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dutchman
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: My backyard
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 Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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When studying Spanish in high school I (as well as most of the other students) answered pretty much every question the teacher asked with "mas o menos". It's not just ESL students. It's the lazy, unmotivated response given by language students all over the world.  |
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katydid
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...
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| Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:54 pm Post subject: |
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| True true...comme ci, comme ca! |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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| I'd like to add 'Nice to meet you.' It only works once. |
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waggo
Joined: 18 May 2003
Location: pusan baby!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 3:57 am Post subject: |
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| So-So is from Indonesia. |
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katydid
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:01 am Post subject: |
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| schwa wrote: |
| I'd like to add 'Nice to meet you.' It only works once. |
I try to tell my kids that. You see me first day, it's "Nice to meet you." After that, "Nice to see you" works fine. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:23 am Post subject: |
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When my students say "so-so" I always say "Why? Do you have a little headache? Are you tired?" Then I wait for an answer.  The students quickly switch to "okay" or "not bad". Not a problem anymore.
I remember when learning French as a second language back in Canada, us students really liked to say:
"comme ci, comme ca"
Like katydid posted, and, contra waggo, suggesting a culturally closer origin than Indonesia. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:30 am Post subject: |
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| "so-so, nothing special, and ok" are usually delivered after 5 minutes of strenuous silent deliberation. These replies demand a swift smack on the head with your plastic teacher hammer. |
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peppermint
Joined: 13 May 2003
Location: traversing the minefields of caddishness.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:31 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, I know they are just stock phrases so I'll get off their back- that's why I don't allow them, particularly in upper level classes. I want them to be able to communicate- not appease the blonde ESL monster at the front of the classroom.
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Gord
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:41 am Post subject: Re: No more "so-so." Join my crusade! |
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| Newbie wrote: |
Just started my second year here and I'm on a new mission. I must rid every Korean student of the words "so-so" !
Where the heck did they pick this up from! I don't think I've ever heard more than 2 native speakers respond to "How are you?" or "did you have a good time?" with "so-so".
Please help me in my crusade. We must teach them "ok", "not bad", "alright" anything but "so-so"!! |
What part of the world are you from? What do you mean "where the heck did they pick this up from"? "So so" is a common idiom meaning acceptable and nothing more. Google shows it turning up in nearly a million sites, and even Google News shows it being used in no less than a thousand newspaper articles in the last 30 days. |
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just because
Joined: 01 Aug 2003
Location: Changwon - 4964
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:49 am Post subject: |
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| rapier wrote: |
These replies demand a swift smack on the head with your plastic teacher hammer.
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I had one of these. It doesn't hurt the kid at all, and makes a squeking sound. |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 4:55 am Post subject: |
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| just because wrote: |
| rapier wrote: |
These replies demand a swift smack on the head with your plastic teacher hammer.
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I had one of these. It doesn't hurt the kid at all, and makes a squeking sound. |
The kid or the ruler? |
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Newbie
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:04 am Post subject: Re: No more "so-so." Join my crusade! |
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| Gord wrote: |
| Newbie wrote: |
Just started my second year here and I'm on a new mission. I must rid every Korean student of the words "so-so" !
Where the heck did they pick this up from! I don't think I've ever heard more than 2 native speakers respond to "How are you?" or "did you have a good time?" with "so-so".
Please help me in my crusade. We must teach them "ok", "not bad", "alright" anything but "so-so"!! |
What part of the world are you from? What do you mean "where the heck did they pick this up from"? "So so" is a common idiom meaning acceptable and nothing more. Google shows it turning up in nearly a million sites, and even Google News shows it being used in no less than a thousand newspaper articles in the last 30 days. |
Ohhhh, that's what it means. Geez, thanks, I forgot the part of my post where I said I didn't know what it means".
And hey, if its on the internet, than it must be ok.
Methinks I was commenting on the fact that it is never really used in normal conversation. I know it does pop in, but I would say that it is sounds native as "fish-E" or "wish-E"
As for your first question, I'm from Toronto. The land where the Queen's English and Yankee English blend wonderfully. (when there's actually any English being used) |
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Tony Danza's Houseguest
Joined: 24 Jan 2004
Location: Osan Dong
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 5:49 am Post subject: |
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| I'm from Minnesota, the land where everybody talks like they've been hit with a hammer, and we say "so-so," though not as often as we say "It's cold out." |
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ajuma
Joined: 18 Feb 2003
Location: Anywere but Seoul!!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 6:16 am Post subject: |
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| In the Korean language "See you again" is the standard "goodbye". I explain to my students that REAL English speakers NEVER say that. I also explain that "Have a good time" is only used if someone (the person leaving) is going to an event or on a date. A lot of the older Korean textbooks use these phrases, but the newer ones are more up to date. |
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cacheSurfer
Joined: 07 Dec 2003
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| Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 6:23 am Post subject: |
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| The Lemon wrote: |
It's a noble crusade. Let me add two more to the jihad:
"Did you have a good lunch?"
"OK!" |
I hate the "OK" response more than anything! 
I ask a yes-or-no question and I get an "OK". It drives me insane.
Yes, we need to help these Koreans. |
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