A day off per week for Domestic Helpers.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:31 pm

x9200 wrote: I may agree the British based law does a good job and this is the reason why it remains around but for the language it is likely purely pragmatic consequence of the colonial past. For a number of objective reasons I would rather see (i.e.) German than English as the world language.

German!?

With which you have thirty letter words, and there are three genders.

I'd suggest German is challenging to learn as a 2nd language, not something via which you're likely to bring people together en masse.

Post by **x9200** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:45 pm

I found German much more easily to be learnt (grammar, spelling) and pronounced. It is more systematic with limited number of exceptions. After a single day of learning you may be able to read a German text (having no clue what it is about) and the Germans will understand you. Try this with English

I agree that probably the most difficult part is the grammatical gender (hard to predict sometimes).

intime0 · Post by **intime0** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:45 pm

My joking around bugs you?

Brah wrote:its

that one bugs me too

intime0 wrote:Where do I sign up for mom's not doing anything for the first month? I'll just nurse and sleep, thanks. But leave the baby with me! you may change it's diaper. LOL that's the life!

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 1:12 pm

x9200 wrote:I found German much more easily to be learnt (grammar, spelling) and pronounced. It is more systematic with limited number of exceptions. After a single day of learning you may be able to read a German text (having no clue what it is about) and the Germans will understand you. Try this with English I agree that probably the most difficult part is the grammatical gender (hard to predict sometimes).

Interesting to hear your perspective. Suppose I'm lucky to be born an English speaker so all the exceptions were instilled in my childhood with no effort. With German the 30+ letter words really get me. I mean talk about making it harder.

German genders. For me I just make everything 'der', it seems to work ok

p.s. Wouldn't recommend Norwegian. Even when you have it off pat, if your pronounciation is like a micro-nano-micron wrong it means nothing to them. Nothing. They simply look at you bemused. Frustrating even trying!

poodlek · Post by **poodlek** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 1:19 pm

intime0 wrote:My joking around bugs you?

Brah wrote:its

that one bugs me too

intime0 wrote:Where do I sign up for mom's not doing anything for the first month? I'll just nurse and sleep, thanks. But leave the baby with me! you may change it's diaper. LOL that's the life!

He's correcting your spelling: it's vs its. Its is correct here, unless of course the baby's name is It.

Post by **x9200** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 1:32 pm

JR8 wrote:
x9200 wrote:I found German much more easily to be learnt (grammar, spelling) and pronounced. It is more systematic with limited number of exceptions. After a single day of learning you may be able to read a German text (having no clue what it is about) and the Germans will understand you. Try this with English I agree that probably the most difficult part is the grammatical gender (hard to predict sometimes).
Interesting to hear your perspective. Suppose I'm lucky to be born an English speaker so all the exceptions were instilled in my childhood with no effort. With German the 30+ letter words really get me. I mean talk about making it harder.

Not that many 30+ words in daily colloquial use I think But it is somehow self-descriptive so if you remember the individual components you have a good chance to come up with the right word. What English tends to cover by a separate, unique word, German makes it up with the existing words ... writingball and such

German genders. For me I just make everything 'der', it seems to work ok

Der Frau does not sound right

p.s. Wouldn't recommend Norwegian. Even when you have it off pat, if your pronounciation is like a micro-nano-micron wrong it means nothing to them. Nothing. They simply look at you bemused. Frustrating even trying!

I failed to learn even basics of Dutch living for some time in Holland. When I started to talk Dutch to the Dutch they spoke back German to me.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Mon, 04 Jul 2011 3:55 pm

x9200 wrote: Not that many 30+ words in daily colloquial use I think

Well if it is just me and you chatting like this then no you are right. But I think when you are going about your daily affairs then yes to have to deal with them.

But it is somehow self-descriptive so if you remember the individual components you have a good chance to come up with the right word.

Tauchtauglichkeitsuntersuchungen, Herzkreislaufwiederbelebung, Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung, Rundfunkgebührenabwicklungskonto.

Self-descriptive you say? Not many languages where you have to take a few deep breaths before trying to pronounce a word

What English tends to cover by a separate, unique word, German makes it up with the existing words ... writingball and such

Is that a literal translation of biro?

Der Frau does not sound right

I failed to learn even basics of Dutch living for some time in Holland. When I started to talk Dutch to the Dutch they spoke back German to me.

This is always the danger. Use a little of the language and they then assume you're going to understand them replying in kind. What to do? Or use your best German and have them default to English on you.... then you know they read you and you failed...

This is a funny 'ol town. One has to consider that it was a tiny island within the 'Soviet bloc' until 20 years ago. So either people have essentially no English (those brought up in and schooled in the east), or are fluent (those brought up in the west).

So a commonly used phrase for me is 'Sprechen sie Englisch?'. The reply is either 'Nein' with a look of terror, or 'Yes a bit' which means they are fluent. Adds a different dimension to the day

p.s. For some reason I enjoy listening to Dutch, it is very expressive.

intime0 · Post by **intime0** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 1:10 pm

Poodlek, HA! I didnt even notice. LOL

I know the difference.

I find it incredibly weird that someone would would correct grammar on a forum.

shrugs

oh well.

Post by **nakatago** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 1:28 pm

intime0 wrote:I find it incredibly weird that someone would would correct grammar on a forum.

You haven't heard of the term "Grammar Nazi" before?

poodlek · Post by **poodlek** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 1:37 pm

intime0 wrote:Poodlek, HA! I didnt even notice. LOL

I know the difference.

I find it incredibly weird that someone would would correct grammar on a forum.

shrugs

oh well.

To each his own!

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 3:17 pm

Not so much grammar nazis but definitely spelling nazi's here, especially when having to content with masters holders spelling with 2nd grade English or sms'ese.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 4:46 pm

http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/
The Apostrophe Protection Society

http://www.dreaded-apostrophe.com/
The Dreaded Apostrophe

poodlek · Post by **poodlek** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 6:57 pm

JR8 wrote:http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/
The Apostrophe Protection Society

http://www.dreaded-apostrophe.com/
The Dreaded Apostrophe

As Mr.B would say, "your misuse of apostrophes is preposterous to me!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3iLYxt8HtQ

Brah · Post by **Brah** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 9:08 pm

Just getting started.

Looks like you can't figure out apostrophes either.

English is hard....

....for some.

intime0 wrote:Poodlek, HA! I didnt even notice. LOL

I know the difference.

I find it incredibly weird that someone would would correct grammar on a forum.

shrugs

oh well.

Brah · Post by **Brah** » Tue, 05 Jul 2011 9:09 pm

Not to mention to contend with them also.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Not so much grammar nazis but definitely spelling nazi's here, especially when having to content with masters holders spelling with 2nd grade English or sms'ese.

Not even gonna touch that whole sentence....anyone?

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