Sarcasm

[Josazapr]

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Thanks a lot dear Alan for this essay and I aggree with many of the opinions given here. According to the both talkers mood the sarcasm may be funny or may be an insult. Refering to something someone ask you to do and it´s very anoying or dificult or your talker is trying to take advantage from you, we say " Ride here (showing your shoulders)and I´ll take you to Combia". Combia is a hill about thirty minutes far from my city, so you mean no way
bye everyone.

[Parallel]

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Hi Allan
In your essay Nr. 42, sarcasm was tempered by humour as you said but also spiced with it - many thanks!
May I ask you two questions:
- "Once in a blue moon": does that mean "not in a hundred years"? I've heard the expression before but couldn't find it in the CAL-Dictionary.
- "Don't strain yourself": Is it meant like "Don't overstretch your muscels by working too hard" or more like "Don't strain (hurt) yourself by working too much."?
I would be glad to receive your answer.
Cheers
Urs

[Alan]

Hi,

'Once in a blue moon' suggests 'very rarely'. 'Don't strain yourself' can be used as a sarcastic remark suggesting - Don't make too much effort for my sake!

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

[Parallel]

Hi Allan
Your answer came back extremely quickly - like in a chat room.
By the way, that is something I allways avoided till today...
Thanks a lot!
Urs

[Edithbfr]

That was a lovely essay Alan. Thanks!

[Erwin2]

Dear Alan,

It s very interisting essay, one thing have been improve my english.thank you

[Kati Svaby]

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Dear Alan,

I agree with political Lurker, Bagheera and Geo 777.

I think me also the sarcasm can't be insulting, only humorous about experience of life.

Of course there are few exception. For instance when Churchill told this saying he could offend that woman, but I think he had to retort to her.
"I may be drunk, miss, but the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly"

Shakespeare told - and this couldn't offend anybody:
"Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish"

Camus told:
"We turned toward God only to obtain the impossible."
There are people who think this offending but they are not right because they don't respect other's opinion.

Salinger-I write this one because I think he is right.
"The worst thing that being an artist could do to you would be that it could make you slightly unhappy constantly. "

Alan I liked your essay than the other ones. We learned lot what we didn't know before.
For me was very difficult:
1.You and Whose Army? -yes, I know this is a protesting expression.The title of a song. Can be synonym: You and even who else?
2.If I stayed at a hotel and it wouldn't be it should have been. It would bee dirty. dirty. "Oh yes, the place was so clean you could almost eat off the plates. " I couldn't find either its synonym or its translation.

Would you please to explain these two sarcastic sentences.

Many thanks and best regards:
Kati Svaby
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Parallel]

Hello Kati
I can't answer your last two questions. But let me make some other suggestions about your post:
- I would rather write "Personally I think" or "I think that" instead of "I think me".
- "Of course there are (a) few exceptions" (few means "more than one thing", therefore the "s").
- "Alan, I liked your essay like the other ones" instead of "than" (the other members)".
You could use "than" rather if you said: "Alan, I liked your essay more than the other ones (meaning: this one was especially good)".
- "We learned a lot what (or "that" or (nothing) we didn't know before", I would put it like that. As far as I know you can say: There are "lots of things" or There is "a lot of" something (for instance food or people).
- I would rather say: "Would you please explain" instead of "Would you please to explain". You can say "I'm pleased to meet you" of course, but this means rather that you are delighted to see someone.
The essay was really good, I liked it very much too!
And you seem to know a lot about famous writers and what they said, I'm impressed!
Have a nice evening!
Cheers
Urs

[Kati Svaby]

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Hello URS

I am very grateful for your correction.I have to say I never got so detailed correction.
Only Beeezeee corrected my wrong sentences ever and again.

I agree with:"Personally I think" or "I think that" but what I wanted to write:
I think,me also,.... I forgot the commas, but I don't know it is good or not. Write me please what do you think about it.
Few exceptions-of course plural. This was a mistake of inattention.
I like your essay than the other ones. I thought of all essays what I had read till now. But I accept not "like" but "than"
I transcribed Alan's sentence:"I do hope you learned something you didn't know before."
I agree with your sentence: We learned a lot we didn't know before.
"Lots of "is very informal. Lot of things is better.
You are right: Would you please explain.
I was very happy with your correction. I don't say you can do any time because it is work to you. Now I won't be at home about for a week or more and I can't carry with me my laptop.
Many,many thanks:
Kati
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Georgi1806]

Thanks for sending these essays for me.
Wish you the best
Georgina

[Beeesneees]

[Kati Svaby]

Dear Bez,

Many thanks for your correction. It is very good and instructive! And very logic! It is pity
that I can't do it by myself.

I am at home. But misfortunes never come alone. We are both out of luck. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. For the time being I can learn English and this is a good thing no to face up to the facts. "While there is life there is hope."-isn't there?

Best wishes:
Kati
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Kati Svaby]

Hello Bez,

Excuse me but I would have even one question to you.

Will you reveal me how you put details from my letter to your letter. I asked this from Sukanov but she answered me with voice-record and I listened to it several times but she speaks so quickly that I couldn't understand unfortunately. I thought that I would ask her to write down her answer.

Now I see that you know it. Will you please to write to me how to do it.

Many thanks in advance:
Kati
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Kati Svaby]

Dear Bez!

You can see I am rather scattered. Now when I read your letter for the second times I see that I am misunderstood. What I wanted to express that I can choose because I like this essay same as than Alan's all essays. So if I wrote: I like your essays than the other ones. Doesn't mean this?

Many thanks:
Kati
_________________
We always deceive ourselves twice about the people we love - first to their advantage, then to their disadvantage.

[Alan]

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Hi Kati,

You seem to be getting into a bit of a tizz. Let me try to help. You could say: I like your (recent) essay as much as I like the others.

Is that what you wanted to say?

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Progressive Forms