What do you make of "plain speaking"?

[Serge]

Dear Alan,

Thank you for your guided tour through the language. To your question, I'll say that I definitely go for figurative expressions.

Who am I? I am an English teacher in Mauritius though I graduated in Geography. I've always had a penchant for English ever since I read Pope for my Cambridge A Level.

I'm thankful to have you to brush my English.

Cheers,
Serge

[Omobolanle.]

Dear Alan Townend,

I find your ESL newsletter very educative and interesting. I am learner of English Language. I seem not to understand what you meant by communication style.

Thank you,
Omobolanle.

[Mallinathan.]

Dear AlanTownend,

You are right; I am a teacher but not a Language teacher. In my view language is a tool to communicate. We can say that the communication has been successful if we can elicit the required response from the listener. But Language is also like a food we eat. If every day we eat the same food we soon get bored or at least our appetite diminishes. So we add spices to create different taste, smell and appeal. Same way figures are the spices added to language to make it more enjoyable.

Your English lessons have been doing wonders for me. I thoroughly enjoy your lessons; news letter, prompt reply etc. keep up the good work.

With best regards
Mallinathan

[ammy]

Dear Alan ,
thank you very much for you sending newsletter ...
i'm not teacher i'm learn English.
Best regards,
ammy

[jacqueline.]

Hello, I am a student at the university. My teachers demand me to write in an academic level and to use the proper style. They say I have to pay attention to the audience ..as they are my audience I have to write in a formal way... formality is not the problem...style is my biggest problem. I hope you can help me and thanks a lot.
love,
jacqueline.

[Guest]

Hello, My name is monika and I live in Poland in Lublin.I am 38 old and I think that my english is still poor but I would like to improve this language.I work at public library.Dear Alan I am grateful for your english lessons and please more,more.Bye from now.Monika

[renkartha@gmail.com]

Dear Alan,

Thank you for your newsletter.I am a teacher by profession and have been teaching the English language to secondary students for the last twenty-five years. I am quite straightforward by nature so you could classify me as a Jane Blunt although I can be tactful and diplomatic when the occasion calls for it. I like your sense of humor. I enjoy figurative language and appreciated the easy explanation of the few figures of speech you picked.

A friend and I plan to start classes in our neighborhood for 'Spoken English' and hence
the interest in your newsletters. Do wish us luck.

Love,

Renuka.

[buizzi]

Dear Alan:
I love speaking clearly, which doesn't mean that I love just "plain speaking". I enjoy speaking a good language, be it English or Spanish (my own language). So, I use many words that are not of common use in ordinary people. In the same way, I love writing and, in fact, I wrote several short novels when I was a teenager. Perhaps, some day, I will do it again (as I have less work to do).

With respect to one of your questions, in Spanish we say: "Calling bread, bread and wine,wine" ("Al pan, pan y al vino, vino") with reference to an accurate way of calling things.

I am very grateful of having this FREE English course on line. I always say that one never finishes learning a language, even oneself´s. So, I learn something new every single day... and I enjoy it.
Thank you again

Jorge

[angelina faalong]

Dear Alan,

Many thanks for your interesting articles which I receive on regular basis.

I am not a teacher but a supervisor in a revenue collection institution where I need to communicate effectively to my officers.

I thought I missed out when I did.
Angelina Faalong

[Guest]

hello Mr. Torsten Alan and Salava

I feel fortunate to have a very useful site like yours which is feeding me with english language, its right usage. I am a learner n would like to know more and more about english language. though i have studied english in graduation level but still i am afraid I can talk fluently. I hope with your help I can learn a lot. Please help me in guiding how to talk english fluently, particularly usage of appropriate idioms.

thanking you once again for all help.

regards

viswamurthy

[Guest]

Hi,Mr.Alan Townened

I think, it isn't important to be clever at guessing the meaning of metaphors and similes as much as daily comments ,expressions,idioms....I mean I am interested in using English in street, hospital, work , with anyone seakes English . My ambition is to speak English as a native, as if it had been my mother-tongue"can you understand my point.But it is important to be fluent using metaphors , similes ..if he lives actuallythere where English is formal language . anyway , it is a nice newsletters.
Thanks,

[yuke]

hi Alan...
I'm Yuke from Indonesia. Thank you for sending me a lot of English materials. They are very useful since I'm an English teacher. Right now, i'm teaching TOEFL iBT and Speaking Class, i'd be very pleased if you can give me any good idea. i'm looking forward to your next letter. thank you.

[Guest]

I am following the write-up every day, and some time I try to reply which it have some query. I am trying to write any subject but I don’t find any feedback. What it has problem, what’s wrong of grammar and how can us made the sentence.
I really appreciate to give me the feedback. I understand it is not possible for all. So this is a not fair proposal, but still need.
I am happy with attach this forum. It is really good learning process. Very interesting.
I read most of the comment. I feel it is encourage me.

[Sherry v. Aldave]

Dear Torsten:
I enjoyed reading your article on the figures of speech. I'm familiar with metaphors, similes, hyperboles... but litotes as another word for understatement, Zeugma and spoonersim are all new to me, and all the while I thought oxymoron is a person with very low IQ. There is a lot to learn and I'm glad I have this forum as a means to improve my English language skills. I do use some figures of speech every now and then, but business writing demands concise and straightforward communication.
I work in a manufacturing company as Human Resources Manager where communications needs to be precise and undserstandable . I would be very difficult to issue memoranda, letters and the like if the words used are not easily understood by the recepients.

[aduke]

Dear Townend,now I am an English teacher at a university in Ethiopia,and I will also be a student very soon to specialize in English Literature.I usually teach spoken and communicative English for student-teachers in the same university.Giving English tutorials in collaboration with the ELIC(English Language Improvement Center)to female first year students to make them competent in their academic performance is also part of my job.The articles you provide me with is very important.My most interest lies in getting materials for teaching spoken English for those candidates who are going to be an English teacher in our country's high schools.