Jul 24
Speaking American
There are some truly terrible English textbooks out there. Sometimes I’ll open a textbook and find five mistakes on a single page. Here’s one that I remember: “Who is good at teaching, a teacher or a director?” It should be “Who is better at teaching, a teacher or a director?” Students (particularly Chinese students) remember these mistakes, and when they eventually learn of the correct pronounciation/spelling/whatever, they always greet it suspiciously: “But I learnt to say ‘who is good’ many years ago, now you’re telling me that I should have been saying ‘who is better’ all this time?”
What really ticks me off is the reaction that many English learners have when I point out how terrible the textbooks are. They say that this is “American English” and since I’m from Australia, that must explain why I’m having trouble with some of the strange expressions in the textbook. I always try to explain that American English isn’t so different to what we speak in Australia, and that the textbook is plain wrong but my students are always suspicious that I don’t really know what I’m talking about.
So I have decided to test it out. I’m particularly interested to know if the following sentences make sense to our American cousins. I suspect that they are as incorrect to Americans as they are to the rest of us, and that I really do understand English:
- When do we usually lay the table?
- When do you do your own room?
I don’t want influence anyone’s judgement (judgment!) of these sentences by pointing out where I think they are wrong; just let me know if they make sense to you.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Uh, “incorrect” and “incorrect” – and I’m as American as they come. As they say, “San Diego, CA, REPRESENT!” ^^
July 25th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Yeah – “lay the table” – only makes sense if you’re table is a simple floor mat, in which case it’s no longer a table (needs a raised surface, either through a series of legs or another strategy to prop the surface up).
“When do you do your own room?” – Clean up? Decorate? I guess one could say “when do you do up your own room”, but that’s still weird.
July 25th, 2008 at 2:25 am
“if you’re table” >> “if your table” – silly me…
July 29th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
I didn’t realise / realize the grammar was different, I thought it was just the spelling.
In answer to your question Maxie, I am a director and you are a teacher, so clearly, the answer is “director”!
And it’s not just mistakes, often the books use antiquated terms that people would never use in the 21st century, like “I am delighted to make your acquaintance”. But then, “pleased to meet you” is also an odd phrase since you can’t know if you’re pleased to meet someone till after you get to know them better!
July 30th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
lol. Those books are retarded.
Also responding to your message on my blog. It is human anatomy, but I’m dissecting anyone lol.
I’ll let you know how it is!
July 30th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
“I’m dissecting anyone” -> “I’m not dissecting anyone”
Sorry….its late -_-;
July 31st, 2008 at 3:10 pm
>>When do we usually lay the table?
I’ve heard “lay the table” like once before, but that was from a guy from the UK. In America, we say “set the table.”
That’s the only problem that I see.
“When do you do your own room”
Hmm, “do” sounds weird here. But it’s still fine provided context. It makes me think that person means “fixing up/decorating.”
Also, I don’t see why “own” is used. It sounds kinda…. [i can't think of a word]
Also weird tense.
do -> will OR are going to (gonna).
When are you gonna do your room?
July 31st, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Also to add, if I were to use “do” I would probably use “do up.”
July 31st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
I think the consensus is that we know what these sentences mean but they all make us go “huh”? English textbooks shouldn’t make us do that!
October 9th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Write me – well if youinsist I will take up a pencil or biro and write the word me. If you mean write TO me, then say so.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Here.
“I’m reading a book, here.” I’m watching a movie, here.
I’m baking a cake, here.
Where else would you be.
October 9th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Forceful culturalism.
We do not say Syuper, so why do you say pooma, emoo, noo.