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Practising English
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:30
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:32
quote:Digitalis schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:26:
Yes, I have an American accent. But thank God it actually sounds American instead of a Dutch kid trying to be cool. I can get myself a British accent but it's just harder and I'm lazy
Well I like to think I sound pretty American too and not Dutch anymore, ever since a Canadian came up to me after I had given a presentation at a work-related event and asked me whether I was Canadian too Although I can't really tell the difference between Canadian and American. I can do a British accent, especially since my boyfriend's a Brit so I'm exposed to it a lot, but for some reason I just feel like a fraud when I speak with a British accent. Which is funny as my American accent is just as 'fake' as I'm not a native speaker
Yes, I have an American accent. But thank God it actually sounds American instead of a Dutch kid trying to be cool. I can get myself a British accent but it's just harder and I'm lazy
Well I like to think I sound pretty American too and not Dutch anymore, ever since a Canadian came up to me after I had given a presentation at a work-related event and asked me whether I was Canadian too Although I can't really tell the difference between Canadian and American. I can do a British accent, especially since my boyfriend's a Brit so I'm exposed to it a lot, but for some reason I just feel like a fraud when I speak with a British accent. Which is funny as my American accent is just as 'fake' as I'm not a native speaker
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:32
I'm a translator, I've lived in the USA for a few summers when my father taught university in Pennsylvania; I've lived in the UK for over a year and I haven't read anything other than English for 20 years now.
Unfortunately I fell in love with a French man... although I speak French fluently, I'll never love French the same way...
Unfortunately I fell in love with a French man... although I speak French fluently, I'll never love French the same way...
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:34
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:38
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:38
Speak, not talk
Elvestad, happens to me all the time! So funny, but annoying as well. I had to learn English and I practised a lot I guess (though I tend to learn quite fast when it comes to languages) and I feel like "Hey, it's not my native language and I speak more than one!"
It just depends on where I am. Ever since I've been to South Africa I use 'as well' a lot...In England I'm influenced by the obvious British accent and then it's harder to maintain my American accent. Same goes for Dutch. I live in Belgium and when I'm talking to a Flemish person, my accent is totally different.
Elvestad, happens to me all the time! So funny, but annoying as well. I had to learn English and I practised a lot I guess (though I tend to learn quite fast when it comes to languages) and I feel like "Hey, it's not my native language and I speak more than one!"
It just depends on where I am. Ever since I've been to South Africa I use 'as well' a lot...In England I'm influenced by the obvious British accent and then it's harder to maintain my American accent. Same goes for Dutch. I live in Belgium and when I'm talking to a Flemish person, my accent is totally different.
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:40
quote:robo schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:38:
As long as we're pointing out mistakes in spelling and/or grammar:
@digi: annoying (2 n's)
@lunax: gets sloppy (not: get's)
@iris: you speak it quite well (not: quite good as it's not an adjective but an adverb)
I knew that English isn't that hard when it comes to grammar, but nothing beats Spanish.
So far, so good; I'll put my red marker away now
As long as we're pointing out mistakes in spelling and/or grammar:
@digi: annoying (2 n's)
@lunax: gets sloppy (not: get's)
@iris: you speak it quite well (not: quite good as it's not an adjective but an adverb)
I knew that English isn't that hard when it comes to grammar, but nothing beats Spanish.
So far, so good; I'll put my red marker away now
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:42
quote:Digitalis schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:28:
[...]
I lived in a few countries but actually never in English speaking countries. I taught English though.
What about you?
You thaught it? Nice. So you know all the grammar rulez and such. I am bad with that. Mostly I just listen to what I think sounds best (and that is not always what is grammatically correct unfortunately ).
I worked for international (mostly American) companies and now I have an American boyfriend. That helps a lot.
[...]
I lived in a few countries but actually never in English speaking countries. I taught English though.
What about you?
You thaught it? Nice. So you know all the grammar rulez and such. I am bad with that. Mostly I just listen to what I think sounds best (and that is not always what is grammatically correct unfortunately ).
I worked for international (mostly American) companies and now I have an American boyfriend. That helps a lot.
if they like you you'll know, if they don't you'll be confused
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:43
quote:robo schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:38:
As long as we're pointing out mistakes in spelling and/or grammar:
@digi: annoying (2 n's)
@lunax: gets sloppy (not: get's)
@iris: you speak it quite well (not: quite good as it's not an adjective but an adverb)
So far, so good; I'll put my red marker away now Hihi I think that is 'spreektaal'
As long as we're pointing out mistakes in spelling and/or grammar:
@digi: annoying (2 n's)
@lunax: gets sloppy (not: get's)
@iris: you speak it quite well (not: quite good as it's not an adjective but an adverb)
So far, so good; I'll put my red marker away now Hihi I think that is 'spreektaal'
if they like you you'll know, if they don't you'll be confused
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:49
Yeah, I tend to learn a language quite fast too. But I also just like to be very good at speaking foreign languages (which sometimes annoys others ). I would really like to be able to speak Russian too because I think it would be so cool to be able to speak Russian! But for now, I'm sticking to English. Also, I'm a PhD student, so being able to speak and write English well is kind of a necessity.
What do you guys think of sayings in English? My personal favorite is '...and Bob's your uncle!'
What do you guys think of sayings in English? My personal favorite is '...and Bob's your uncle!'
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:51
quote:fladder schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:46:
That's probably the best advice Kym; get an English speaking boyfriend!
My boyfriend is English as well. The only thing is that he is so polite that he doesn't always correct me, quite annoying!
Hihi I specifically asked him to help me with it.
I had difficulties understanding when for example he texted me. Cause he was using not the complete full and grammatically correct sentences but more the spoken version, like he would use to his friends.
But I am improving cause I almost always get it
That's probably the best advice Kym; get an English speaking boyfriend!
My boyfriend is English as well. The only thing is that he is so polite that he doesn't always correct me, quite annoying!
Hihi I specifically asked him to help me with it.
I had difficulties understanding when for example he texted me. Cause he was using not the complete full and grammatically correct sentences but more the spoken version, like he would use to his friends.
But I am improving cause I almost always get it
if they like you you'll know, if they don't you'll be confused
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:54
maandag 1 juni 2009 om 14:54
quote:fladder schreef op 01 juni 2009 @ 14:46:
That's probably the best advice Kym; get an English speaking boyfriend!
My boyfriend is English as well. The only thing is that he is so polite that he doesn't always correct me, quite annoying!Yup, that's true. I specifically told my American friends & English boyfriend to correct my English if I would say something incorrect as I would like to improve And also as I could imagine hearing the same mistake over and over again gets annoying too
That's probably the best advice Kym; get an English speaking boyfriend!
My boyfriend is English as well. The only thing is that he is so polite that he doesn't always correct me, quite annoying!Yup, that's true. I specifically told my American friends & English boyfriend to correct my English if I would say something incorrect as I would like to improve And also as I could imagine hearing the same mistake over and over again gets annoying too
