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#2 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:33 am Do you know Spongebob? |
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SpongeBob (SquarePants) is known as 'Bob Esponja' in Spain. It was shown on Spanish TV one or two years ago (perhaps more?). My daughter used to watch this cartoon, so I occasionally did, too. The first time I saw the little fellow I thought it was a piece of Emmental cheese! The show is original and funny in a quirky sort of way, though I must say I prefer The Simpsons.
| Torsten wrote: |
| Also, what do you think of people who have never heard of Spongebob? |
Meaning ‘what do we think of you’? That’s a trap question if I ever saw one! I don’t think anyone (other than a child, perhaps) would judge you according to whether or not you know our little yellow sponge friend. |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#3 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:39 am Do you know Spongebob? |
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Hi Torsten,
I too am ignorant of what Conchita describes as 'the little fellow'. All I can do is quote a 'master' of the language:
The Unknown
As we know, There are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know There are known unknowns. That is to say We know there are some things We do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns, The ones we don't know We don't know.
A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Present Simple |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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#4 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:44 am Do you know Spongebob? |
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| Aren't there also 'unknown knowns'? The ones we don't know we know. :? |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#5 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:54 am Do you know Spongebob? |
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Hi,
Hang on. You've lost me there! That would make it temporary amnesia or would it? I don't know. Now what was it you said? This is where I'm tempted to do a spot of emoticonning but .. oh dear I've lost the thread again. Help, Rummie!
A _________________ English as a Foreign Language You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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#6 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 12:09 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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Who is Rummie?
My Google search was hopeless, unless it's a hangover helper! |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#7 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 13:21 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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Hi,
That's the nickname for Donald Rumsfeld who was responsible for the 'unknown' quote. Are you suggesting that I need help with a hangover? Oh dear here comes that emoticon temptation again - I'm smiling even smirking - promise. A _________________ English as a Second Language You can read my ESL story Passive Voice |
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Alan Co-founder

Joined: 27 Sep 2003 Posts: 13891 Location: UK
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#9 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 13:38 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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Better late than never, Amy :-). Why do you think this is Spongebob character so popular around the world?
TOEIC listening, photographs: In the workshop |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 14503 Location: EU
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#10 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 14:36 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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. I have no idea why SpongeBob is so popular. But I was amused when I learned that many episodes take place in a mythical place called 'Bikini Bottom'.
Did you know SpongeBob even has his own Wikipedia entry? :lol: . _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#11 (permalink) Wed Nov 22, 2006 14:57 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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Did I mention the boxer shorts?
At any rate, a Valentine's Day gift from a girlfriend introduced me to Spongebob Squarepants -- red boxer shorts with Spongebob and hearts decorating them.
lol _________________ Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee. |
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Prezbucky I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2621 Location: Nashville, TN (USA)
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#12 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 20:50 pm ...preferring "The Simpsons"! |
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| Conchita wrote: |
| , ........though I must say I prefer The Simpsons. |
Hi Conchita, related in that mind I?d like to tell you that The Simpsons are my favorites, too. But there is one issue that makes me courious when I see them on TV. As there is: Many of the stories start with Bart repeating a sentence at the school board. Today Bart wrote: "I will not publish the principals credit report." As Barts voice is translated into German you can hear something like this: "I?m not allowed to........."
Now I wonder whether "I will not" might be an expression for a prohibition/inhibition one is binded to or more an expression for a forced promise the delinquent was required to give?
Can anybody bring some light into the dark? (I will not use expressions I never heard before. I will not use.......) :)
Michael _________________ "Ho ho!" said the clown |
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Foah I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1358 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
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#13 (permalink) Tue Nov 28, 2006 0:46 am ...preferring "The Simpsons"! |
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| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: |
| (I will not use expressions I never heard before. I will not use.......) :) |
:lol: Hi Michael
Yes, the idea of 'promise' is right. I'd explain it this way:
Bart has done something wrong. He is then scolded and informed that he is not allowed to do such things. Then he has to promise never to do such a thing again. In addition, he also receives a punishment, and the punishment is that he has to write his promise 100 times (maybe more :lol:) on the blackboard: "I will not publish the principal's credit report."
I suppose the idea behind this sort of punishment is also to help him remember his promise. (Whether or not that will be effective with Bart is another question entirely.) :lol:
One of the standard uses of the word 'will' is to make a promise.
Amy _________________ "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8316 Location: USA
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#14 (permalink) Wed Nov 29, 2006 21:34 pm ...preferring "The Simpsons"! |
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Hi Amy! Thanks for your explanation! Whatever I ask, you always give the right explanation in a pretty pleasant way.
| Yankee wrote: |
(Whether or not that will be effective with Bart is another question entirely.)
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Like you could see, that?s the point at which I feel familar with Bart. :wink: Just, I need to punish myself writing "I will not use....." :lol: But writing that a new question comes to my mind: In the sense of giving a promise, is it necessary to write the whole "I will/will not/never......." or could I also use "I?ll/I?ll not/never........."? I mean to spell or write the whole expression possibly could sound more serious, couldn?t it?
Michael _________________ "Ho ho!" said the clown |
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Foah I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1358 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
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#15 (permalink) Wed Nov 29, 2006 22:16 pm Do you know Spongebob? |
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Hi Torsten!
I?m pretty delighted with your evaluating my improvement in the English. One of the basics of my success is/are your critique/s (countable noun?) :?
You?re perfectly right referring to usual expressions and idioms and also yes, I know/am aware of the "shed some light on......" idiom. But beside of all progress that I have made it unfortunately too often happens to me that I think what a German would think and try to translate my thoughts straightly rather than to use a more common English expression. Like in that case you referred to in your latter reply. Having a certain look on my own post I noticed that the above discribed adversity happened to me and instaed of deleting my mistake and substituting it for the correct (more usual) expression I rememberred your advice and gave the promise "I will not...." expecting the effect that Amy mentioned. :roll: Hope I?m not that much related to Bart Simpson. :)
Continue critizising and correcting me, please!
Regards
Michael
P.S. What happened to your latter post? _________________ "Ho ho!" said the clown |
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Foah I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 20 Apr 2006 Posts: 1358 Location: next to Dortmund , Europe
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