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Tags: Usefulness | Assimil | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Advice Center |  | |
| fanatic Octoglot Senior Member Australia speedmathematics.com Joined 7154 days ago 1152 posts - 1818 votes  Speaks: English*, German, French, Afrikaans, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Dutch Studies: Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, Modern Hebrew, Malay, Mandarin, Esperanto | Message 33 of 52 03 December 2008 at 8:36pm | IP Logged | |||||
My statement needs clarification. Assimil gives the main grammar that is needed to speak and write a language. I like the way they tell you not to memorise grammar but to read and understand it so you recognise it when you see or hear it. I used correct grammar from using Assimil. I learnt grammar from Assimil the same way I did as a child from my parents. Some things sound right and some things sound wrong. I bought books on German grammar at about the same time I bought books in Germany on English grammar. When I was teaching English I discovered there were gaps in my knowledge of English grammar, although I always excelled in grammar at school. I found many Germans know far more English grammar than native English speakers. I remember being asked the difference between would and should. I didn't realize the simple future tense is made by I shall You will He or she will We shall You will They will Meaning, it will be done, or will happen. Imperative future is made by I will You shall He or she shall We will You shall They will Meaning it MUST be done. Most Australians would be ignorant of this construction. So, the correct construction is "I should do that if I were you." Or, "I should like another slice of bread, please." And, "Would you like to go to the movies?" Correct English says, It is I, and Whom did you see? Colloquial English says, It's me, and who did you see? Most modern English courses don't teach this kind of grammar. So, you need to buy a grammar book. Does this mean the courses are deficient? I don't think so. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Jimmymac Senior Member United Kingdom strange-lands.com/le Joined 6161 days ago 276 posts - 362 votes Studies: Spanish, Mandarin, French | Message 35 of 52 04 December 2008 at 4:14am | IP Logged | |||||
Look again. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6019 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 36 of 52 04 December 2008 at 4:32am | IP Logged | |||||
Hello, 1896, may I enquire of you as to where you might have discovered this wonderful "internet"? I should have thought that, being as it wasn't invented until the 1970s that one would have certain difficulties in procuring a connection in your time...
Modern. Modern. Say it again, modern. You don't talk like this, I don't talk like this. Modern English is the language that we speak. If the book doesn't agree, the book is wrong. The dative "whom" is dead. The distinction between "will" and "shall" has been lost and people use "will" only. "It is I" makes no sense anyway as "me" is the form we use after the verb. We split our infinitives. We end sentences with prepositions. There is no subjunctive. This is English. If you are teaching your students how to read Dickens and Jane Eyre, you're doing fine. If, on the contrary, you aim to educate them in the form and usage of the modern English language, then I declare truthfully that you do them a great disservice, sir, and I am for you. It you to whom I address myself when I say that you be a cad, bounder and insufferable blaggard of the lowest kind. I will see you on the lawn at high noon. The choice of pistols or rapiers, sir, I shall leave up to you. Edited by Cainntear on 04 December 2008 at 4:33am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Leopejo Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Italy Joined 6117 days ago 675 posts - 724 votes Speaks: Italian*, Finnish*, English Studies: French, Russian | Message 37 of 52 04 December 2008 at 5:05am | IP Logged | |||||
Luckily, "whom" and "shall" are still widely taught in schools across the world.
A couple of weeks ago I really challenged a guy to a duel. A girl had told me that she loves another guy and I asked her if I could duel with him. "Sure", she answered, "here is his number". I called him, but unfortunately he doesn't care for her. Therefore she will continue to unhappily love him, while I'll be without her and without duel. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6019 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 38 of 52 04 December 2008 at 7:48am | IP Logged | |||||
What do you mean "luckily"? Any school that teaches these is not teaching English. Whom is dead, and only belongs in old writing. The same goes for shall. Regardless of what your teacher says, do not use these words. Edited by Cainntear on 04 December 2008 at 7:50am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6019 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 39 of 52 04 December 2008 at 7:49am | IP Logged | |||||
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Argh -- hit "quote" instead of "edit". Edited by Cainntear on 04 December 2008 at 7:50am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Leopejo Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Italy Joined 6117 days ago 675 posts - 724 votes Speaks: Italian*, Finnish*, English Studies: French, Russian | Message 40 of 52 04 December 2008 at 9:20am | IP Logged | |||||
Or what will happen? I only duel for love. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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