Job Discussion Forums

Albulbul · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 364

Why do you two want it locked ?

You have something against free speech ?

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

I've come late to this discussion and there are too many posts to go through at one sitting, so if what I am saying has been said in some of the later posts, I hope you will forgive me.

First of all Caper Girl is way out on some of her definitions of first language speakers. The language you learn/acquire second is not necessarily a second language.

If you acquire your second language as a second first language then it is a second L1, not an L2. There are plenty of people with three or even four L2's, though there will be a lot of disglossia involved, and they may be in the strange situation of not being completely fluent in any one of the four.

An L1 is acquired not learnt. There is a cut-off point and that is puberty. There is scarcely a single known case of a person becoming a native speaker of a language they hadn't acquired before puberty. This explains John's original comment.

The myth that second language speakers are better teachers than first language teachers is another hoary old chestnut. The reason is that you are not comparing like with like. Take a bunch of native Spanish speakers who have studied English language and Literature at University, and a bunch of native English speakers who have studied Romance languages and Literature at university, add Delta or equivalent training in linguistics, pedagogy and the structure of their native language, and you are not going to tell me that the Spanish speakers are going to be better teachers of English or vice-versa.

The reason that the students ask for native English speakers is that they have often suffered from the other variety. At least with the native speaker you have some guarantee.

aishaaish · Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Posts: 21

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Stephen

You must not discriminate against people who do not understand the tense system.

TENSIST !

aishaaish · Joined: 04 Apr 2004 Posts: 21

khmerhit · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 6:51 pm Post subject:

OH no, here we go again--the thread that will not end!!!

I think he fancies you, Aish. We all do. I do, anyway.

kh Wink

johnslat · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 7:38 pm Post subject: Time Marches On

Dear aishaaish.

khmerhit · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 7:49 pm Post subject:

Ha! Age shall not wither them.

I'm looking up at a tree, as i type these words, that I first saw in 1968. It doesnt give me quite the mirabile dictu feeling that I had then, but it is still impressive. The possessor of an MA would call this "revisiting" the past, i suppose. Incidentally, why does the lingo get more formulaic and cliched the higher you go up the degree chain?

Just wondering, in my old age.

khmerhit Smile

khmerhit · Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:52 pm Post subject:

What's so great about being a native speaker, anyway?

This is how the natives speak across the river from Capergirl's place. she herself has adverted to the fact that native English aint always what we crack it up to be. Er...or something.

OOOoo-eee. Laughing

http://www.google.ca/search?q=cache:u-PvGOGSpOEJ:www.geocities.com/Heartland/6645/express.html+crazier+bag+of+hammers&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

fat_chris · Joined: 10 Sep 2003 Posts: 3198 Location: Beijing

THIS...THREAD...MUST...DIE!

argh.

Eijse · Joined: 17 Dec 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Yemen (Aden)

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

This is one of the more entertaining threads around. It may go up to 15 pages. BTW what is the longest thread here on Dave's?

Capergirl · Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2004 11:17 am Post subject: