English as a Second Language in School

[Ariadna]

Hi Bruce! Tell us please, all team english on-line work in German?
Ariadna

[Bruce]

Greetings Ariadna,

There is so much flexibility in English and everybody is in the process of contributing to it. Why? Simply because everywhere that it is spoken
there is a new style, accent, idiomatic use, new words created, the same basic words redefined etc. As you will probably agree, most of the technological developments in the world come out of the USA, GB,
Canada and Australia. That means instructions and terminology will be written and spoken in English first, so you have to catch-up in English to
be able to really get to grips with it.
That doesn?t mean that other countries aren?t as clever or progressive.
They are! Your own country, Russia (excuse me I know Russia is a big country and the Ukraine is a big country in Russia) has also made tremendous advancements in Science, Technology, Medicine etc. and in some respects has surpassed any English speaking country in their contribution. Also Germany where I am now a has a great Engineering
History. Just look at Werhner von Braun and his contribution to the NASA Space Programme. Without his brains and Kennedy?s will to get to Moon
we would probably be sitting here still wondering if it is possible.
But this is not about egotism of which country is the best in the world, it is about our human potential and progress and it just so happens that the English Language has developed as the simplest form of communication between us human beings on this planet so far.

English Team and English Test are projects to help make English easier, fun, more accessable, less mystifying, clearer etc. to learn.
My roots are in Scotland but I wouldn?t advise anybody to start learning Gaelic as a second language. About 80,000 people of a population of
five (5) million Scots people speak Gaelic on a regular basis, but English is the main language today, even if the English beat up the Scots to get it there.
Even Braveheart learnt and spoke Latin and French ... and of course English. There is also a language or accent called Scots which is a cross between Gaelic and English. That?s also difficult to understand.

So, getting back to answering your question.
Yes, English Team is based in Germany but we are a team consisting of American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealanders, Scots, Irish, Welsh and English members which have been extended to Russian, German (of-course) and French speaking team members. The project takes time to develop.
I hope that gives you food for thought Ariadna.
We shall be coming your way soon.
Or as we say in English ... Watch this space.
Bruce.

[Ariadna]

Hi Bruce! Thank you . Why did you decide to work in Germany? Do you like this country?
Ariadna

[Kievstar]

[Bruce]

Greetings Kievstar,
I know that the Ukraine is as independant state now,
but I have alot to learn about each of the Russian states.
Just like the USA which of course has 50 states with their
own culture. A person from California, New York and Texas
States, although English speaking have different accents and
a slightly different way of looking at life. I guess it must be the
same in the United States of Russia. I wouldn?t want to injure
your pride by calling you Russian, when in fact you are Ukrainian.
It?s a bit like calling a Scotsman an Englishman I guess.
He may speak English but a Scotsman certainly does have
a very different cultural background.
The same with the Irish, Welsh, Australian and Canadian.
Is it the same in Russia?
How do you view yourselves - now you have independence?
Do you feel you can express your real cultural identity now???
Bruce.

[Bruce]

Hi Ariadna,
Why I now work is Germany is a long story but yes I do like
the way of life and most of the way the Germans think.
I say - most - because I find German people very rational, objective
clear thinking people who are a pleasure to work with. The Germans
have a sense of order, cleanliness and no-nonsense way of getting
things done without getting too familiar with each other and not allowing
emotions and personalities get in the way. I would like to see Germans
once again proud to be German, but that will probably take a long time
in view of the history which each generation has to live with.
On the other hand, my culture in GB tend to have a less serious way to
deal with things and a basic inborn trust in the good in people, a sense of humour, being able to laugh at ourselves and generally being helpful to our fellow man is pretty much dominant. That doesn?t mean that Germans don?t have that too. They do, but the humour is often missing.
Every culture has its strengths and weeknesses. In GB personalities can often get in the way of getting a job done or dealing with a situation in an uncomplicated matter. My uncle once said to me when I was a teenager.
If you want to build a formidable army, you need German officers, British soldiers and American equipment. I would add to that Russian special commando and the English Language.
What do you think about that Ariadna??? Bruce

[Kievstar]

[Bruce]

Hi FrankU,
Thanks for your input. Using a pun can be fun.
Yes, a Pun a day keeps the Doctor away
because humour is good medicine.
As we know laughing releases happy hormones
into our body?s operating system and destroys
all the viruses and foreign bodies.

The dictionary defines PUN as follows:
... the use of words to exploit ambiguities and innuendos
for humourous effect; a play on words.

Does everybody know what an "ambiguity" is, or an "innuendo" ?

I think it will be useful to explain because these words come up often
enough in the English Language at the appropriate times.
To begin with, I would advise all my students to find the opposite meaning
to every new word that they encounter.

Lets take it in steps.

1. Find first of all the meaning in the English Dictionary.
2. Sum it all up in one word again. A word you know already.
3. Check out the Latin meanings. This is given in the dictionary.
4. Break the word down into parts - Prefix, Suffix, Root word(s).
5. Now look at other words in the dictionary next to your new word
with similar prefixes, suffixes and root words. You will learn about
four or five words in one hit because they all have a similar meaning
but in other expressions.
6. Use some form of association to remember the word.
7. Go to your Thesaurus and look up the same new word and you will
see similar words (synonyms) to help you understand.
Write them down. Look at each meaning to see the root similarity.
8. Go to your Thesaurus and find the opposite meaning (antonym).
Just look at the same place and the antonym should come after
the synonyms.
9. Is there a direct opposite here or only a prefix word like ex- or un-.
10. Now consider the relation of the pole opposites (synonym/antonym).
11. Check out the Latin meaning of the opposite word (antonym).
12. Find a way to remember this word through association. Write a
personal sentence to help do this. The funnier the better.
13. Now you can create your own words out of prefixes, suffixes and root words
in Latin,Greek etc. and Patent Register them.

Isn?t that a good idea? This kind of activity goes on all the time in the
Advertising and Marketing industry. A good example of this is the oil company
called Exxon. This word never existed before. Now it does and it has a patent.
Now see what fun it can be to learn English, Latin, Greek and other interesting languages.
I find Sanskrit also very interesting because it is the root of our Indo-European languages.
I think the Hebrew is also an extention of Sanskrit.
I?m not an expert but I have read enough to see the connection.

So now to our new words. Lets follow the steps.

AMBIGUOUS

1. - having more than one possible interpretation.
- difficult to understand.
2. Complex. Complicated.
3. Ambiguus = to go here & there.
Ambigere = to go around. (to beat about the bush, indirect)
4. Ambi = round, on both sides. Ambo = both.
5. Ambidextrous, ambience, ambit, ambition, ambivalence.
These words have a similar meaning all to do with getting around
being able to do more than one thing, complexity, opposites in co-
-existence and more than one possibility and surroundings.
6. Play on words = I am bi. I am bi-lingual. Both/Double/two etc.
Ambi-lingual ... speaking more than one language ???
How about that? Is that a new word?
7. Thesaurus synonyms - (similar) double-meaning, equivocal,
multivocal, double-edged,back-handed, cryptic, enigmatic, puzzling,
confusing, obscure, unclear, vague, indefinite, woolly, confused,
dubious, doubtful, uncertain, inconclusive, indeterminate.
8. Thesaurus antonyms (opposites) Clear, Definite, Direct, Plain, Lucid.
9. Many direct opposites here without using prefix (ie. un- ex-).
10. Relations of opposites. Complex & Simple? Doubtful & Trustworthy?
11. Latin for (antonym) Clear = cl?rus
12. Ambiguous - ambi - guess. It?s not clear so you have to guess.
13. New word to patent : Ambi-lingual.

This method I use myself (my idea too) and in doing so discovered lots of Latin
and many new words related. It?s sounds like a big effort when you read the listing
like this but you will find it becomes quite natural.
If you study the words for a while (about twenty minutes) you will surprised how much
you learn in such a short time with a good grounding in the material.
Your vocabulary will expand very rapidly and you will become an eloquent conversationalist.
When I was about fifteen to eighteen years old I took an interest in English Vocabulary to
improve myself and my conversation skills. There is a wonderful book I bought at that time
called Hartrampfs Vocabulary Builder. You?ll probably find in Amazon somewhere.
Ok FrankU and everybody I hope that has helped you bit.
I tend to write alot and hope it?s not too much to read.

Anybody like to do the word "innuendo". I?ll do it next time.
Just watch this space. Bruce.