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What is this adjective in English?



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
"I didn't know that" vs "I don't know that" | Can I pronounce the word 'potato' (British English) in the same way as 'tomato'?
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What is this adjective in English? #1 (permalink) Sun May 18, 2008 15:02 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

Hi,
I'm wondering about a word in my mother tongue which I don't know how to translate into English (I've looked it up in my bilingual dictionary, but found no satisfactory answer. (It's an adjective)

It's hard to express this question but please consider these two contexts:

1/ I'm having some friends in my house and I tell them: "Hey guys, don't be ___ Just feel like at home.
2/ My new friend talks to me in rather formal way, and I say to her "No need to be so ___ We are friends, aren't we?"
3/ My friend writes to me to say sorry for not replying my letter in a long time, and I say: "Don't be ___ we are friends and I know you're busy lately

Actually I just don't know how to express myself clearly but I hope you can understand what I mean and tell me what the word is in English

Many thanks in advance
Nessie
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
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Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

What is this adjective in English? #2 (permalink) Sun May 18, 2008 15:48 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

Shy, bashful, formal?
Rajin
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Joined: 18 May 2008
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What is this adjective in English? #3 (permalink) Sun May 18, 2008 23:01 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

We wouldn't use just one adjective for that. It depends on what we mean.

1/ "Hey guys, don't be shy, timid, formal, stiff, reserved Just make yourselves at home.
2/ "No need to be so formal, stiff, reserved. We are friends, aren't we?"
3/ "Don't feel guilty we are friends and I know you're busy lately.
Jamie (K)
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006
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Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

What is this adjective in English? #4 (permalink) Mon May 19, 2008 0:12 am   What is this adjective in English?
 

I think formal would work for all 3 of those. In the 3rd example "don't be so formal! we are friends!" works perfectly fine.
Rajin
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Joined: 18 May 2008
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What is this adjective in English? #5 (permalink) Mon May 19, 2008 17:39 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

Thanks a lot, Jamie and Rajin Smile

I think "formal" or "reserved" may be what I'm looking for Smile
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

What is this adjective in English? #6 (permalink) Mon May 19, 2008 17:45 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

And I also have one more question: which is the most common adjective accompanied with "formal"? Is it "to" or "with"?

Many thanks
Nessie
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

What is this adjective in English? #7 (permalink) Mon May 19, 2008 21:06 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

Hi Nessie

Presumably you want to know which preposition to use.
"You don't have to be formal (with me)."

I suppose people might also say 'to me'. You'll probably hear 'around me' as well, for example.
.
Yankee
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Joined: 16 Apr 2006
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What is this adjective in English? #8 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 9:25 am   What is this adjective in English?
 

Thanks a lot for your answer, Amy. And sorry for my typo ("adjective" => preposition) (+_+)
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

What is this adjective in English? #9 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 11:36 am   What is this adjective in English?
 

Quote:
1/ "Hey guys, don't be shy, timid, formal, stiff, reserved Just make yourselves at home.


"Reserved" doesn't fit so well with "Hey guys", in terms of register, IMO. I think "don't be shy" would be the most common choice there.
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

What is this adjective in English? #10 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 12:12 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

There's nothing wrong with putting "hey, guys" and "reserved" in the same sentence. After all, it's the "guys" who are being reserved, not the speaker.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

What is this adjective in English? #11 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 12:20 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

Quote:
After all, it's the "guys" who are being reserved, not the speaker.


And if the guys were being yellow-bellied wimps, would you tell 'em so?
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

What is this adjective in English? #12 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 12:51 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

To be honest, Molly, you don't seem to know much about register either. Laughing
.
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

What is this adjective in English? #13 (permalink) Tue May 20, 2008 14:20 pm   What is this adjective in English?
 

I'm discussing it. You?
Molly
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Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

What is this adjective in English? #14 (permalink) Wed May 21, 2008 5:39 am   What is this adjective in English?
 

Molly wrote:
"Reserved" doesn't fit so well with "Hey guys", in terms of register, IMO. I think "don't be shy" would be the most common choice there.


Hi Molly,
Could you please tell me what "register" means in your sentences? I've seen you use it many times but I can't understand

Many thanks
Nessie
_________________
Sad... something we never have again, I know... I guess I really really know.. Sad

Sorry seems to be the hardest word...
Nessie
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Feb 2008
Posts: 1102

What is this adjective in English? #15 (permalink) Wed May 21, 2008 8:02 am   What is this adjective in English?
 

nessie wrote:
Hi Molly,
Could you please tell me what "register" means in your sentences? I've seen you use it many times but I can't understand

Many thanks
Nessie


9. A variety of language used in a specific social setting: speaking in an informal register; writing in a scientific register.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/55/R0125500.html

With the BNC for example, you can search "compare between registers":

Quote:
With this architecture and interface, you can also easily find the frequency of words and phrases in any combination of registers that you define (spoken, academic, poetry, medical, etc). In addition, you can compare between registers -- for example, verbs that are more common in legal or medical texts, or nouns near break that are more common in fiction than in academic writing.


Go to http://corpus.byu.edu/bnc/ and read the Introduction.
Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

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