On the weekend vs. At the weekend

[Mariposa]

Hello,

as all of you already stated there is a difference between the AE and BE version. However, as an English teacher of the little ones (5th and 6th graders) one should stick to either the AE or BE version. In Europe it is still a lot more common to teach the BE version. With the third year of English pupils will get to know the different varieties of English. From than on they need to stick to either the AE or BE version. It is not correct (from a teacher's point of view) to swith between the British and American version (at least not in one and the same text). Also, in a CV it would be very badly regarded to sometimes use the AE version and then swith to the BE version. Just an explanation from a teacher's point of view. Have fun on the weekend, at the weekend and all coming weekends :twisted:

[Torsten]

Hi Mariposa,

Many thanks for joining our forum and sharing your experiences with us. I agree with you when you say that from a teacher's point of view it might make sense to stick to just one 'version of English'. This can be Canadian, American, British, Irish, Australian, etc. English depending on where you grew up. However, I think learning English is much more effective than trying to teach it. And learning English means to get exposed to all kinds of "Englishes" and enjoying it.

Is that a piece of advice you would give your students?

Speak to you soon,
Torsten

TOEIC listening, photographs: Doing aerobics

[Mariposa]

@Torsten: I do agree and I always try to make my students aware of the diversity of the English language. However, beginners should stick to one version (whatever that might be). In general, schools already start in the second year of English to contrast AE with BE. And later pupils will also get to know other varieties.
To all a holiday...

[Inga]

Hi, everybody.
I want to tell you what we agreed on. I am from Belarus (you know this) :) . Our students learn British English, and we want them to speak BrE (including pronunciation), but keep in mind Am equivalents of the words, because lots of students go to the USA on their holidays.
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[Lephuoc]

We use "at the weekend", but "on weekends", and both are the same?

[Alan]

Hi,

Yes, they are the same in meaning. It depends very much on which side of the Atlantic you sit.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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[Lephuoc]

Hi Alan,
Can we use "at weekends" or "on the weekend"?

[Alan]

Hi,

Yes, again remembering the Atlantic position.

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

[Password]

The truth is "at the weekend" = "at weekends" in BrE and "on the weekend" = "on weekends" in AmE. That's it.

[Alan]

Hi,

Haven't I just said that?

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Passive Voice

[Cabbage]

Hi
Atlantic crossings are one thing, but how about crossing the equator.

In NZ "in the weekend" is extremely common, but "at the weekend" and "on the weekend" sound OK to us also.

When I was teaching English in Asia, this always caused a debate. After reading all the grammar books, I realised I spoke funny. On returning home, I found that I wasn't the only one who spoke funny. So grammar for a test / exam - use "at" or "on", because chances are the examiner is not a Kiwi.

[A5]

Hello
I've just been reading the comments about at and on the weekend.
Very interesting!
I think.....English is an international language, by that l mean that it is used in many countries as a second language or within the tourism, business and medical fields. This being said l think that there is only one English language.
The invention of the terms American English or any other is just to distinguish the dialects of English. The English language has been developing for 4,000 years. The 200 and a bit year old American English is a spin off, a dialect. There is no difference between so called American English and the dialect used in Scotland. The pronunciation and some words are different. It's not another language! therefore doesn't deserve equal status.
If a person chooses to learn a dialect instead of the authentic language that's fine but the important thing to remember is of course English is from England as Russian is from Russia, Japanese from Japan..etc.
My point: American enterprise found a new way to make money. By teaching their dialect to anyone that would buy. They went to Japan, Philippians and where ever else they could to captured the market, selling books and opening schools inventing American English as a commodity.
Thus inventing the term British English to give their dialect more credibility and a false sense of equality.
Losing the beauty and essence of the English language in the process. Teaching wanna, gonna as standard English. Inventing a test system that doesn't test! How can you have a language exam where you don't have to speak?
The answer is when you have created a system of designed to make money. Taking exams costs money, going to conversation schools costs money, buying books costs money. Someone's getting rich and nobody's is learning English.
The British council have schools in 93 countries, they teach over a million lessons a day of the English language. The I.E.L.T.S exam is the international test of the English language. English is international. There is only one English language. At the weekend is language, on the weekend is dialect. Simple.
.....in my opinion.

Cheers!
p.s Pro-English does not equal anti-American.
It's my choice an opinion.

[Alan]

Hi AS,

I agree that English is an international language and as a native speaker I appreciate the fact that it has enabled me to communicate with people in many parts of the world. What I am concerned about are these comments -

[A5]

Hello Alan
I'm not just trying to be provocative, these are my feelings. I honestly don't think that any form of English is inferior. I'm trying to express that,  the English language has a base, an origin. Therefore other forms of English are in a sense the off spring of that original language. This should be remembered. I think that the term British English implies that it's the same as the other valuable forms. It takes away from it's 4,000 year history and heritage. I think the same goes for traditional festivals that have been adopted such as Halloween or Christmas. They've been made void of culture and heritage and made into commodities too.
On the Internet we can often see sites that offer translation. They often offer France, German, Spanish etc. Next to each name we can see a countries flag. Which flag would expect to be next to the English translation button? 
I think that the Union Jack should represent English. It's often the American flag though isn't it? 
I think that there is no correct or superior form of English but there is an original form that should be respected.
All disciplines have an original source. In the Olympic games we can see sports played by many nations. Every nation is equal. But we understand that there is a origin of each sport. An origin and history.

Thank you Alan.
A5

[Rrickarr]

Concerning the teacher in Portugal (and as an English teacher in the state school system in a European country), a lot of non-native people are teaching English. They generally learn from texts which teach very formal English which does not reflect common usage. And not being native speakers, they often do not understand that they do not have the fine nuances that the English language offers. I find the same situation as I am learning a foreign language: what the textbook teaches and what people actually say are worlds apart.

I am Canadian and of the age where all of my High School teachers came to Canada from Britain right after WWII. I never ever heard "...at the weekend.." until I started using current instruction books and seeing this phrase.