Non-native English speakers... what about our English?

by **jpguy** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:07 am

I honestly feel a bit (just a bit) embarrassed when I can't figure out how to write an expression, I have it on my mind and sometimes when I try to write it in English is a bit... difficult :lol:

Sometimes I think my expression are well-written but there's something about native speakers, they figure out wether I speak English as my primary language or not ... as in any other language...

I sometimes have to use Google Translator or Definitions.com to find out the meaning of certain words in here like "sussed" (just read that one) :oops:

Some people here have an amazing English writing and their expressions are so well-made, almost like those articles you read in reviews or news papers(Jim Jim, Sambo, King_Oxymoron) (sounds cheesy I know :oops:

) but probably that's how I put it out as I don't speak Enligsh as my native language...

I never took any English lessons, I learnt it by myself through music, movies and reading... I don't know but if I had to rate my English knowledge I'd rate it at 65 % perhaps ! :oops:

maybe I'm wrong...
I know of lots of people here learning Enlgish, so I don't know... I just opened this thread to get some opinions :lol:

EDITED> I can't read a book in English in its entirety, I just can't , the vocabulary is so bast and complex... some words (specially those dedicated to poetry) are the most remote words in English, almost as if it was a coloquial text... I tried twice to read Harry Potter, and then Water for Elephants, it was so hard I had to sell the later book to a friend of mine... trying to read it at the bus and skipping over 2, 3 words per page was horrible...

by **Briconic** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:15 am

^Well if it makes you feel better I always thought it was your native language when I'd read your posts. You have much better grammar than a lot of posters on here who claim English as their primary language. :lol:

And that's really awesome that you learned it the way you did...it's a notoriously hard language to learn as it uses bits and pieces from other languages. So kudos.

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:02 am

Out of the non-native speakers, you are one of the best ones on here I can assure you!

I've often heard that English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, as there are a lot of rules and aspects to it that don't make sense or are illogical (by comparison to other languages). Furthermore, with so much slang and colloquialisms being used on here, and the internet in general, it can make it even more difficult. Urban Dictionary can come in handy for that.

by **Leo92** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:06 am

jpguy wrote:I sometimes have to use Google Translator or Definitions.com to find out the meaning of certain words in here like "sussed" (just read that one)

I never took any English lessons, I learnt it by myself through music, movies and reading...

Same here. I still don't know all the gramatical rules though; I don't even know the difference between "Thanks" and "Thank you" and it annoys me :lol:

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:25 am

^ There isn't really a difference between those, 'thanks' is just a shorter, more informal way of saying it. 'Thank you' is more formal and direct... kinda like saying 'hello' instead of 'hi'.

by **AlexZ** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:31 am

JimJim wrote:Out of the non-native speakers, you Furthermore, with so much slang and colloquialisms being used on here, and the internet in general, it can make it even more difficult.

+1
THIS!!!

by **Leo92** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 4:41 am

JimJim wrote:^ There isn't really a difference between those, 'thanks' is just a shorter, more informal way of saying it. 'Thank you' is more formal and direct... kinda like saying 'hello' instead of 'hi'.

Ah ok. Thank you :lol:

. In a film ('Spanglish' :lol:

) one mexican lady says "No, thanks" and the american lady replies with "*many things* and it's 'thank you' by the way", that's why I assumed there was a difference

by **Crazy4Brit** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:36 am

Jpguy this is one of the best threads i've seen since i joined ukmix about 2,5 years ago! Learning non-school english and slangs are the main reasons i'm here (along with my passion for music). The language i am taught at school is WAY too formal for a 18 year-old boy! :-?

by **irishguy28** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:46 am

jpguy - wow, I'm impressed! For someone who never took any English lessons, your English is extremely good.

by **mattsky** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:34 am

@jpguy
Your english is perfect IMO.

by **sambo9** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:42 am

irishguy28 wrote:jpguy - wow, I'm impressed! For someone who never took any English lessons, your English is extremely good.

Yeah, as am I! I have the up-most respect for anyone that can teach themselves an entire language all by themselves!

by **irishguy28** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:43 am

sambo9 wrote:I have the up-most respect

Don't you mean utmost?

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:45 am

sambo9 wrote:I have the up-most respect

As much as I hate it when people do this to me, I have to say it given the topic... utmost* :lol:

Please don't hate me!

by **Crazy4Brit** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:48 am

Can anyone be so kind to explain me the difference between "beach" and "b!tch"? Thanks

by **sambo9** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:52 am

Irony is taking a serious hit today. :cry:

by **irishguy28** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:53 am

Good recovery!

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:53 am

Crazy4Brit wrote:Can anyone be so kind to explain me the differente between "beach" and "b!tch"? Thanks

Is this a serious question? :lol:

A beach is a sandy piece of coastline...

A bitch is a female dog or a rude/bad woman...

Last.fm · by **Marshall** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:54 am

by **irishguy28** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:54 am

Note: There are literally MILLIONS of examples of each. :lol:

Last.fm · by **Marshall** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:55 am

JimJim wrote:A bitch is a female dog or a rude/bad woman...

SHANNEN?! WHY??!!!

:lol:

by **sambo9** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:55 am

irishguy28 wrote:Good recovery!

I have grammatical errors all the time (again, it was only last year when I stopped using "could of") but that was a genuine pun because jpguy listed me as having "well-made" English, which couldn't be further from the truth. :lol:

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:56 am

Marshall wrote:
SHANNEN?! WHY??!!!

It came up when I typed it into Google Images :lol:

by **Crazy4Brit** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:56 am

I wasn't ironic! I was talking about the pronounce!!

by **JimJim** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:58 am

Crazy4Brit wrote:I wasn't ironic! I was talking about the pronunce!!

Oh, you mean how are they pronounced differently?

Beach is pronounced 'bee-ch' (Like the start of 'Beyonce' + the start of 'church')
Bitch is pronounced 'bit-ch' (Like the start of 'Bitter' + the start of 'church')

by **irishguy28** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 9:07 am

"Beach" rhymes with "teach", "preach" etc.

"Bitch" rhymes with "rich", "kitsch", etc.