cinderr

It's storytelling, storytelling which does indeed reflect society! All literature has to be based on some aspect of society, right? The thing that makes it interesting is the many facets of your life or the author's life. Different cultures give it a different angle, as well. I love literature, don't you?

I haven't read Orwell since high school (long time ago) and at that time, I didn't exactly love him. I want to reread him now and see what I think. Sounds like he was ahead of his time, though. I'll dig him out or check him out--from the library. :frozen:

I got through college by using you-tube tutorials for things the teacher could not make me understand--my fault, not theirs. Statistics was the hardest class I ever took and I used tutorials all the time! I skimmed by miraculously. :wacky:

I certainly do! You have to learn presentation, grammar (so to speak), and putting all the letters together to form a word. I think it is very difficult and something I always wanted to learn. This would probably be a language I could learn on my own--good idea. In addition to learning this new skill, it would also test the brain power! Supa!

czar, I whole heartedly agree. I think curse words are invaluable; artistic like you said, when not spoken in front of youngsters. Of course they learn them anyhow but not from mom! :love:

I have a collection of dictionaries becasue I love them but I usually use The Oxford Desk Dictionary. I also have one of those little contraptions like a calculator but I rarely use it. I never use the online dictionary but I often use the online thesaures. What a miracle for mankind that is for a writer! I actually bought my husband his first dictionary; he was over forty :grin:

I have a somewhat clever grandson. He is 17, reads poetry, and loves to write haiku. I've read a little of his work, when is he is willing to share, and it's pretty good. Not sure if he'd let me share but maybe. He also writes songs. He is very clever when it comes to these pursuits but do not set an algebra problem in front of him! :bored: We are looking for a haiku writing contest. Does any one know of any?I think he is good enough to be published but I am his gram, so who knows?

Adam Davis, great idea! I think I'll get on that right now! when my son was very young, I taught him to read using huge flashcards on the tv, etc. It worked like a charm--he was reading by three! Some people believe in this and some do not. I do and I think it will be beneficial to me to put up the flashcards! My roommates (husband and grandson) might accidentally learn some Spanish too! Why didn't I think of this before?!

I would love a workbook to aid in the learning of the language. I will have to look into that at Barnes and Noble. Thanks for the info! I like to do my memorization on the treadmill.

I'm not certain but I think Spanish is overtaking English in America. I have always wanted to learn Spanish but never had time or money to enroll in a class. Many American citizens know Spanish and I don't want to be left behind! I want to understand my neighbor. I am not the arrogant American who thinks everyone should learn our language but we don't have to make an effort to learn theirs! I think we all agree now that it is smart to learn how to communicate with others.

What about a game similar to hang-man but with words of another language, one you are attempting to learn? It would be easy and hang-man is always fun!

I have no suggestions, at this time, on how to improve this forum. I think this is my favorite forum! You are all so smart and engaging! I am learning quite a bit. Thanks!

I took a class in college, Shakespeare. I enjoyed it but I still have trouble deciphering his work exactly. If I could take a class on this subject, I would do it, just for fun. I've never been in plays but I have a daughter who is a wonderful actress. She has not done a lot of Shakespeare but when she and her sister were little girls, we would read the plays aloud before bed, instead of another kind of bed time story. They still speak of it and they are all grown up!

No offense but I don't like the way it looks. When I get an email like this, I just think the writer doesn't know any better or is lazy. I am not saying you're lazy, just sayin'. I am old-school so I wouldn't mind me. :confused:

I think kids who learn more than one language at home are to be envied. They speak it and learn the intricacies of conversation of each language. It's easier for them. When we lived in Germany, our girls were in the 3rd and 5th grade. I wanted to plunk them into a German school. It would have been hard to begin with but within six months, I figured they would be fluent (or nearly fluent). These are smart girls. But the ex husband refused to go with that plan; he wanted them in the Army school on base. I was disappointed but the military school was an adventure, as well. We went on some amazing field trips, as you can imagine. I went on every one! Saw Europe on a shoestring (there's an idiom).

You are learning Basque? You are amazing! I had to look it up to make sure I had my information right! Do you live in that region of Spain? Or do you have some other interest in that language? Who will you converse with? Very curious about this. Not one person I know knows what Basque is, of that I'm sure. Just took a poll of the three people in my home---nope. I have heard of it but always thought it was French. Thanks for the information. I would love to be a pen pal if anyone is interested in a grandma from the midwest?

Only a speaker of English and a few German words and phrases; I would be a poor judge except, they say in the USA, we have different accents per our locale. I live in the Midwestern states and hear no accent but when I've been in other areas esp in the south, I have been told I have a Wisconsin accent. I have no clue what a Wisconsin accent would sound like. Out east, they too have a definite accent; you need only listen to a Kennedy to realize that. Hawaii? Yes and different sentence patterns. And the south speaks for itself; literally! No idea how the say it in California--do you?

I enjoyed the video and the advice on remembering words or phrases---that would work even to advance your vocabulary in your own language. :amazed: :amazed:

Never learned (yet) a whole new language but when I lived abroad, I was happy to get my point across, regardless of the grammar. In a classroom environment, you would want to learn it grammatically correct. As we all know, with English this is especially difficult because of the many, many exceptions in our language. At this late date, I would happy to be conversational in another language (Spanish). I would say it the way I learned it, in conversation. If the person speaking to me was poor at grammar, I would be poor at grammar. Grammar in my host language is quite important to me altho I've probably messed up quite a bit.

Me, too. I never used it but have you ever heard of someone who "borrowed me some money?" Instead of loaned me some money. I hear a lot of this in the midwest. Also wash is pronounced as "warsh"--huh?

stoned, drunk (kind of), baked, chopped (I asked the stoner in my home :bored:)

I use "Jeez!"

I would reiterate that I am glad to hear the truth about reiterate and iterate or should I have iterated? I think I should have iterated! I find it strange that you never heard people speak of their voicterous children, etc. Very common over this way! Makes me feel like choking them but I can't very well choke everybody! MY current husband can't get over it "being a mute point!" I say "Moot" but he just can't get the hang of it! I only correct him so he won't look idiotic out there in the world; he doesn't mind but cannot remember! :confused:

Writing and reading definitely harder. The speaking, if you are lucky enough to be around a native of the country, is not so hard. If not in the country or talking to someone from that country, pronunciation is hard!

What about behaviour and behavior? Tyres and tires? My grandson had an old book of poems and showed me various words that he thought he knew but weren't spelled like Americans spell them. Turned out it was an olde (old) English book of poems. Bier and beer?(German)