Totally opposite concepts in languages. (Specific Languages) Language Learning Forum

Totally opposite concepts in languages.
Tags: Meaning of words \| Multilingual \| Difficulty
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Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages

43 messages over 6 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Марк
Senior Member
Russian Federation
Joined 5058 days ago
2096 posts - 2972 votes

Speaks: Russian*

Message 41 of 43

26 January 2013 at 5:22pm | IP Logged

clang wrote:

In Russian, I was taught that among other things ещё means still or yet
and that уже means already. However, in
certain constructions the words seem to mean almost the opposite to me.

Уже не сплю means "I'm no longer sleeping" and уже спал means "I already slept".
And while ещё не сплю means "I'm not sleeping yet", ещё сплю means "I'm still
sleeping".

Clearly there are also differences created by using different tenses, but by gut
reaction I expect ещё/ещё не and
уже/уже не to be pairs with opposite meanings, something like still/no longer and
already/not yet.

(Correct my mistakes or confusion, please.)

Уже is used when the opposite thing happened in the past, еще - when it will happen in
th future.

Edited by Марк on 26 January 2013 at 5:23pm
1 person has voted this message useful

ember
Triglot
Groupie
CyprusRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5405 days ago
63 posts - 101 votes

Speaks: Russian*, English, German
Studies: Spanish, French, Greek, Polish

Message 42 of 43

26 January 2013 at 9:51pm | IP Logged

renaissancemedi wrote:

There is no absence of a question mark. That little symbol is the question mark.

As for the he/she question I'd love to help but I am not sure what you mean. When you
talk about a man you say he. When you talk about a woman, you say she.

Yes, what I meant there is no '?'

With he/she, I noticed that every other Greek speaker often says 'he' while talking about
a woman (in English). I am just wondering why this mistake is so common.
1 person has voted this message useful

renaissancemedi
Bilingual Triglot
Senior Member
Greece
Joined 4360 days ago
941 posts - 1309 votes

Speaks: Greek*, Ancient Greek*, English^C2
Studies: French, Russian, Turkish, Modern Hebrew

Message 43 of 43

26 January 2013 at 9:59pm | IP Logged

No, I don't think there was ever a '?' really.

As for the he/she mistake I'll take your word for it because I've never noticed it, but I can't imagine why this happens. It can't be a transfer from the greek language, because genders are clear and nobody confuses them. The only explanation I can think of is perhaps speed. We all speak very fast in greek, but when speaking English this speed causes mistakes, as it is a foreign language. This is only my suspicion of course. I don't have a proper explanation.

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