Learning... English!
 

I think we had a thread like this before, but I believe it is now gone after the latest downtime (or the one before that possibly).

Anyway, I thought we should have a thread where us foreigners (or young/dumb [:p] Native speakers) could ask questions about the English language. For example, if we're confused about grammar/pronunciation, we can ask for help here.

Okay soooo... this is gonna sound super dumb. You all know how amazingly intelligent I am :p And fluent in English. But I sometimes have problems with pronunciation, possibly 'cause most of my knowledge comes from the Internet, where things aren't pronounced. I was watching the movie "The Machinist" (awesome movie by the way) but I have noooo idea how to pronounce the title. Is it like "machine-ist"? Or is the "ee" sound shorter (almost like "Machynyst")? Any help?

(This is like the time where I pronounced "Requiem for a Dream" like "require", haha)

Btw, I added the tag "language" to all the "Learning..." threads I could find (and a few others) so we can find them easily.

It's practically like saying Ma-she-nist, hope that helps :)

I always thought it would be like "mashee-nist", but now you have me wondering :p

It's machine-ist. Or, to be technical, \mə-ˈshē-nist\ with the stress on the second syllable, the "i" being pronounced like the "y" in "easy". :)

Offtop:
Nice movie, The Machinist. Christian Bale is :heart:!

Thanks so much guys! You're awesome.

For a while there, I was almost pronouncing it as "Mahkinist" hahaha :D

Offtop:

Quote:

Christian Bale is :heart:!

Mhhhmmmmmm. :dead: Honestly I think he looks hotter when he's stick thin, haha

I love threads like this. :)

How do you pronounce copyright ?

For questions of definition and pronounciation I use http://dictionary.reference.com . You can toggle between 'common' pronounciation key and the official IPA one, in Chaz case see here.

"Copy-Write"

God! What a good threat, seriously!
well, hmm time ago (not too much, really) listening to the new britney's song "womanizer" a lot of doubts came to my mind, stupid doubts. The one I can remember is... does Daddy-O have a special meaning? I mean, I know what daddy mean, but does the -O change something?

"Daddy-O" is slang for an older man, usually one you do not respect as it's really considered impolite to address a stranger this way.

Dear Americans!:coctail: (or those who know much about America)

I need your help. This week in our school is the week of English.
So there are some questions which are need to be answered (exuse my poor English). I think it's easier for you, 'cause unfortunately I don't know much about America...

Here are they:

Literature:
1. What American writer went to the Klondike during the gold rush as a gold miner?
2. Who is the founder of the modern detective story?
3. What is the real name of Mark Twain?
4. Who was "An American Tragedy" written by?
5. What pen name did an American writer use to sign the humorous stories, which he wrote in prison?
6. Who wrote the story "The Old Man and The Sea"?
7. Who is considered to be the "Father of American Literature"?
8. Who was the author of "The Last of the Mohicans"?
9. Name the largest library in the USA (The Library of Congress)
10. Name the 1954 Nobel Laureate in Literatiure who wrote "The Sun Also Rises"

Famous people:
1. Which American astronaut first stepped on the surface of the Moon?
2. Whose name was given to America?
3. Who was the 43rd president of the USA?
4. Which of the US presidents was a Famous Hollywood Actor?
5. Who created the best animated cartoons in the USA?
6. Who was the first president of the USA?
7. Under which two names did the most famous American boxer of the 1960s and 70 fight in the ring?
8. Who is the author of the Declaration of Indepence?
9. Which American rock-and0roll star lived in Memphis, Tennesee?
10. Who was the youngest elected President in the history of the USA?

Culture:
1. Which American film star is called "The Little Framp"?
2. Where is the centre of cinema production in the USA?
3. What monument in Washington (DC), dedicated to an American president is nicknamed "The Pencil"?
4. Who was the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty?
5. What city is Hollywood in?
6. What was the first "talking" film in the US?
7. What was the first American University?
8. What is the national anthem of the USA?
9. What is the famous library in Washington?
10. What memorial is built in honour of the 16th President of the USA?

Geography:
1. How many time zones is the continental part of the USA divided to?
2. What is the last American state?
3. In which city and state is Disney World located?
4. Name the five Great Lakes.
5. Which state is the smallest?
6. What two islands is New York situated on?
7. What oceans is the USA border red by?
8. What is the largest city in the USA?
9. What is America's largest state?
10. What is the longest river in the USA?

History:
1. What was the original number of English colonies on America?
2. When was the "Declaration of Independence" signed?
3. What ship brought a group of English Protestants to America in 1620?
4. Which famous event happened in California in 1849 was glorified in films and boks?
5. During which period of American history was the novel "Gone with the Wind" set?
6. Who was the longest-serving US president?
7. Give the names of the three ships on which C. Columbus made his first voyage to America?
8. Which country presented the USA with statue of Liberty? What was the occasion?
9. Which American general, who later became the 34th president, commanded all US?

----

It would be great to get it today. It's not for me actually. It's for my friends. They need to know the answers to Thursday (tomorrow).

Thanks in advance ;).

8. The author of The Last of the Mohicans is James Fenimore Cooper.
9. The largest Library is probably The Library of Congress
3. Mark Twain's real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

And that is all the answers I know off the top of my head.

Of the literature ones Khartoun didn't answer i've got:
6. Who wrote the story "The Old Man and The Sea"?
Ernest Hemingway (he also wrote "The sun also rises")
4. Who was "An American Tragedy" written by?
Theodore Dreiser
7. Who is considered to be the "Father of American Literature"?
I think this is a bit suggestive of a question, but in general i think people say it's Washington Irving (of The Legend of Sleepy Hallow fame).

and then:
Famous people:
1. Which American astronaut first stepped on the surface of the Moon? Niel Armstrong
2. Whose name was given to America?
3. Who was the 43rd president of the USA? Dubya
4. Which of the US presidents was a Famous Hollywood Actor? Reagan
5. Who created the best animated cartoons in the USA? Ummm... isn't this an opinion
6. Who was the first president of the USA? Washington, George
7. Under which two names did the most famous American boxer of the 1960s and 70 fight in the ring? That bee guy, Muhammad Ali ... i can't remember the other name
8. Who is the author of the Declaration of Indepence? Thomas Jefferson
9. Which American rock-and0roll star lived in Memphis, Tennesee? Elvis Presley
10. Who was the youngest elected President in the history of the USA? Kennedy (does this still stand? is obama younger?

Geography:
1. How many time zones is the continental part of the USA divided to? 5 for mainland, i think it's like 6 or 7 if you include the territories
2. What is the last American state? Hawaii
3. In which city and state is Disney World located? Orlando, Florida
4. Name the five Great Lakes: Erie, Ontario, Superior, Huron, Michigan
5. Which state is the smallest? Rhode Island
6. What two islands is New York situated on? Manhattan and Long Island
7. What oceans is the USA border red by? Atlantic and Pacific
8. What is the largest city in the USA? NYC
9. What is America's largest state? in geographic size... Alaska
10. What is the longest river in the USA? Mississippi River

Culture:
1. Which American film star is called "The Little Framp"? ... umm, if you mean Little Tramp... you'd be referring to Mr. Charlie Chaplin
2. Where is the centre of cinema production in the USA? Hollywood
3. What monument in Washington (DC), dedicated to an American president is nicknamed "The Pencil"? The Washington Monument
4. Who was the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty? ... haha, most people here would say "the french" more specifically, i don't know... i've heard it was Gustave Eiffel but i think it was more of his company that made it and not that he was responsible for it's design
5. What city is Hollywood in? Los Angeles
6. What was the first "talking" film in the US? The Jazz Singer (you can thank my numerous film history courses here)
7. What was the first American University? ... Harvard (?)
8. What is the national anthem of the USA? Star Spangled Banner
9. What is the famous library in Washington? The Library of Congress (i'm assuming, it's the only one worth visiting in this town)
10. What memorial is built in honour of the 16th President of the USA? The Lincoln Memorial

1. What was the original number of English colonies on America? 13
2. When was the "Declaration of Independence" signed? 1776
3. What ship brought a group of English Protestants to America in 1620? Mayflower
4. Which famous event happened in California in 1849 was glorified in films and boks? ... no idea
5. During which period of American history was the novel "Gone with the Wind" set? Civil War Area
6. Who was the longest-serving US president? Franklin Delano Roosevelt
7. Give the names of the three ships on which C. Columbus made his first voyage to America? Santa Maria, Pinta and Nina
8. Which country presented the USA with statue of Liberty? What was the occasion? France via the French Revolution
9. Which American general, who later became the 34th president, commanded all US? Eisenhower


alright, i answered all i could without looking stuff up

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: Rhode Island is the Smallest State! Not Delaware... it's twice the length of RI... you make my inner Honorary Rhode Islander cry. lol

4. Which famous event happened in California in 1849 was glorified in films and books? Gold Rush?

7. What was the first American University? ... Harvard (?) Yeap Harvard was the first college founded in America by the Massachusetts Bay Colony (stupid Puritians)

oh do'h... i didn't even think about Rhode Island... eeek, sorry. Probably cause i live so close to it, we make fun of Delaware for being so small. I'll change my answer asap.

:lol: it's all good... we laugh at Delaware here too... and we're smaller :lol: Delaware is just stupid, the only exciting thing in Delaware is the fact that every Credit Card issuer in the US has it's office in that bloody state and that Bridge that's at the end of the Jersey Turnpike.

Erm... you mean who was it named after? Amerigo Vespucci. (I always thought it should be named Columbia, rather. :p)

guys, I'm a bit confused about song lyrics (in English, and I'm not English speaker :D)

1. Taylor Swift - You're Not Sorry
"This is the last straw, don't wanna hurt anymore"
what's "the last straw" in this case?

2. Lindsay Lohan - Over
"My tears are turning into time, I've wasted trying to find a reason for goodbye"
what's "My tears are turning into time"?

3. Jesse McCartney - Bleeding Love
"My heart's crippled by the vein.. That I keep on closing.. You cut me open and I..
Keep bleeding.. Keep, keep bleeding love.."
I wonder about the phrase "Bleeding Love", is it about fail about love?

thanks :coctail:

"The Last Straw" is a common phrase for "i've had enough of this" ... it harkens back to the arabic phrase "the straw that broke the camel's back" wherein they had put so much straw on the poor camel that it broke it's back...


Not really a phrase here... and not really a great lyric... it says exactly what it is ... her tears are turning into the passage of time. It's really awkward in my opinion and there are better ways to express this metaphor.


This one is pretty simple too... as the lyrics say "You cut me open and I keep bleeding love." ... so just imagine that your blood IS love... and so, if you are bleeding you would then be bleeding love.

haha, i dunno if i helped in anyway but those are my explanations.

many thanks, thegurgi

let me find another song lyrics that I wanna ask too :coctail:

Khartoun2004, thegurgi, freddie, thank you guys for your help!! ;)
Thanks to you our team has won today at the quiz :).

Somebody please help me with the grammar test. I think it's easier for you.

I don't have time to do them all, but here is my contribution, you cheater :gigi: I'm not a Native speaker though so I'm not sure if everything is correct... maybe someone who is, can look over this and see if it's okay?

The ones that are red, are the ones I was unsure of/didn't know.

1. Look at ...! You look terrible!
a) me
b) you
c) yourself
d) your

2. I have never seen a city with so many modern ...
a) churchs
b) toweres
c) towers
c) churchies

3. I must go to the dentist. My ... are aching.
a) tooth
b) tooths
c) teeths
d) teeth

4. His ... do not allow for ...
a) wage, saving
b) wages, save
c) wage, savings
d) wages, saving

5. I saw ... yesterday. He told me about your mother.
a) Robert friend
b) a friend of Peter
c) Charles' friend
d) friend

6. I like this dress but the one I tried on yesterday was ...
a) much beautiful
b) more beautifuller
c) beautifuler
d) more beautiful

7. The prices of houses are getting ... . I am afraid we cannot buy a house of our own now.
a) high and high
b) high and low
c) highest and highest
d) higher and higher

8. ... my money. Please, do not take ... .
a) This are, them
b) These are, them
c) This is, them
d) This is, it

9. When I was walking in the park I did not see .... .
a) nobody
b) anybody
c) somebody
d) no one

10. I ... go to the shop because we will have some tea in the cupboard.
a) must
b) need
c) mustn't
d) needn't
This sentence doesn't make sense to me :confused:

11. Last year I had ... chances of employment than I have now.
a) less
b) much
c) fewer
d) least

12. I must stay at home and do my homework. I wish I ... go to the party with you.
a) can
b) am able
c) could
d) was able

13. I asked Peter about the book and he told me he ... it to the library.
a) has already returned
b) had already returned
c) already returned
d) already returns

14. I would have broken my leg if I ... on the banana skin.
a) stepped
b) have stepped
c) step
d) had stepped

15. When I entered the house she ... to the radio.
a) listened
b) has listened
c) has been listening
d) was listening

16. Before ... we wrote a message for him on a piece of paper.
a) we leave
b) we have left
c) leaving
d) we will leave

17. We had an accident yesterday and father took the car to the mechanic. Now our (car? :p) is ...
a) being repaired
b) repair
c) repairing
d) being repair

18. Do you mind ... it home?
a) to take
b) takeing
c) taking
d) to be taken

19. I am sorry, but there is ... we can do to help them in their difficult situation.
a) something
b) anything
c) nothing
d) that

20. Look! James' car is ... big ... Tom's.
a) so, as
b) as, as
c) as, so
d) so, so

21. Do not buy this dish-washer. It is cheaper than that one, but is also ... .
a) less economical
b) more economical
c) less saving
d) more saving

22. He spent a fortnight there. I mean ...
a) twice four nights
b) four weeks
c) two weeks
d) forty nights

23. At which stop should I get ... ?
a) out
b) down
c) off
d) of

24. The poor cat did not manage to escape and the car ...
a) ran over them
b) run it over
c) ran over it
d) broke down

25. The plane to London is going to ... . We must hurry up.
a) start
b) begin to fly
c) fly
d) take off

This one technically doesn't have a correct answer. Technically, it should be "Charles's friend."

Monica, thanks a lot!:rose:
The rest are already done :).


:p:heh:

Cooper Scream, no problem, sorry I didn't do the rest :( Is it for school? I hope you did well ;)

No, it's not for school. Thank God, I'm not a schoolboy anymore. It's for my courses of distance education. Brian (franb) helped me to do the rest.

No, Charles ends in 's' which means Charles' is the correct possessive form of Charles. You don't add another 's' after the apostrophe if the word ends in 's'.

Charles' is correct. Not Charles's.

I've actually been taught that both are correct but I suppose that Charles's is rather superfluous.

Maybe it's diff for American English and the Queen's English.
:dknow:

In American English, "Charles' " would be correct.

I did some ~research~ and apparently both are correct, but consistency is key.

I'm not a native speaker though, so what do I know :laugh:

I also think so.