to or down from London." The train lines to London were, and possibly still are, called the 'up' lines. The ones out of London were the 'down' lines. So, no matter where you lived, or how rich you were, you always went 'up' to London. Reply #86. Sep 23 11, 11:55 PM |
| postal315
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Blackdress that very movie "Snatch" popped into my mind too. Because the motorhome they call a caravan we call an recreational vehicle RV. A caravan to us is a line of vehicles, like a convoy. Reply #87. Sep 24 11, 12:06 AM |
C30
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Talking of songs and dialects as we were........how about "The Singing Postman"............"Haya Gotta Loight Bor" One of Uncles was a fisherman between the wars om the Herring Drifters out of Lowestoft, inspite of being East Anglian born and bred too, I had trouble making out what he said. Peculiar thing is that Wife Mk.2, who came from North Wales, had no trouble in understanding my Uncle! No troubles here with directions...........Sarf, Nawth, East and West! It is amazing how in these small isles, you only have to travel some 30 miles to get a different dialect. Although, sadly IMO, much of it is dying out, maybe due to media? So much so, that in many cases anywhere "Sarf" of "Watford Gap" (The UK answer to "Mason-Dixon Line"), you get in most places "Estuary English" (based, loosely....very loosely...on the London accent). Reply #88. Sep 24 11, 1:02 AM |
| C30
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Please insert "my", between "of" and "Uncles".........typos! Reply #89. Sep 24 11, 1:04 AM |
| romeomikegolf
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"A caravan to us is a line of vehicles, like a convoy." Here, a caravan (in everyday usage) is a trailer that can be lived in. There are touring caravans, the ones that block the roads in the holiday season, and the ones that are permanently sited on 'parks'. These larger ones are normally called 'mobile homes'. We stayed in one for the last two weeks on holiday. It could sleep 8 (just) and had the same facilities as a house, ie toilet, shower, cooker, fridge, TV etc. Reply #90. Sep 24 11, 6:34 AM |
| lesley153
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It can also be a line of camels. Reply #91. Sep 24 11, 7:35 AM |
| lesley153
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Postie, sorry - it's a duet between a man and a teenage boy. The boy is sitting at a table with a changing array of food, and games, while the man desperately tries to make friendly conversation. The boy continues to eat, play and text, while responding with yep good dunno good yep. You may well have seen it before - and you will see it again if/when you get new equipment. When's your birthday? Reply #92. Sep 24 11, 7:41 AM |
| postal315
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I wasn't born, I was hatched! Just kidding. I'm one of those poor December babies who hardly get any attention because of Christmas. Really my Mom tried extra hard, and woud never put our Christmas tree up until after my birthday on the 13th. Reply #93. Sep 24 11, 8:08 AM |
| C30
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Postal - Know what you mean! Always felt "hard done by" as a kid, other children got Christmas Presents and Birthday Presents - I got one "for Christmas & Birthday"..........OUR tree wasn't put up until after my birthday either. In my case 16th Dec.........and to keep the tradition going, my eldest child was born 22nd Dec! Reply #94. Sep 24 11, 9:32 AM |
| lesley153
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Doesn't the same thing happen with twins? "Happy birthday - I got you a present you can play with together." I do know it's incredibly difficult to buy a birthday card in December. Reply #95. Sep 24 11, 9:38 AM |
| postal315
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Poor twins! My sisters and I didn't play together, as I hate dolls and would much rather play with Breyer Horses. At Christmas, someone would always get me a doll. I would unwrap the gift see it was a doll and just pass it over to my sister "Here, one for you." Ungrateful little brat, wasn't I? I often wondered why they kept trying to change my taste. By age 12 thw whole family should have got the point Reply #96. Sep 24 11, 11:44 AM |
| lesley153
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I had a dolly once, when I was six or seven. I had no idea what it was for and what I was supposed to do with it. I remember feeling guilty enough once to pretend to talk to it, but I don't suppose I was very convincing. Who on earth would give a doll to a twelve-year-old? Argh! Reply #97. Sep 24 11, 12:38 PM |
tiepolo
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I liked the occasional baby doll, as well as some paper dolls, but I spent most of my time with my Lincoln Logs. Where did our mothers go wrong? :) Reply #98. Sep 24 11, 12:56 PM |
| tiepolo
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I guess Lincoln Logs don't have much to do with language, but maybe Jolana will like knowing there is/was a toy named after Honest Abe. Reply #99. Sep 24 11, 12:58 PM |
martin_cube
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This is a fascinating thread. I wish I'd found it earlier. Back to the birthday/Christmas tack, my youngest brother has 3 children. They first was born on December 24th, the next on December 26th the following year and the youngest on December 31st 2 years after that. December is an expensive month! As for London, we always say that we're 'going up that London'. Don't ask me where it came from though. :) Reply #100. Sep 24 11, 1:24 PM |
173 replies. On page 5 of 9 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
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