Job Discussion Forums

btsmrtfan · Joined: 01 Jul 2010 Posts: 193 Location: GPS Not Working

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/24/saudi-citizen-texas-charged-suspected-bombing-plot/

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Why go after Bush's house? That bit makes no sense.

johnslat · Posted: Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:38 pm Post subject:

"It quoted one of his entries as saying, "And now, after mastering the English language, learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target the infidel Americans, it is time for Jihad."

Well, it must be admitted that his English IS pretty good - nice parallelism there.
I would have added the "Oxford comma" - . . , and continuous planning . . ."
and his avoidance of contractions (i.e. " . . . it is . . ." ) is a good tip-off he's not a native speaker. Moreover, I'd say the capital "J" in Jihad, is uncalled for.
However, all in all, I'd give him an "A."

Good work all you ESL/EFL teachers who had him as a student Very Happy

.

Regards,
John

Kornan DeKobb · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 242

Dear John,

I have taught my students not to write contractions unless they are quoting speech or in informal writing just to save a few keystrokes.

In addition to your criticisms, beginning a sentence with "And" might be enough to sway me to give him an A-.

Cheers,
KK

johnslat · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 3:56 pm Post subject:

Dear Kornan DeKobb,

I've become much less of a "formalist/prescriptivist" over the years. And (tee-hee) the trend seems to be flowing in that direction:

"Contrary to what your high school English teacher told you, there's no reason not to begin a sentence with but or and; in fact, these words often make a sentence more forceful and graceful. They are almost always better than beginning with however or additionally. Beginning with but or and does make your writing less formal; � but worse things could happen to most writing than becoming less formal."

http://ethnicity.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/b.html

But to each his/her own. Very Happy

Regards,
John

Prof.Gringo

johnslat · Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 5:47 pm Post subject:

Dear Prof.Gringo,

May I suggest that you google "why profiling doesn't work."

Regards,
John

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:47 am Post subject:

johnslat · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:50 am Post subject:

Dear Prof.Gringo,

If you're talking about "physical traits," well, I had a good number of Saudi students in my classes who, if you shaved off their mustaches/beards would look like Europeans/Americans - some were even blond.

Regards,
John

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 3:55 am Post subject:

Kornan DeKobb · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 242

Prof.Gringo

chaiplz · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 108 Location: Boston, MA

i would take anything fox 'news' reports on with a grain of salt.

on that note.. I might take the tequila to go with it.

Not to say it didn't happen, but they have a tendency to mix things up a bit so to speak (dare I say exaggerate) .. they seem to like frantic Americans terrified of things/cultures they don't understand. Rolling Eyes

Little Tiger · Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:42 am Post subject:

chaiplz · Joined: 20 Mar 2011 Posts: 108 Location: Boston, MA