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linguist
Ziyaretçi
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« : Ağustos 09, 2007, 04:07:04 ÖS » |
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English is a global language because English is so widely spoken language. English has a very rich repertoire of idioms, and it typically has several words which have the same basic meaning but different connotations and stylistic value. English is an eclectic language which tends to borrow words from other languages instead of constructing words for new concepts from older words with derivation or word composition. There are some difficulties in English language. I think these are the common problems: using of articles, using of prepositions, using of tenses, spelling, writing, mispronunciation…. It is very important to identify the main and supporting points of an academic text or argument, evaluate the validity of a basic argument or position through challenging basic ideas, categorise and select information by distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant information and outline a text through analysis of the overall structure. Also some problems occur in taking appropriate notes from a variety of texts, paraphrased in written tasks. Pronunciation, spelling and grammar are the main problems of learning English. English vowels will be a problem because English has so many vowels. Spelling words in English is challenging work. As a matter of fact, many native speakers of English have problems with spelling correctly. One of the main reasons for this is that many, many English words are NOT spelled as they are spoken. This difference between pronunciation and spelling causes a lot of confusion. Apart from being widely used and known,
English is extremely unsuitable as a universal language. There are several reasons to this. Native speakers of the language are in a quite different position than others. Native speakers tend to use idioms and rare words and to speak too fast, unless they exercise conscious control over their language - and such control is difficult and unnatural when applied to one's mother tongue. This implies that in oral communication in particular native speakers of English often have worse problems in getting themselves correctly understood than nonnative speakers! For a native speaker of a language, it is natural to use one's own dialect, and it is difficult to avoid this entirely; this emphasizes the importance of the above-mentioned problem of native speakers expressing themselves in international contexts. When you learn your native language in your childhood, you learn it by listening to and talking with people who have it as their native language.Thus it is very natural human behaviour to use your native language with the unconscious but strong assumption that the listener or reader knows the language to the same or even higher extent than you. A national language carries with it the history of the nation. For instance, words and phrases have got, in addition to their dictionary meanings, connotations, colours and associations. This is an important cultural phenomenon which helps in keeping the nation a nation. National languages have originally evolved as spoken languages. When written national languages originated, they were usually formed on the basis of the dialect of the capital or other important area, with the aim of creating a language which supports the creation of a unified nation. Moreover, being originally spoken languages, they lack sufficient tools for expressing things in an exact, unambiguous manner. Other than these “spelling words” in English is challenging work. As a matter of fact, many native speakers of English have problems with spelling correctly. One of the main reasons for this is that many English words are NOT spelled as they are spoken. This difference between pronunciation and spelling causes a lot of confusion. The combination “ough” provides an excellent example: Though – pronounced – tuf ( the ‘u’ sounding as in ‘cup’ ) Through – pronounced – throo Dough – pronounced – doe ( long ‘o’ ) Bought – pronounced - bawt Spelling describes the way in which the symbols or letters of the alphabet are arranged in a conventional way to represent the words of a language. Spelling words correctly is an important part of writing. If we improve our spelling, and become aware of common mispronunciations and know which letters or group of letters spell English sounds, we can become a more effective speller. We should keep an individual word list of all the words that we have in trouble with misspell. Or we can write the word a number of times until we can do it without really thinking about it. We also should use it when speaking and writing. These are some words that are often mispronounced and, misspelled. Spelling rules can help our spelling questions. For example: Three Syllables Pronounced as Two Syllables Aspirin - pronounced – asprin Different - pronounced – diffrent Every - pronounced - evry Swallowed Syllables - Four Syllables Pronounced as Three Syllables Comfortable - pronounced – comftable Temperature - pronounced – temprature Vegetable - pronounced – vegtable Many misspelled words are “HOMOPHONES” words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings and different spellings. I would like to show some of the most common homophones.
air – heir ate – eight brake - break all – awl aye – eye calendar - calender aloud – allowed band – banned ceiling - sealing atlar – alter bear – bare knew - new bin – been bell – belle close - clothes block – bloc born – borne creek - creak current – currant die – dye flour – flower lesson – lessen night – knight to – too - two maid – made no – know rabbit - rabbet male – mail not – knot ring - wring maybe – may be one – won wood - would Some English words are commonly misspelled either because the rules for their spellings are difficult to remember or because their spellings don’t follow any rules. I would like to give some commonly misspelled words:
“Misused Constructions” include errors in agreement, faulty pronoun references, words used as the wrong parts of speech, fragmentary or run-on sentences, nonparallel constructions and problems with modifiers. We should avoid the most serious problems in grammatical constructions. Subject-Verb Agreement: Here a verb must agree with its subject in number and person. NUMBER The paper was on my bed. ( singular ) The papers were on my desk. ( plural ) PERSON Singular: I am at home. Plural: We are at home. You are at home. You are at home. He, She, It is at home. They are at home. When other parts of a sentence come between the subject and the verb, these parts don’t change the person or the number of the verb. The boys who had a good time at the party are now playing football. Some nouns are plural in form but are singular in meaning and therefore take singular verbs. The news was bad. The Unites Nations is located in New York. Two or more subjects joined by and take a plural verb. The baby and the bird love attention. Pronoun Agreement: Pronouns used as subjects must agree with their verbs. Indefinite pronouns are considered to be singular and take singular verbs; each, either, neither. Everyone is here. Nobody wants to speak. Each of these apples is spoiled. Faulty Pronoun References: Every pronoun must have an antecedent. But we can have some problems for that. After Micheal talked to Bill, he was angry.( Not clear ) After Micheal talked to Bill, Bill was angry. OR Micheal was angry after he talked to Bill.(clear ) Sentence Fragments: we are also in trouble with these. If we don’t write our ideas clearly, we can’t understand what we mean. A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence. Fragment: After going to college for four years. I was ready to teach. Correct: After going to college for four years, I was ready to teach. In English we can also add words or change the words to make the fragment a complete sentence in itself. Fragment: Watching the election results all night. Correct: I was watching the election results all night. Run-On Sentence: We also have trouble with this. It is two or more sentences joined together. Run-on: I spent 55 dollars for this dress I like the style. Correct: I spent 55 dollars for this dress. I like the style. I spent 55 dollars for this dress because I like the style. I spent 55 dollars for this dress; I like the style.
In English we have these kinds of problems. We usually start learning English from grammar then we try to make sentences, try to combine the words and then try to speak. The more you improve yourself the more you speak properly English !! Also having presentation improves our English skills. To do a successful presentation in English, we should try to do our the best. For that, we should search an interesting topic. The method of using materials is also very important. Preparing visuals_aids related with topic and collecting enough informations are important. We should try to use many sources and try to support our ideas by these sources. These are the things that we should do in English language. So that we don’t have problems in English.
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