Job Discussion Forums

Seonsaengnim · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 10

Here's an ESL skit/sketch comedy related to teaching in Saudi Arabia and common pronunciation problems. Enjoy and please forward to your friends!

Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_0HdCEF-D0

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

So... is anyone in this group of giggling men a member here? I see a new career on Saturday Night Live... but Abdulhitman needs to work on a new name for the marquee...

VS

Vertical · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 34 Location: Saudi Arabia

Oh yes... this is really quite humorous. Laughing

It really is nice to be beside the seashore! Cool

Nice editing too.. Anyone have an idea which SW he used to edit it so cleanly?
Vert..!

Seonsaengnim · Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 10

Yep.. I believe all the guys are members of this forum! This was shot in Dammam and the editing was done with iMovie on a Macbook. The content of the video is by no means meant to make fun of Arabic speakers in their efforts to speak English... it is just meant to be a humorous sketch comedy ironically twisting the BP disaster into a linguistic skit.

Thanks for viewing!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Ah ha!! ...so which one is you? Cool

I personally didn't think that it insulted the subjects. The only problem was that most of them were difficult to hear and understand, so someone who is not an EFL teacher might not even hear what they were doing wrong.

What it needed was some Arabic speakers with quite good English, and a good sense of humor, to show how this "broblem" stays with them, even though they can read and understand the words on your list. Like my friend who has been in the US for over 20 years and majored in TEFL in Kuwait, but still must remember to take her "burse" after she "barks" the car. (and threatens to hit me with said burse when I mention it)

VS
(BTW... do the Chinese mix up the r/l? I thought it was Japanese.)

Never Ceased To Be Amazed · Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 7:18 pm Post subject:

cheapshoes · Joined: 05 Oct 2010 Posts: 24 Location: Saudi

Koreans have a problem with R/L, F, P and Z.

One of my Korea co-workers has a pretty good sense of humor. We were going to lunch and another co-worker asked, "Are you ready?". He said, "Me no ready, me gentleman!". He taught me a lot of Konglish and took my punctuation down more than a notch.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Was this funny ? Have I lost my sense of humour ?

Grendal · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 9:40 pm Post subject:

Vertical · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 34 Location: Saudi Arabia

aaah on a Macbook!
I've managed to avoid those fruit machines for over 30 years and now, they've finally managed to get them to do something useful. That's very nice work Mac, great effort .. a bright, shiny, gold star.
Oh well, back to Windows Movie Maker ... uurrgghh..

On the other point ...
Egyptians have a problem with s/z "I went zere last night but forgot to take my zmokes."
And what's up with the overuse and generally misuse of "much"?
"It was much expensive!"

Sighhhh..
Vert

Vertical · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 34 Location: Saudi Arabia

*ps* Yes Scot, it was funny. (Well I thought so.)
Maybe desperately flipping through over 400 channels of Arabic TV has made me less critical, but I did laugh aloud, at least twice.
And I was quite impressed by the production too.
I do agree the sound was difficult to hear at times, but that's understandable under the circumstances..
I do miss Discovery channel... but the Arabic message was translated for me last night. "Please insert Iqama into smart card slot" or something to that effect.
Vert

Makakilo · Joined: 20 Dec 2010 Posts: 9

Yes we are members LOL.
and the name is abu hitman, not abdul Smile

Thanks for watching!!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Makakilo · Joined: 20 Dec 2010 Posts: 9

No way jose but thanks for the arabic lesson