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 #77 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:30 am What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| ok, now I understand... Sorry for the misunderstanding |
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Gronny
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| #78 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 13:37 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| Englishuser wrote: |
You could give BP a ring...  |
My immediate interpretation of "BP" was "British Petroleum".
On further reflection, however, I decided that you meant Buckingham Palace.
Do Brits refer to Buckingham Palace as BP? |
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Yankee
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| #79 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 14:52 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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The familiar name (and I must ask EU to avert her eyes because it could be construed in her reverential sight as lese majeste (sorry about the lack of accents)) is Buck House.
A
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Alan
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| #80 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 17:52 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| Gronny, I think Torsten is bothered by anyone who does that, not just by you. I agree with Torsten. In my opinion, it shows a lack of respect for the language. . |
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 Diverhank
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| #81 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 18:01 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| Alan wrote: |
The familiar name (and I must ask EU to avert her eyes because it could be construed in her reverential sight as lese majeste (sorry about the lack of accents)) is Buck House.
A |
Hi Alan,
So does this mean that "Buck House" is a colloquial term for Buckingham Palace? That's quite funny because there are a number of American companies called "buck house" or "the buck house" too. Also, the term "buck house" to me sounds as if it's a place where you can make a quick buck.
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Torsten
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| #82 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 18:10 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| diverhank wrote: |
| Gronny, I think Torsten is bothered by anyone who does that, not just by you. I agree with Torsten. In my opinion, it shows a lack of respect for the language. . |
You hit the nail on the head, Hank. Writing correct sentences in English can be a challenge at times so why make things even more difficult by inserting mistakes intentionally? Some people might think violating rules and creating their own language is cool but in most cases it's just sloppy.
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Torsten
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| #83 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 18:22 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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I guess because I once lived near and also attended college not far from Philadelphia, "Buck House" brings this to my mind. 
You might find this bit of history about Bucks County, Pennsylvania interesting.
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Yankee
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| #84 (permalink) Fri Jun 01, 2007 20:05 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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Hi Amy,
| Quote: |
| What exactly do you mean by "eclipses", EU? I suppose I'd agree that BP does tend to emit some rather stuffy and unnatural verbiage... |
Sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it?
All the best
EU |
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Englishuser
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| #85 (permalink) Sat Jun 02, 2007 22:35 pm What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| Englishuser wrote: |
Wouldn't it be better to write 'locals' instead of 'natives' since many would consider the latter inappropriate as it is old-fashioned as well as somewhat offensive?
All the best
EU |
It just occurred to me that Jamie has used the word "natives" here on the forum before and it obviously didn't offend anyone:
| Jamie (K) wrote: |
| I am said to speak German with no discernible foreign accent, and before I make a grammar mistake strangers usually think I'm a native German. Some German lady told me that the measure of this was that when I ask how to perform some ordinary task in Germany that is done differently in the US, Germans often treat me as stupid and ignore me, rather than treating me like a confused tourist and helping me. Sometimes when I ask the meaning of a simple word that I don't know, Germans don't realize what I'm asking, and they answer some more complex question that I didn't ask. They don't understand that I don't have the complete German vocabulary that natives have. Sometimes they expect me to know all the quotations from Goethe and other authors that Germans learn in school. |
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Torsten
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| #86 (permalink) Sun Jun 03, 2007 11:22 am What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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I'll add my vote that there is nothing unusual or negative in referring to 'the natives' of a particular area as Tom did. Technically speaking, it is also more precise than saying 'the locals'. Saying 'the locals' does not necessarily refer only to the people who are 'native' to an area.
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Yankee
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| #87 (permalink) Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:07 am What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| There's absolutely nothing that can annoy me when foreigners speak my native language. I think, a person who managed to learn a second language, no matter how good or bad his pronunciation and grammar are, deserves admiration. It is much worse when native speakers make mistakes. This immediately reveals far too much about their background, education, and even their performance at school. |
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Verka
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| #88 (permalink) Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:44 am What mistake bugs you the most in your language? |
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| Lost_Soul wrote: |
Hi, Jamie
There is a mistake that really infuriates me when I come across it (even my so called fellow citizens make it from time to time and it makes me even more angrier - I want to literally punch them in their faces for it !!! - so angry am I !!!)
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This makes my day... a GRAMMARIAN (?) who's angry at those who don't speak the language grammatically correct... LOL |
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Chaz26
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