Speak English, if you speak at all (to all advanced)

  • You see that is why i'm so upset that is what i keep trying to explain to everyone
    the purpose of language is communication
    and i'm blamed for i'm unhappy and angry

  • this theme is doomed

  • Join your conversation, was well.

  • Sergio. The style you're using here looks most dull and lifeless. School language. If we're free from school and not competing in poetic skills, we should upgrading to a more living speech. And that IS the problem of many educated people.

  • Let change the theme.
    For example we can speak about live in others countries
    Maybe someone was in Australia, Cuba or Jamaica, or any other intresting place :)
    Let's speak about people who lives there, about their customs and so on..

    :)

  • dear Serjio
    just look to what you've written and stop to think about your own world
    if you don't wanna speak with such beginners, so stop it
    you see, there's a lot of opinions and it's very difficult to find the really "top minded people"
    you won't persuade them, 'coz they don't need the things you're following
    and, for the case if you don't know, the main tip for speakers is to speak in simple words to be understandable

  • Thank you all for entertainment and English lesson!
    I was in the USA in 1996 and in Canada in 1997 - rather long time ago.
    I learned English mostly by myself at home and did not have practice. At my university (State University Higher School of Economics 1994-2000) I passed test that indicated the level of English. My results in 1994 were rather high (90%) and I was moved to a group of students finished schools specializing on studying English. We began to learn French, but for the first year they also taught us English once a week. I felt very unsure because other students were really good in English. Our teacher did not like me because of my poor English. In the end of the year she said that I made a big progress but still was weak. She said: I give you "4" but it's close to "3". Students did not respect her because she was not a real teacher, she just asked us to read, translate, listen - all that we could do at home.
    My short trip to the USA (NY) changed my psychology. I met in shops, taxi, streets many immigrants that used few words with many mistakes and awful pronunciation. They were happy with their English. I began to speak more fluently and feel much more free. During my second trip Canadians told me that I speak very well, I was able to translate conversation between top-managers of one big company and Russian official. I did not know some specific terms but people at the table found the way to explain to each other what they meant.

    In 1998 we had once-a-week English course again in our university. I was the favorite student of our teacher. I received "5", inspite we did not study the language for 3 years (I took twice 2 short English courses).

    Now I'm again a bigginer, because of lack of practice. I lost my knowlege of grammer and most of vocabulary. But I need English to receive a perspective job. Today I found your forum. It's good idea to "talk" in English, but it's a pity there is no professional teacher/expat who could correct sometimes our sentences. Today I also found a great site for those who study English - http://enative.narod.ru/index.htm
    It's filled with many useful tools and information.

    From time to time I read in English (Moscow times, Internet, books), but I feel that I need a practice - conversation, written translation with tutor or native speaker check and help. Tomorow I'm going for free English lesson. If I like their approach and price I'll probably join. Or I'll take 5 lessons with tutor (my friend's mother, $20 per lesson) to warm my memory up.

  • Учу английский в "живой среде" в Англии. Пока "очень зеленая", но двигаюсь уверенно вперед. Моя практика - в окружении, но буду рада общаться с соотечественниками ))))) Пока.

  • I was out on business, came back and was surprised to see that the branch is alive. Hallo to everybody! A new theme has been offered, but why not launch a new topic? This branch’s getting too “heavy”. Well then, it’s up to you, OK.
    I happened to be in Italy and must say that if you know English you’ll understand and be understood in all shops and cafe. Though not equally correctly.
    An anecdote about co-understanding poor English:
    Two Russian spies are meeting at appointed place and exchanging code phrases they had been taught in Russia.
    -Which watch?
    -Six watch.
    -Such much?
    -Whom how.

  • Hi to everyone. It's a bit funny to "speak" English to Russians instead of using our own mother tongue, well, why not? I'm an English teacher at school. So it's both my job and hobby. I've been to the States, Germany, Greece and Sweeden, then I worked as an interpreter. And I've always remembered my teacher who used to say "if you want to speak good English, first think of what to say and then of how to say it". As a matter of fact he was and is absolutely right. If you have smth to say don't think of possible mistakes. No one will notice them (certainly if it doesn't affect your work). I mean in everyday life. I've never met a "native" who would correct my mistakes when we're speaking about things he is interested in. And I don't think it's a kind of good manners to correct someone speaking a foreign language especially if it's not your native langauge either. Isn't it strange to hear that from a teacher? I had an uncle who didn't know any foreign language but he was able to communicate with any person. I think it's some kind of art or gift to communicate with other people, though it can be taught. That's what I try to do. As for the language itself I think it's the most amusing thing in the world to study. Master your English and there's no end to it.
    By the way, as for reading, there're a lot of audibooks now. They're quite helpful and you can choose an up-to-date version of Shakespeare, for example. (and there're also grammar mistakes there! - in Penguin books). I've got some and can mail them.
    With best regards.
    P.S. Can anyone wtite a few words about good teachers he meets? Or about useful ways of learning English? (self-education or others)