I think there must have been something strange in my tea yesterday! Mandarin is NOT, repeat NOT, a language that easily allow for sentences without subjects. In this respect it's like English. Apologies. I'm really sorry to have misposted. (And believe it or not I studied Mandarin for two years.)
Speaking of yesterday, did anyone catch the first sentence: "I'm sorry to disappoint"? It's missing an argument. Who am I sorry to disappoint? And how do you feel about the use of 'represent' without a direct object: "The rapper was representing"?
While I'm here, I want to send thanks to John in Thailand for his vote against sentences like "Are you coming with?"
Well, I just wanted to get the apology out quickly. I still can't believe I wrote that.
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Oops!
I must have made a mistake in inserting a link in the last posting. Here is the link to Suzy's suggested Cantonese video.
Pet Peeves
Losing Arguments
Sorry to disappoint. If you were looking for a discussion of debating styles, that’s not what you’ll find here. What I’ll be writing about is linguistic arguments. No, not discussions of theory but rather arguments that go with verbs. (If you’re interested in a brief theoretical discussion, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verb_argument has a good one.) I’m going to keep it simple by saying that an argument is a noun or pronoun that is necessary to completing the meaning of a verb phrase. For example, if I say ‘is reading’ you don’t get the full meaning. Who am I talking about? I have to have a subject: ‘Mary is reading.’ ‘Mary hit’ again leaves out essential information. Who or what did she hit? ‘Mary gave money’ does not tell us to whom or what she gave it. (More on this later.) In traditional grammar, the first utterance – ‘is reading’ – is missing a subject; ‘Mary hit’ is missing a direct object; ‘Mary gave money’ lacks an indirect object. Okay enough of that terminology! I don’t want you to think you’re back in school.
Let’s consider ‘Mary gave money’ again. It actually sounds like a pretty good sentence AS LONG AS WE KNOW THE CONTEXT. If we’re talking about donations to a charity or gifts at a party, it’s quite easy to fill in the missing argument. ‘Mary gave money to the church’; ‘Mary gave the new couple money.’ English often allows the indirect object argument to be deleted if it is clear from context. However, subject arguments can almost never be deleted in English. Almost every sentence must have a subject even if it is obvious from context. In case you think this is not even worth talking about, it is. There are many languages – Mandarin and Korean come to mind – where the subject is regularly omitted if it’s obvious from context.
So, where am I going with this? One of the things that I find upsetting – sorry I know this is an inappropriate emotional reaction – is when people lose arguments in their speech. The example that comes to mind – and it’s the only one for now – occurs in snippets of conversation like the following: ‘We’re going to the mall. Do you want to come with?’ I just have to say ‘come with us.’ However, on many occasions, I’ve heard people lose the argument in this situation. What do you think? Do you find this acceptable? Do you have other examples?
Descriptive versus Prescriptive
My academic background is in linguistics. I was originally taught that when we analyze a language we should describe it as it is, not as we think it should be. For the most part, I agree with this perspective. However, as I’ve shown in the previous section, that is not always the case.
The Past Contrary to Fact Conditional
Now that’s a mouthful! But it’s very important to me. In fact it’s probably a greater pet peeve than losing arguments. Here’s an example:
As I’m sure all of you will attest, what we often hear or read are sentences like the following:
Yuck! For me. Every time I hear or even read utterances like the last one I get really upset. I’ve even been thinking of starting a society for the preservation of the past contrary to fact conditional! I may write more about how I find them system-destroying in a later blog. However, for now I’ll just ask what you think.
Language Fun
There are a lot of resources out there to help you get into the language you’ve chosen to study. Suzy in Thailand has sent me an example for Cantonese. She calls it “a funny and bizarre little language lesson.” In a follow-up communication, she says, “i wasn't 100% sure what was going on but it was funny and engaging.” Yes, it was, Suzy. UTube is a great source for material which shows you your language actually being used. Don’t worry about whether you understand everything. Just listen to the “music.” It will help. I promise.
Well, now I have to get on with the rest of my day. See you next time!
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Sorry to disappoint. If you were looking for a discussion of debating styles, that’s not what you’ll find here. What I’ll be writing about is linguistic arguments. No, not discussions of theory but rather arguments that go with verbs. (If you’re interested in a brief theoretical discussion, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verb_argument has a good one.) I’m going to keep it simple by saying that an argument is a noun or pronoun that is necessary to completing the meaning of a verb phrase. For example, if I say ‘is reading’ you don’t get the full meaning. Who am I talking about? I have to have a subject: ‘Mary is reading.’ ‘Mary hit’ again leaves out essential information. Who or what did she hit? ‘Mary gave money’ does not tell us to whom or what she gave it. (More on this later.) In traditional grammar, the first utterance – ‘is reading’ – is missing a subject; ‘Mary hit’ is missing a direct object; ‘Mary gave money’ lacks an indirect object. Okay enough of that terminology! I don’t want you to think you’re back in school.
Let’s consider ‘Mary gave money’ again. It actually sounds like a pretty good sentence AS LONG AS WE KNOW THE CONTEXT. If we’re talking about donations to a charity or gifts at a party, it’s quite easy to fill in the missing argument. ‘Mary gave money to the church’; ‘Mary gave the new couple money.’ English often allows the indirect object argument to be deleted if it is clear from context. However, subject arguments can almost never be deleted in English. Almost every sentence must have a subject even if it is obvious from context. In case you think this is not even worth talking about, it is. There are many languages – Mandarin and Korean come to mind – where the subject is regularly omitted if it’s obvious from context.
So, where am I going with this? One of the things that I find upsetting – sorry I know this is an inappropriate emotional reaction – is when people lose arguments in their speech. The example that comes to mind – and it’s the only one for now – occurs in snippets of conversation like the following: ‘We’re going to the mall. Do you want to come with?’ I just have to say ‘come with us.’ However, on many occasions, I’ve heard people lose the argument in this situation. What do you think? Do you find this acceptable? Do you have other examples?
Descriptive versus Prescriptive
My academic background is in linguistics. I was originally taught that when we analyze a language we should describe it as it is, not as we think it should be. For the most part, I agree with this perspective. However, as I’ve shown in the previous section, that is not always the case.
The Past Contrary to Fact Conditional
Now that’s a mouthful! But it’s very important to me. In fact it’s probably a greater pet peeve than losing arguments. Here’s an example:
If Obama had not raised so much money, he might not have won the primaries.
As I’m sure all of you will attest, what we often hear or read are sentences like the following:
If Obama did not raise so much money, he might not have won the primaries.
Yuck! For me. Every time I hear or even read utterances like the last one I get really upset. I’ve even been thinking of starting a society for the preservation of the past contrary to fact conditional! I may write more about how I find them system-destroying in a later blog. However, for now I’ll just ask what you think.
Language Fun
There are a lot of resources out there to help you get into the language you’ve chosen to study. Suzy in Thailand has sent me an example for Cantonese. She calls it “a funny and bizarre little language lesson.” In a follow-up communication, she says, “i wasn't 100% sure what was going on but it was funny and engaging.” Yes, it was, Suzy. UTube is a great source for material which shows you your language actually being used. Don’t worry about whether you understand everything. Just listen to the “music.” It will help. I promise.
Well, now I have to get on with the rest of my day. See you next time!
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Worth a Look
Studying Your Language
Remembering Definitions
This brings me back to coaching you in studying your chosen language (or teaching it). As I wrote above, what was good about the definition of ‘incognito’ was that it incorporated the following:
- Repetition
- Examples
- Visual Support
You can use these when you study vocabulary. Repeat the word several times; think of more than one example of how you could use it; draw a picture to illustrate it or get one or more from the Internet (or a magazine). Use whichever of these techniques appeals to your learning style(s) and I guarantee that you will retain the words you study.
Study – Finally – Oh no!
It’s time to start actually studying your language formally. If you haven’t got a book yet, get one or find lessons on the Internet. Remember that you’ve committed to a certain amount of time every day. (You can take off on your Sabbath if you wish.) Start at the beginning: Chapter or Lesson 1. (You need not do the whole chapter at once. If it’s broken up into segments, start with the first one.) Read it through to get an overview.
Now, hone in on the details. Most books start off with the verb ‘to be’ or its absence. (In many languages, sentences such as ‘The dog is brown’ do not contain a verb.) Read through the examples that are given. You can copy them, say them, make flash cards, act them out, …. Use any or all of these techniques. Now comes the fun. Language involves communication. Unless you have easy access to a native speaker or fellow-student, you’re going to have to pretend. Write a letter to the object of your affection (real or imagined), a family member, a friend, a politician, or anyone else you’d like to communicate with. What? You don’t know what words to use in the language? That’s what dictionaries are for! You can even use online translators. Horrible and funny though their results sometimes are, Babelfish and Google’s translator are useful for first approximations, particularly at the beginning level. The idea is to use the language creatively from the very first. Don’t worry about mistakes; just express yourself. If you watched last night’s presidential debate, you must have a lot to say to your candidate, his opponent, or even the moderator. Go for it! And have fun.
Word for the Year
The word ‘copasetic’ has been haunting me! I chose it as the Word for the Day in a previous blog and commented that it seemed to be used more frequently by people of a certain age. Sure enough, while watching an episode of Mad Men, which is set in the 1960’s, I heard it from the mouth of someone’s father. But then I heard it used by a young person (no older than 35) that I was talking to. Hmm. I know that once you learn a new word you seem to keep hearing it when you did not before, but this is a bit eerie.
Don't forget to write comments about your experiences with studying your language or with words. I look forward to reading them.
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Moving on with Your Language
This will be a short entry. I’ve had a busy week, but I want to get you started on actually studying the language you’ve chosen.
I really appreciate a recent comment on how I make language study simple. It really can be. Just don’t get hung up on how you think things should be done, which is probably based on how you were taught or taught to teach. Thanks again to tellmealgo.
Okay, by now you’ve probably found out what your preferred learning style is. How does this compare to the way you were taught – or have taught – a foreign language? What insights has this given you into your past successes or difficulties?
Now, here are some suggestions for study activities that will utilize different learning styles.
Visual: Use flashcards for vocabulary and some grammar points. Cut out, copy or create pictures that illustrate the word or sentence you want to practice.
Aural: Play a language-learning CD at home or in your car. Use a CD or tape while you exercise at the gym.
Kinesthetic: Write the words or sentences in your journal. Make movements that illustrate the word or sentence as you say it. (Be as creative here as you like. No one’s watching.) For example, act out verbs or demonstrate nouns. Just think what you can do with the word that means flower, or beautiful.
I’m sure you can think of more activities for each learning style. And, of course, you can combine them or try one that is not at the top of your list.
Get your feet wet with the language you want to study. Choose one or two of the above activities and do it for the amount of time you’ve committed to studying. Keep a record of your reactions and results in your journal. I’d love to hear about some of these. You can post a comment on this blog or write to me at either Pres@PrinceLanguage.com or seileenprince@gmail.com
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Monday, September 29, 2008
On Your Own
Today, I want to get you started on studying a language on your own. I will also begin a section for teachers, which I will include from time to time. Thanks to reader Feh for this suggestion.
Self-study
As I wrote last time, many of you want to study another language but just don’t have time to take a course. I’m going to help you at least get started studying on your own. (And, of course, if you need a coach to help hold you accountable -- coaching jargon for helping to make sure you do what you say you will to further your goal -- just contact me.) First, you need to answer a few questions for yourself:
Get a notebook or journal and write your answers to these questions in it. If you’re like me, choose a journal that represents you or that you otherwise find attractive. (One of my recent choices has Wonder Woman on the cover and some of the pages. Another has a peacock ;-) What else can I say?)
Your first task is to find out how you learn. Go to your favorite search engine and search for learning style inventories. I’ve thought about recommending some but honestly there are quite a few out there that will serve just fine. Choose one or two (or three) that give you free feedback online and take it/them. Write the results in your journal.
That’s all on this topic for now. More next time.
For Teachers
I’ve been told that some of my readers are language teachers who would appreciate a focus on ideas that might be useful to them in their teaching. So, from time to time I will include a section just for them. If you’re not a language teacher, feel free to skip it, but it might be interesting in any case.
OK teachers: Having your students commit to a certain amount of time for studying your subject each day will probably prove useful. When working with adults, I suggest the kitchen table (which has been famous by our politicians for discussing how awful we're doing in this economy). I suggest getting all materials together, putting them on the table and then setting the microwave or other alarm for the specified amount of time. Music is allowed, but no other TV or radio. Of course, you should make sure your homework assignments are do-able in a fairly short time and useful/meaningful.
Finding out how your students best learn may be an eye-opener for you and for them. Therefore, having them do a learning styles inventory is something I strongly suggest. If you have good Internet resources at your school, have them go online to do one that you have chosen. If not, print out a short one and have them do it the old-fashioned way. Then you can either collect them or have them score them themselves. Keep a record of the results. (By the way, I’m writing this section for language teachers, but these ideas should be useful to everyone involved in education.)
Word for the Day
I’m probably dating myself with this choice. After I recently used this word with a client whose hair is griseous or close to it, she told me that when she used it with younger people they had no idea what it meant. (Hmm. Although my Word editor’s thesaurus did not have any synonyms for ‘griseous’ it did not indicate that it is not a word either. Maybe ‘griseous’ can be saved from the Collins shredder. Please, start using it now!)
Here’s the word for today:
It means that everything is good, going well, ….
The etymology of this word is not clear. It could come from Hebrew, Chinook, French or another source. For an interesting discussion, see http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-cop1.htm.
Well, I have a pretty full schedule for the rest of today, so to steal a line from Porky Pig: "Th-th-th-that's all folks!"
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Self-study
As I wrote last time, many of you want to study another language but just don’t have time to take a course. I’m going to help you at least get started studying on your own. (And, of course, if you need a coach to help hold you accountable -- coaching jargon for helping to make sure you do what you say you will to further your goal -- just contact me.) First, you need to answer a few questions for yourself:
- What language do you want to study?
- Why do you want to study this language? (Make your answer as full as possible.)
- What resources are available for this language (books, CD’s and DVD’s, native speakers, movies and TV programs, …)?
- How much time will you commit each day to studying? (Figure this out on a daily basis. Ten minutes a day every day is better than two hours a week once a week.)
Get a notebook or journal and write your answers to these questions in it. If you’re like me, choose a journal that represents you or that you otherwise find attractive. (One of my recent choices has Wonder Woman on the cover and some of the pages. Another has a peacock ;-) What else can I say?)
Your first task is to find out how you learn. Go to your favorite search engine and search for learning style inventories. I’ve thought about recommending some but honestly there are quite a few out there that will serve just fine. Choose one or two (or three) that give you free feedback online and take it/them. Write the results in your journal.
That’s all on this topic for now. More next time.
For Teachers
I’ve been told that some of my readers are language teachers who would appreciate a focus on ideas that might be useful to them in their teaching. So, from time to time I will include a section just for them. If you’re not a language teacher, feel free to skip it, but it might be interesting in any case.
OK teachers: Having your students commit to a certain amount of time for studying your subject each day will probably prove useful. When working with adults, I suggest the kitchen table (which has been famous by our politicians for discussing how awful we're doing in this economy). I suggest getting all materials together, putting them on the table and then setting the microwave or other alarm for the specified amount of time. Music is allowed, but no other TV or radio. Of course, you should make sure your homework assignments are do-able in a fairly short time and useful/meaningful.
Finding out how your students best learn may be an eye-opener for you and for them. Therefore, having them do a learning styles inventory is something I strongly suggest. If you have good Internet resources at your school, have them go online to do one that you have chosen. If not, print out a short one and have them do it the old-fashioned way. Then you can either collect them or have them score them themselves. Keep a record of the results. (By the way, I’m writing this section for language teachers, but these ideas should be useful to everyone involved in education.)
Word for the Day
I’m probably dating myself with this choice. After I recently used this word with a client whose hair is griseous or close to it, she told me that when she used it with younger people they had no idea what it meant. (Hmm. Although my Word editor’s thesaurus did not have any synonyms for ‘griseous’ it did not indicate that it is not a word either. Maybe ‘griseous’ can be saved from the Collins shredder. Please, start using it now!)
Here’s the word for today:
copasetic
It means that everything is good, going well, ….
The etymology of this word is not clear. It could come from Hebrew, Chinook, French or another source. For an interesting discussion, see http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-cop1.htm.
Well, I have a pretty full schedule for the rest of today, so to steal a line from Porky Pig: "Th-th-th-that's all folks!"
Ciao for now,
Eileen
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Belated Happy Holiday
Language for Profit
Drat! I missed it. Yesterday, September 24, was National Punctuation Day. It must be pretty popular because whenever I’ve tried to go to the site – NationalPunctuationDay.com – I get an error message I’ve never seen before: "Bandwidth Length Exceeded." So, let me be the first to wish you a "Belated Happy National Punctuation Day!"
I found a link to another blog that discusses the holiday a bit. The blogger has something to say about the importance of correct punctuation in resumes -- and I would guess cover letters -- and particularly disparages the hated usage of “it’s” as a possessive. The URL is http://paulbuckley14059.wordpress.com/2008/09/23/national-punctuation-day/
I’ll be checking back on the official blog from time to time and will let you know what other insights it provides. For now, just remember that punctuation DOES count, particularly in making a good first impression on a prospective employer.
To check on where you may need to bone up, see
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/cgi-shl/quiz.pl/punct_quiz.htm?cgi_quiz_form=1
It gives great feedback.
A New Service
I haven’t mentioned my company, Prince Language Associates Incorporated, before, but now I want to let everyone know that I will be providing a new service which may interest you. Do you want to study a foreign language? Do you have enough time to take a class? Are you motivated to study on your own? If you answered the first question in the affirmative, the second with a ‘no,’ and the third with a ‘maybe,’ then I can help you. In addition to being an experienced language acquisition expert (I blush), I’m also a trained co-active coach. Because I’ve discovered that many people who want to study a foreign language just can’t take a course, I’m now offering
Coaching for Language Self-study
If you’d like more information on this service, please contact me at either seileenprince@gmail.com or Pres@PrinceLanguage.com
Word for the Day
I hope you’ve been voting on which words should be saved from being turned into recrement by the Collins shredder. (BTW, my Word editor has indicated that ‘recrement’ is a misspelling or just not a word. Check it out on the site I mentioned yesterday.) It’s also been said that using these words may preserve them in the dictionary. I don’t know if this is really true, but I’ll be doing my bit.
Here’s a word that’s not in danger so far but perhaps not known or used by many people nowadays:
galivant
(Hmm. My Word editor didn’t accept either spelling this word: ‘galivant’ or ‘galavant.’ However, I was able to find it online.)
I like the definition from the American Heritage Dictionary that I found at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/galavant:
- To roam about in search of pleasure or amusement. See Synonyms at wander.
- To play around amorously; flirt.
Spanish Vocabulary
I’ve already written that a good thing to say when introduced to someone who speaks Spanish is "¡Mucho gusto!" Now, here’s how to respond in case someone says this to you:
¡El gusto es mio!
This means “The pleasure is mine,” always a nice thing to say.
Well, it’s been my pleasure to write today’s blog. I hope I'll have the pleasure of reading your comments soon.
Ciao for now,
Eileen
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