[OFF TOPIC] English lessons!

Gordon

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 10:17:44 PM

Recently, I have been writing and speaking english waaaay more than norwegian, so when i tried to write some sentences on norwegian earlier today, I thought I had developed difficulty writing since I could not get the sentences right.

Skurkanas

Newcomer

Skurkanas

Newcomer

11 200g2g pts

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 6:15:33 PM

Gordon wrote:
Aren't we all?

I do hope so :P

Cascade

Newcomer

Cascade

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 8:33:52 PM

Skurkanas wrote:
I do hope so :P

We are... if we are tired we need to sleep. If we are hungry we need to eat. If we hurt us our blood is red...

When the time comes all human will realize this and then we will move on.

Duk

Newcomer

Duk

Newcomer

300g2g pts

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 8:51:21 PM

Being American, my blood is in fact a high-density slurry composed of fat-derived oils and ground beef.

Naturally.

Gordon

Newcomer

Gordon

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 9:45:38 PM

As a norwegian, my blood consists of aquavit. And some more alcohol.

Boozehound

Newcomer

Boozehound

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 9:48:03 PM

Possibly "I'm Grown" ?

Jashbeast

Stellar Sheredyn

Jashbeast

Stellar Sheredyn

23 800g2g pts

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 9:50:17 PM

Boozehound wrote:
Possibly "I'm Grown" ?

Erm, yeah that doesn't really work either seeing as you can grow but you can't "be grow"

Godbeast

Newcomer

Godbeast

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 9:54:07 PM

"I'm " is generally used for something that is specific about your identity, like "I'm Carl" (a name) or "I'm french" (nationality) but not such things as professions "I'm doctor" or gender "I'm girl". However it is highly irregular. For example it is "I'm a man" versus "I'm male". You can't say "I'm man" but you can say "I'm a male". Although "I'm a male" is generally followed with additional information, like "I'm a male swede".

It is highly confusing now that I think about it*

*Note that my first language is not English, I just have a lot of experience with it.

VIPInFlamesWeTrust

Officer

Do not fight the Harmony. You will be brought into our Harmony.

VIPInFlamesWeTrust

Officer

15 100g2g pts

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 10:06:51 PM

English is annoying, its a mix-match of about 5000000000000000 other languages and has so many annoying rules and way of spelling things. Although saying that, most of the annoying words are originally French

But on topic and as other have said, saying "I'm adult" is grammatically wrong because you need an "an" in there

I'm not clued up on the whole noun and adjective thing because well, who has time for that crap, but I know that an "an" is needed

lurker

Newcomer

lurker

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 10:10:53 PM

InFlamesWeTrust wrote:
English is annoying, its a mix-match of about 5000000000000000 other languages and has so many annoying rules and way of spelling things.

That's what's so good about English though, why stop at one word for something when you can have six :P. And yes it would normally be "I'm an adult" - but everyone would understand perfectly if you missed out the 'an'.

Randeng

Newcomer

Randeng

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 6:15:09 PM

whe have three language origins, latin, greek and Anglo Saxon (if i'm right).

But even between these three originis, we certainly picked some words in other languages! like "adult"^^

sparhawk814

Newcomer

sparhawk814

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 10:27:26 PM

I'm Tri-lingual! My native language is English (Chicago*), Broken English, and Very Broken Spanish

Edit: As a native English speaker when using Adult in its noun form it should be preceded by the indefinite article "An". And now you know! (Cue GI Joe music)

*This means I am legally obligated to try and end as many sentences in prepositions as is humanely possible...now where's my coat at?

Gordon

Newcomer

Gordon

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 11, 2012, 10:33:57 PM

sparhawk814 wrote:
...now where's my coat at?

On the hanger, right over there..

Sleel

Newcomer

Sleel

Newcomer

6 000g2g pts

12 years ago

May 12, 2012, 12:14:50 AM

InFlamesWeTrust wrote:
English is annoying, its a mix-match of about 5000000000000000 other languages and has so many annoying rules and way of spelling things. Although saying that, most of the annoying words are originally French

But on topic and as other have said, saying "I'm adult" is grammatically wrong because you need an "an" in there I'm not clued up on the whole noun and adjective thing because well, who has time for that crap, but I know that an "an" is needed

In the sig tag on another forum, it says. "English doesn't just borrow from other languages. It follows them down dark allies, ambushes them and rifles through their pockets for loose grammar." Where the quote itself came from I forget.

Also, I was reading an article in National Geographic some years back, on the Roman Empire and it's legacy on us all, linguistically in this context. Had a preamble paragraph talking about various influences it had on the languages of Europe and ended by saying, 'if you remove every word in this paragraph that directly or indirectly derived from Latin, you would be left with the word "the".'

This in reply to the post bout all the langs of Euro being related. Not all of em are, but a goodly chunk.

Malleovic

Newcomer

Malleovic

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 19, 2012, 6:27:52 AM

Sleel wrote:
'if you remove every word in this paragraph that directly or indirectly derived from Latin, you would be left with the word "the".'

And a whole lot of German. Or what it was at the time, anyway.

eaTae

Newcomer

eaTae

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 19, 2012, 1:39:32 PM

Technically "I'm adult." is not wrong. It's just that nobody talks like that. If you use 'adult' as an adjective it is usually followed by a noun. So "I'm an adult." or "I'm an adult monkey." would be the common thing to say.

CheesyDave

Newcomer

CheesyDave

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 19, 2012, 8:15:47 PM

InFlamesWeTrust wrote:
English is annoying, its a mix-match of about 5000000000000000 other languages and has so many annoying rules and way of spelling things.

Apparently though that makes it much easier to learn if youre coming to it as a second language, cos you can start with words that are similar to other languages and build from there

And yes the reason 'I'm AN adult' is correct is because you stating that you are one of something, and because the word 'adult' starts with a vowel, it makes it 'AN adult'. However if you were stating that you were a child, it would be 'I'm a child', because the word child starts with a consonant. Hope this helps

touny

Newcomer

touny

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 20, 2012, 1:05:48 PM

As it has been several times noted already, in the context, the "an" is required, otherwise it is simply unclear and incorrect grammar. Also, unless you are perfectly fluid in a language, please don't use it as ammo in an argument, it makes you look retarded. Also increases the likelihood that I'll be present, and forced to intercept just to teach both of you how the language is actually used.

For the relation of european languages, while most are, yes, there are some that aren't so much. Take Finnish, which is a little spec of confusion for linguistics, who repeatedly find out it's even less related than they previously thought.

And as for the complication of the English language, this is the sole reason it is in the position it has managed to acquire. The complexity is what makes English such a clear language, you have a very low probability of being unclear if you present your thoughts through correct grammar.

Then, as my personal little advice to everyone: use dictionaries. Daily, if in any way possible. The internet is filled of free, easy-to-use, and mostly somewhat decent ones (e.g. wiktionary), that will improve your vocabulary and give you a superior way of verbalising.

In doubt of how a word is spelled, or what it means? Hit a dictionary, and suddenly it will all be clear.

Acularius

Old Timer

std.cout << "Something witty this way outputs...";

Acularius

Old Timer

13 800g2g pts

12 years ago

May 20, 2012, 2:29:16 PM

Definitely "I'm an adult", rule of thumb for me if it 'sounds right' and flows off the tongue properly. Which is not the case 100% of the time.

I haven't practiced my French in such a long time, Quebec is too far away and I haven't really dealt with French since Grade 10.

craigbic

Newcomer

craigbic

Newcomer

12 years ago

May 20, 2012, 2:50:16 PM

I'm a Pepper. He's a Pepper. She's a Pepper. Wouldn't you like to be a Pepper too?