Job Discussion Forums

[Ben Round de Bloc]

After spending lots of time as an EFL teacher, do you ever catch yourself using non-standard English (often false cognates) that you've picked up from your students and/or non-native English-speaking fellow teachers?

Here are some common ones that the few of us native English-speaking teachers where I work have noticed ourselves using from time to time:

- present an exam instead of take an exam
Students will present their midterm exams next week.
- pass the list instead of take attendance
Most teachers pass the list at the beginning of each class.
- faltas instead of absences
If you have too many faltas, you won't be allowed to present the final exam.
- assist instead of attend
I have to go now. I have a meeting to assist.

[saraswati]

Hi Ben!
Yes, I find myself doing that quite often.

Here's another situation. How many, especially those who have lived her quite a while, find that when trying to think of a synonym for a word, what first pops into your mind is the same word but in Spanish? [/b]

[MELEE]

As far as bad English, I've completely picked up in the night.

I also say things like "We're gonna tener a party next week." Usually I wouldn't even notice it except for the strang looks people are giving me.

But my all time favorite was when my former boss called and extordinary meeting for those planning on attending an upcoming conference.

[thelmadatter]

Oh yes, faltas, bitacoras, and carrera/career for major.

They also have this habit here of calling female teachers "Miss + first name" in stead of title and surname. I fought it the first semester but surrendered this semester.

[angelacaruso]

I have a mexican boyfriend as well and i catch myself saying things like him such as, " I dont feel to do certain things ( emotionally speaking) or I have used the word ganas in english sentences, this happens when we don't really have a direct translation for certain words!

[chula]

Yeah, I've been feeling a little disubicated lately too.

[Guy Courchesne]

I ginf myself using the verb to pass a lot more now in English, such as "I'll pass for your house later" or "We're going to pass a good time'. Some friends pointed that out last time I went back home to Canada, which I've also started to pronounce now as ca-na-DA.

The funniest I hear are Chicanos...Mexican Americans from Southern Cal...great vocabulary. Watchear, parkear...

[annabelinda]

I'm a Brit that now takes a shower rather than has one, passes for friends rather than picks them up at their houses and (this is one is really slack) regularly ends sentences with "....., no?" Terrible, no?

[hooshootoo]

I am a French Creole from Louisiana. I write in Standard English and actually use it when north of the Red River. However, as soon as I get home to South Louisiana, I "pass a good time," invite people to pass my house and "get down," and actually found myself teaching a grandchild to ALWAYS be "polite" by asking everyone he meets "hows ya mama-n-em?" One of my best friends is a linguist. She says that Standard English is the language of the international marketplace and must be used outside of our ethnic communities. However, it would be incorrect for me to insist on Standard English in my French community. I sure am glad because I do love to "pass a good time."

[thelmadatter]