Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Dordi]

Learning English has never been very difficult to me. Sometimes I've got problems when I just can't remember something in my home language (Finnish), I remember it in English and I know exactly what it means but the Finnish word just won't come out! It's annoying, really. Especially because my parents don't understand English...
Once I've had a teacher who couldn't speak English herself at all! She used to ask me how to pronounce the words she was teaching! I'm glad she taught me only a couple of lessons.

[lesliesong]

i think the most difficult is translation. If you don't know which word is match to your native language, it's reallly hard to finish your translation work.
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leslie

[jazzie]

I don't think a word-by-translation is important except you have to do it for school or it's your job. The most significant thing is to get the gist of what you're told.
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"You know, people seldom go to the trouble of scratching the surface of things to find the inner truth." James Stewart in The Shop Around The Corner

[Passerby]

I presume that you could learn a certain language well, could it be English, French, or even Spainish. As long as you continue to learn it and keep practicing it at intervals in your daily life, eventually it's a sure thing that you will master it. Vocabulary is believed to be the top one difficult to conquer, yes, that's infallable. But, that's why you have to keep in inflow of news words from time to time just like your mother language, the same. However, as for the tone an individual carries, that's gonna eb another thing.

I've been learning English for years, and I approve that more or less I learned someting and improved my English ability but my tone, the acsent, it's all the same, not yet changed a lot. That's overdemanding to request myself to be speaking English exactly like a native speaker, the intonation, pronunciation and so forth, all exactly like a foreigner. Sigh, is it because my tongue is set to suit my local language? I did encounter with some guys, who speak the eccentric language exactly like a native and more astonishing is they are pure and simple the locals and they've never been involved in the environment. Wow....

Therefore, I assume everything would be conquered so long as you practice it and prctice it, and practice it but as for the sound, that's another story.

Have you got any good ideas on this? Please, feel free to blast me...

Passerby

[Navid]

Hello all,

In my opinion, it is not true to say whether the grammar structure of English is easy or difficult to learn in general!
I think being easy or difficult depends on our first languages. You have something in our minds (I mean the structure) then we have to change the order (of the sentence which must be said).

You may know in Farsi(Persian) the order is ===> Sunbject+Object+Verb

But in English: Subject+Verb+Object

Just by knowing the rule (S+V+O in English) I can speak clearly. However, I don't know much about other languages, you may say something about your languages then we can compare and decide whether...........!

Anyhow, I think the most difficult item on learning English is "AWARENESS OF NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS� CULTURE".

Let me clarify it by two examples:
1- In Chinese, people prefer to use the verb "BREAK" when they want to say "Their shirts are torn" ---- they use the verb �broken� instead of �torn�!

2- In Farsi(Persian), people prefer to use the verb light instead of turn on when they ask someone to turn the TV on! ok???

BELIEVE ME???????
Navid

[coffeedecafe]

here is something i just read on my mothers' refrigerator. it shows how some words spelled exactly the same in american english can have more than one meaning. a big dictionary might have both meanings listed where a smaller one might not.
a friend from korea just finished learning enough vocabulary to enter his religious doctorate study in u.s school.

reasons why the english language is so hard to learn.
-a bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
-when shot at, the dove dove into the bushes
-the insurance was invalid for the invalid
-there was a row among the oarsmen about how to row
-they were too close to the door to close it
-the buck does funny things when the does are present
-a seamstress and a sewer fell down in the sewer line
-to help with the planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
-after the dentist gave me a number of shots, my jaw got number
-upon seeing the tear in the shed, i shed a tear
-i had to subject the subject to a series of test. he was unprepared in one subject
-how would i intimate this to my most intimate friend?
the bottom of the article says it is from 'glen falls newsletter
if you do not understand every sentence- do not worry. these are not all word meanings you will use all the time. hope you enjoyed it.
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coffeedecafe

[rore1991]

I like to study English, because some reasons for example: when you get more skills for listening or speaking English so you can understand American people much better about their cultures, their customs,their country....And you may also get a better career to get evey thing improve in your life.


The best way to help you improve your English, in my opinion you need to pratice as much as you can everyday. Don be afaird to make a mistake, because if you just want your English perpectly and you never have a chance to do that. You will getting better when you have a mistke, Do you agree with me?


The hardest part to sdudy English is writing, because I came to the U.S.A when I was adult so when ever I write somethings in English I have to think so hard by my language and translate to English. Do you feel the same I do?

I think when you study English, two basic things you have to get are: get a good grammar and good vocabulary, because It really helpfull when you pratice English every day. What your Idiea?

[coffeedecafe]

i think you are right... using something makes it better. i speak only 'american' and very little french and spanish. i also find that i will mispell words on typewriter i would have no problem with if a pen was in my hand. i think the hand memorizes the motions just as the brain memorizes the letters. also typo errors i have to re-read carefully to edit. sometimes i will read it over and still not see the problem.
i am thinking of studying spanish and mandarin. if i do, i will probably try to pick up childrens books where i know the story in english. of course reading books will never teach me how to say the words correctly.
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coffeedecafe