djordje87

Well this is not as simple as it sounds. I am aware that speaking with people and interacting with them will improve your speaking skills. You will learn phrases and idioms that people actually use. However, I was a little boy in Serbia when I started learning English and I started by learning the basic grammar rules. Since then I never forgot anything I just learned some more and more. So it really depends on what you want to do with your knowledge. I wanted to teach and several times I found myself speaking with some Americans who were not sure how to explain Present Perfect Tense to me, even though they are Americans and they speak fluently. The fact they are relaxed and confident while using English is because it is their native tongue like Serbian is mine, but even so, I was the one who had to explain to them some things about their language. They also didn't know what is subjunctive.

Writing on my laptop is to technical and I try to avoid it whenever I can. I don't think I ever sat on my computer and wrote a poem or even a verse. I need to see my awful handwriting to get inspired and then I can really write. It usually depends on form. If I was to write a book, a novel. I would probably use computer because of editing. But I would still prefer pen and paper. It is the same like reading a book on display and taking the real thing in your hands. it is something that cannot be explained or understood logically.

I was lucky to have good teachers in both, primary and secondary school. Their approach was totally different but both had great influence on my decision to become a teacher of English language. In primary school my teacher was so precise and she had some patience with us. She knew all the answers on my endless set of questions. She was my idol back then. In high school however, I also had a great teacher but a bit 'crazy'. Her methods were unorthodox at least. When we did some tests she used to put me in hallway to work or in her sit, so others wouldn't cheat by looking in my test or ask me to help them. It was funny when other teachers would see me in a hallway. Anyway, she revealed to me that teaching is creative to extremes and this is the main reason why I wanted to become a teacher myself. I like creativity and jobs that can use the best of it.

Whenever I want to hear something better I shut my other senses. I used to think that was silly but when I tried I realized it was not. It is well known fact that blind people hear better if their ears are fine, of course. So, sometimes I go extreme. I play some movie, close my eyes, sometimes even my nose and I try not to touch anything because whether we like it or not whatever we touch instantly we make a picture in our brains. So by omitting all other senses you enhance your hearing and I was very pleased with the result. It is enough to close your eyes but i like to experiment.

I know Malta is because I lived there little less than two years. They are bilingual country with Maltese and English. However, their English is far from what it should be with the OFFICIAL title. They tend to mix it with Maltese and the accent is at least funny. I don't have an English accent and to be honest I never tried to have one but these people are just wrong about this. Younger population is OK, but everybody above 30 are seriously wrong about pronunciation. You cannot tell if they were Italian, or Maltese or even Arabs. It really shouldn't be one of the official languages but I think it is because of many tourists and people who came to work there. It is easier to communicate with people in English than in Maltese.

When I was 10 years old I had no PC since it was 1997 and I lived in Serbia. What I used to do was recording my favourite English songs on radio and then listen to them in order to learn them and take every word on paper. Now I realize it is called a research. I would take my time to listen once, and mind I am talking about cassette players, then, second time I would pause every ten seconds to write down words I know leaving blank spaces for the unknown ones. My research was based on dictionaries and enthusiastic friends who liked English same as me, but mostly dictionaries and me. Once i told my teacher what I do and she was about to help me about a song. She wanted to fill the blanks and solve some mysteries for me at the time. I said no, because for me that was no learning. I couldn't see the fun in it if someone else did it for me. So it turned good for me and my teacher was pleased with my choice of research.

I have lived and worked on Malta for almost two years. It is a micro country as you probably know but it is also bilingual one. Their official languages are Maltese and English. It is rather shady, in my opinion, that English is considered to be an official language of Malta because to be honest with you their English is mostly bad. They just mix a lot of words from Maltese and sequence of tenses does not exist. There are people who you use it properly and mostly young ones but still, even they do not qualify as native speakers and I believe when you have English to be your official language there is a level you need to reach. I met a lot of Maltese people and I spoke and used English better than 100 percent of them. Not most of them, all of them. People from England who came to live and work on Malta do not fall in that group. Nevertheless, I learned a lot about their culture and had a chance to speak English and therefore practice my communication skills.

Recently I made a decision to start learning a new language every year. Even if I do it by myself over the internet I will try to keep that in mind. I already tried French and it was good but I had to leave my country to work and I didn't have much time so I stopped. Maybe I will try and finish learning French next year, even go to some classes, online chat or just find some people online from France and ask their help, like here on this forum. French is adorable language but also very hard in some parts. Nevertheless, I am a person who never gives up and I know I will learn it sooner or latter and next year will be a long one so time will not be a problem.

I cannot see the relation here. I took some five minutes to clear my head and make a decision about my breakfast in English and it was the same for me. Maybe some bigger decisions or those with greater outcome but for this it didn't work. When making a decision I tend to think about thing that will happen or will not. Everything is related to each other so decisions affect other people to. Therefore we have to think twice before making a new one. It doesn't matter how good my English is, or any foreign language, my native tongue is my tool when it comes to serious stuff going on in my head. This is simply because we feel natural and with no boundaries with our language. No matter how much you try, a foreign language will stay that forever for you, even though you can make it almost as good as your native, you will see that small difference when stressful situations appear.

I totally agree with this and I believe on or two is not the right choice here. Two at least. So the minimum of two foreign languages would bee enough. In Serbia we officially start to learn another language from fifth grade so that means when we turn twelve. I had started before that on private classes in the second grade at age of eight. It turns out languages help you throughout your life. I have learned, beside English, some Spanish and Maltese and both were very useful to me. I think that considering recent events and probable outcomes in the world, languages our children should choose from are English, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic. With paramount importance given to Chinese and Arabic, because English and Spanish are easier to understand still and the firs two will have greater use in near future.

The song is a piece of poetry in this case. You will see why. In the End In the end You knew well who I was so why are you crying now my dear ? You said ivy never grows on a wheel So your silk was wrinkled in vain... It is simple... Don't make science out of sadness... Lure the light on the next hill... The imprint of me on your pillow will wither away like those angels we make in snow. I'll break my guitar, the night is inside of it... i am afraid of my own song for a long time now, it moves in me those Danube genes... So i flow even when i stand still... But again... Would you ever be mine? if I was a soldier in the army of people ? You said I don't know how to count money, and that nothing is what I have to offer... In the end, you knew well i was i street player A brooch that is hard to pin on. That the slightest wind can blow me away.. That i will stop in the middle of a word And i wouldn't look back Never... You are sorting on the shelves a beautiful world of porcelain figures But i am a figure without a stamp. Watch out... that's a fairy tale that you are thinking of... Do you miss only this gipsy ? No, dear... Only in fall the colours of crowns are visible... They are all the same, green, in summer... In the end you knew well who I was... So why the tears,you beautiful woman ? My dear, you always knew i was a jester... My hat was a moveable tent... Lips of a mocking bird... but with silence in the eyes That I'm a coat with two faces... That I'm Mr. Castaway... Just an ordinary one... In the end you always knew that i was a musician... And the sky was my personal meadow... The lightest breeze could blow me away That i will stop in the middle of a word and i wouldn't look back... Never... I will stop in the middle of the word.. I wouldn't look back...

I would like to learn about some non English poetry. I know that poetry is universal and every country has great poets or writers. It doesn't matter if it is modern, old or just song lyrics. If it has the quality of good poetry please translate it how ever you would like and say something about the author. I will start with few poems i really like. Jovan Dučić was a Serbian poet, writer and diplomat. I unique person in Serbian history and one of the brightest people in it. My favourite poem is Podne ( Noon) Above the island full of cypresses and pines, Young,huge sun fries,full of flame; and blinks above the forests and the coasts Salty and dark blue smell of sea in the spring. Purple hills,made of granite,all up to the arc of the sky, Mirrored in the bottom of the sea,silently and without foam Surface is bubbling and kissing the rocks; The sky is warm and sparkled,glassy,above the water. Dust of sun is dancing above watered send, and silver coloured seagull sometimes catch your eye, it blinks over the water.And sea rocks smell, Smell of fish and dark blue heat. Everything is quiet.And in my soul I see this prolonged calm sea: rose-bay forests,purple hills and pale horizon,dim and infinite. Mute and silver stand in it,fertile coasts and gardens;light and fallen, Young huge sun,and no sound of waves,- The seagull still shines.Peace.Noon is all around. I choose a hard one to translate because it has to many metaphors and the rhymes are very important because he plays with the pattern and meaning. You can get confused even when you read the original. In my next post i will translate a modern poet and singer.

I believe that morena means dark haired dark skinned lady so you are right about that. She is just pure latina girl. And sierra might be the mountain range because i just translate this from what i have learned and it is not much obviously. You Spanish is more precise than mine. That was just google translate as i can see now. So i checked with some of my friends and they told me any elevated ground is correct here. Like a hill or a mountain.

Serbian : Laži i kleveta Croatian : laži i kleveta Bosnian : Laži i kleveta Montenegrian : Laži i kleveta Macedonian : Lagi i kleveta Bulgarian : лъжи и клевета Maltese : Gidba u kalunnja Hungarian : Hazugságok es ragalom So i consulted with my Maltese and Hungarian friends and they told me this is OK. I would really like to know more about the surprise I hope it will be fun.

Spanis Soy un hombre muy honrado Que me gusta lo mejor Las mujeres no me faltan Ni al dinero, ni el amor Jineteando en mi caballo Por la sierra yo me voy Las estrellas y la luna, Ellas me dicen donde voy Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay mi amor Ay mi morena De mi corazón Me gusta tocar guitarra Me gusta cantar el sol Mariachi me acompaña Cuando canto mi canción Me gusta tomar mis copas Aguardiente es lo mejor También el tequila blanco Con su sal le da sabor Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay mi amor Ay mi morena De mi corazón Me gusta tocar guitarra Me gusta cantar el son Mariachi me acompaña Cuando canto mi canción Me gusta tomar mis copas Aguardiente es lo mejor También el tequila blanco Con su sal le da sabor Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay mi amor Ay mi morena De mi corazón Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay mi amor Ay mi morena De mi corazón English I'm a very honourable man And I like the best things I don't lack women Nor money, nor love Riding my horse I go through the land The stars and the moon, They tell me where I am going Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay my love Ay my dark lady Of my heart I like to play the guitar I like to sing to sun The mariachi play with me When I sing my song I like to drink my glasses (Spanish national drink) is the best And also white tequila With salt that gives the flavour Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay my love Ay my dark lady Of my heart I like to play the guitar I like to sing to sun The mariachi play with me When I sing my song I like to drink alcohol Aguardiente is the best And also white tequila With salt, it enhances its flavour Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay my love Ay my dark lady Of my heart Ay, ay, ay, ay Ay, ay my love Ay my dark lady Of my heart

Several reasons actually. Paper doesn't give you the look when you make a mistake. It doesn't make you nervous and stage frighten. It doesn't even speak too fast to comprehend , actually it doesn't speak at all. It will never laugh if you mispronounce something or you don't bite your tongue when saying TH combination. It cannot be held responsible for you being drunk and therefore not being able to speak properly even if that was your mother's tongue. It gives you time to think without head nodding and impatient looks. There are more probably.

Yes it happens. Even though i am a student of English and i have lived in a English speaking country. Sometimes when i am tired or just angry for some reason i tend to use my own language or even to mix it. It is funny though, you cannot think in English 100 percent if you are not born in England or any other country where English is first language. I realized that trying doesn't solve a thing. You have to do it slowly and by ear.

It really depends. My neighbours are Bulgarians who are also of Slavic descend and without any learning we can understand each other. Macedonian people are basically Serbian people who split and made up a language which is a mix of Bulgarian and Serbian so yes we understand each other as well. Before becoming a country Montenegro was a territory in Serbia and of course we speak the same language so they do not count. Bosnians and Croats also but people from Croatia are not the same people, although the language is 80 percent same. Albanians, Romanians and Hungarians on the other hand are another group of languages and we cannot understand them if we do not learn.

Of course it will benefit me many ways. I am not going to talk much about that, We have a saying in Serbia that says something like this. 'How many languages you know that is how much you worth.' It is a hard translation so i will put some more proverbs about languages from all around the world. The stength of a person is in his intelligence and his tongue. Arabic proverb Sweet language brings much. Aromanian proverb The more languages you know, the more you are a person. Bulgarian proverb. To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. Chinese proverb

In Serbia most common names vary from decade to decade, In general terms i think these are the most common ones. Male : Aleksandar, Predrag, Nenad,Nikola, Luka, Novak( because of Djokovic), Lazar, Milan, MIloš... And by years: 1931-1940 MILAN; 1941-1950 SLOBODAN; 1951-1960 DRAGAN;1961-1970 ZORAN;1971-1980 DEJAN;1981-1990 MARKO;1991-2000 NIKOLA;2001-2010 LUKA. I believe these are official statistical records. Female : Andjela, Teodora, Sara, Jelena, Jovana, Ivana, Ana.

If you are interested Tony Buzan have a set of books concerning learning and mind mapping. So far i read his Perfect Memory book and it was an amazing experience. I did not believe that i could be able to remember all the thing he mentioned at the beginning of the book and that it would be that easy but i was wrong. I remembered 100 percent of the tasks in the book. I really could not believe. And now i have a system set in my mind forever. I can remember long numbers so easily now. Actually the amount of number is not important i can remember as much as i really want. So i strongly recommend this author because he has a nice way of explaining the important things. My next book will be Mind mapping.

It helps a lot if you pay attention. I learned to speak and understand Spanish but when it comes to written part it does not help at all. Nevertheless it is useful but you need to watch a lot of Spanish soap operas to learn a bit...I even,sometimes, put on a n English subtitle when i watch an English movie. It can help if something was said to fast, because to be honest even when i see a movie in my language sometimes i do not understand something because it was to fast or i did not pay attention. I am all thumbs up for subtitles.

Hello there. i put some Serbian equivalents like An arm an a leg - Kao svetog Petra kajgana; From scratch - Od nule. I put several others but i know alot more. The thing is they are not present in the English section. Tell me if i can add some English idioms to so i could put Serbian as well. Idioms like On cloud nine, Bull in a china shop or even to add fuel in the fire... Reply here and i will make a good list for you. Cheers.

I think it means i will not take my horse because he continues I am going to walk on ground. I have been working with some Spanish friends on Malta and since i really love this movie and this song along with Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas i asked him to help me with it. It was few years ago but i think he said something like that. I actually know and knew then entire song and he was amazed because i never learned any Spanish. It was from the movies and Latino TV shows. i remember that i did not know what aguardiente was and he told me it is a strong spirit, a national home made drink. also, he told me that they do not make difference between V and B , when speaking, ofcourse. So caballo can be /kabalo/ or /kavalo/ . I found that very interesting.

I have been writing poetry in English and Serbian and translating in both directions. It is tricky to find rhymes and to preserve meaning so i just kept those in my own collection. I am willing to try to translate any poem in any of above mentioned languages. As for advice i think one could use those synonym engines like rhyme zone or similar. It is basic, but you have to start with basic and who knows, as time goes by your skills might evolve in a good direction. I can not promise perfection, far from that, but it is something that i really like and i know i would do my best. Even the literal translation is OK because you give people a taste of what your poetry sounds like and i know that in Serbia we have great poets with some amazing styles and they are not , probably, know to the rest of the world. I, as a great poet lover, would like to learn, hear and translate poems from all languages known. I had a chance to hear some Hungarian stuff and Maltese and i have to say i was moved. We should give it a try.