I make a course?

[Torsten]

Hi,

I've just come across the following sentence and I wonder what it sounds like to you:

Hello,
I am staying in Berlin now, whilst I make a German Language course.

To me, "making a German language course" means that you are creating it but the author clearly wanted to say that they are participating a course. Maybe it's a translation from a German sentence?

Many thanks,
Torsten
PS: I take it whilst is used in the UK while Americans prefer "while"?

TOEFL listening discussions: A conversation between a university student and an employee in the student services center

[Diverhank]

Torsten, in my opinion, the sentence does not sound natural. I'd use: "I'm in Berlin now, attending (or taking) a German language course." Americans don't use whilst, that's for sure :).

[Yankee]

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"I'm staying in Berlin now" sounds a though the person's original plan had been to leave Berlin or possibly Berlin is just the latest in a string of temporary lodgings in different locations. And, yes, "make a course" sounds like either a non-native speaker error or as though the person is creating a course for (other) people to learn German.

It is not at all typical to use "whilst" in AmE -- that's for double sure. It might be used on occasion for some kind of special, excessive-sounding effect.
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Alan]

Hi Torsten,

As the consensus has it, 'doing' 'attending' a course is more the ticket. As for 'whilst', to me it sounds like 'while' used by posh old ladies sipping their tea with their little finger crooked - in the UK of course - the sort of thing I'm sure is right up EU's street! As for 'I am staying' that sounds all right to me indicating that's what you are currently doing.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Yankee]

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So, the addition of the word 'now' (I am staying in Berlin now) doesn't suggest anything else at all to you, Alan?
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Prezbucky]

"make" probably should be "take"

...and I enjoy using whilst, rather!
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Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Prezbucky]

Amy/Alan

I'd say that adding "now" adds certainty -- the person is in Berlin right now, as opposed to being there at some future date.

Tom: Amy, I'm staying in Berlin.
Amy: When are you staying in Berlin, Tom?

(in other words, "I'm" might be construed to actually mean "I'll be")

vs.

Tom: Amy, I'm in Berlin now.
Amy: Oh, I see... have a jolly good time then! Eat plenty of kraut!
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Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

I understand what you're saying, but neither of your examples puts the word 'now' directly into the sentence (the one that uses the verb 'stay') in a conversation. To me, that is a critical point. My two interpretations for "I'm staying in Berlin now" were that it might refer to: 1) a current change of plan and 2) where the person is currently (and temporarily) living.

Imagine a phone conversation or an online chat (:wink:) in which Amy was talking to Tom. Amy was aware that Tom had planned a brief visit to Berlin:

Amy: So, I guess you'll be flying back to New York soon. Is anyone picking you up at the airport?

Tom: I'm staying in Berlin now. I was going to fly back to the States this coming Friday, but now I'm going to stay (remain) in Berlin longer than I'd originally planned (while I do a German course).

i.e. My plan has changed and now my plan is to stay (remain) in Berlin until I finish a course that I signed up for.

----------------------

To be honest, I have more trouble coming up with something that sounds like a natural conversation in which a person says "I'm staying in Berlin now" to mean "I am in Berlin now." I'd probably have less trouble thinking up a conversation if the sentence were something like "I'm staying at the Marriott Hotel now."
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Diverhank]

I still think "now" is unnecessary. If you want to indicate a change of plans, perhaps you should state that more clearly instead of simply adding "now" :).

[Yankee]

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Agreed, DH. And that's actually the point. Why have 'now' in the sentence at all? If someone felt it appropriate or necessary to put it there, then why? I only wanted to comment on the wording that Torsten had actually posted. And his sentence included 'now'.

If someone asked "Where are you?", probably the most likely answer would be simply "In Berlin." If A knew that B had been somewhere else a short time ago and wasn't sure whether B had changed locations, A might ask "Where are you now?" -- in which case the answer is still quite likely to be simply "In Berlin."
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_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln