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Language students who fight

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How many tenses in your language? | Enjoy english study

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#16 (permalink) Sat May 27, 2006 11:25 am Facts vs. opinion

Alan wrote:

Hi Torsten,

Talking about those who refuse to accept that what you say as the answer is right reminds me of a subscriber to one of the forums some time ago (name and origin left unsaid). This gentleman kept on saying: You never say that in English each time I gave a correct explanation. He maintained repeatedly that he was right and I was wrong. I patiently pointed out that English was my native tongue that I had been speaking it for some 70 years apart from the gurgling and babbling I'd indulged in in the intial years and I could claim to have had a reasonable education. Back came the answer: You never say that in English I vented my irritation on the keyboard but resisted the temptation to write something I'd regret later and in the end I just stopped trying to explain that he'd got it wrong. Then to my surprise I received a private message in which he said how he'd thoroughly enjoyed our debate?? and it recalled to him his student days when he'd argued with his professors.

I have never heard from him again but sometimes I feel he's surfing the forums ready to pounce. Can you pounce on a forum? No, you never say that in English.

Alan

Hi Alan,

I vividly remember the conversations you had with that particular gentleman. I think he wanted some an outlet, some type of playground where he can challenge others without revealing his true identity so he can retreat any time he wants. You often can find this type of behaviour in small children who love to tease adults without running the risk of having to take responsibility for their actions. If somebody makes a wild claim such as You never say that in English it's good to simply ask them questions such as How do you know? How often to speak English and whom do you speak to? It's all too often that we confuse opinion with facts. A forum like ours is a bit like a stage in a theatre or a stadium: There are actors who engage in a discussion and there is the audience who silently watch the show and decide who (at least in their opinion) is right and who is wrong....

TOEIC listening, talks: A baseball player talks about his career prospects

Torsten
Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 14508
Location: EU

#17 (permalink) Sat May 27, 2006 19:53 pm Students who fight

Alan wrote:

... I had been speaking it for some 70 years apart from the gurgling and babbling I'd indulged in in the intial years ...

What a funny way of putting it! Ever so creative and lyrical, Alan!

I want to write like the bunch of you when I grow up...

Jamie wrote:

People usually think of the Japanese and Chinese as being people who need to "save face" all the time, but in my lessons with Asians it's never an issue

Far Easterners have always struck me as being rather the opposite, in that they come across to me as humble and self-effacing. At the same time, I have a feeling that they consider Westerners barbaric. By the way, I wonder if the Chinese still call us big feet and/or big noses, as I once read somewhere. I admit to being quite ignorant of some Asian cultures, so I, for one, would definitely be among the barbarians :oops: .

Conchita
Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 2826
Location: Madrid, Spain

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#18 (permalink) Sat May 27, 2006 21:12 pm Students who fight

Conchita wrote:

Far Easterners have always struck me as being rather the opposite, in that they come across to me as humble and self-effacing.

In my experience, East Asian men can be quite boisterous and very funny. The women are also usually quite funny (at least around me), but they also have a very sweet, caring side that wants to help people, especially the Chinese.

Conchita wrote:

At the same time, I have a feeling that they consider Westerners barbaric.

I've never seen that. If anything, they tend to like us and look up to us. After all, the Japanese had freedom and democracy forced on them, and now they like it. The mainland Chinese haven't succeed in establishing them permanently yet. A lot of Asian development over the past century is largely thanks to Western technology and management concepts, so most of them still think the West is a really good place.

Conchita wrote:

By the way, I wonder if the Chinese still call us big feet and/or big noses, as I once read somewhere.

I have only heard this used when an Asian girl wants to marry one of us. :D

Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 6552
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

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