English Grammar

[MichaelGray]

I've always been amazed that that people who want to learn the English language have to go through the ordeal of learning the grammar, why the frack is that I wonder :?: I never had to.

I've met many non-native speakers of English (a good few in Thailand) & in many cases their conversation skills are poor. :roll: Less emphasis on grammar & more on speaking is my prescription.

[Dr_Sassy]

My gut feeling says that non-native speakers are trying their best

[STB]

Grammar is very important imho, otherwise you will end up speaking thailish or some strange version of the English language.

Do you speak other languages? If you do, you know how important grammar is to get a complete grasp of the language.

[Drowsy_Piaw]

my English so poor and totally SUCKS

my dad speak Italian my mom speak Chinese but they can speak English better than me but many native speakers of English says that's SUCKs...

but i still so proud of my native language same as ur proud of ur English 8)

My english grammar is good but just wanna fix ur english

it should be my dad speaks Italian my mom speaks Chinese, isnt it?

[Princess]

my English so poor and totally SUCKS

my dad speak Italian my mom speak Chinese but they can speak English better than me but many native speakers of English says that's SUCKs...

but i still so proud of my native language same as ur proud of ur English 8)

My english grammar is good but just wanna fix ur english

it should be my dad speaks Italian my mom speaks Chinese, isnt it?

Shouldn't it?

Sorry, can't resist seeing as we're all on a nit-picking spree here.

[frankenburner2]

my English so poor and totally SUCKS

my dad speak Italian my mom speak Chinese but they can speak English better than me but many native speakers of English says that's SUCKs...

but i still so proud of my native language same as ur proud of ur English 8)

My english grammar is good but just wanna fix ur english

it should be my dad speaks Italian my mom speaks Chinese, isnt it?

Shouldn't it?

Sorry, can't resist seeing as we're all on a nit-picking spree here.

unprovoked! unprovoked!

[Drowsy_Piaw]

my English so poor and totally SUCKS

my dad speak Italian my mom speak Chinese but they can speak English better than me but many native speakers of English says that's SUCKs...

but i still so proud of my native language same as ur proud of ur English 8)

My english grammar is good but just wanna fix ur english

it should be my dad speaks Italian my mom speaks Chinese, isnt it?

Shouldn't it?

Sorry, can't resist seeing as we're all on a nit-picking spree here.

Mai roo thts why i ask isnt it?

[thaibel]

I agree with STB on this .......... U need a basic knowledge of both, grammar and vocabulary, to communicate in another than ur own language. I come from a country with 2 language, Dutch and French, and I always learned not to laugh and respect when someone 's trying to speak in ur language.

I have the impression ( and I try not to be too provoking) that native English speakers r the worst in speaking English with non-native English speakers. They don't slow their pace of speaking and they don't use easy words. What I mean by this is, if u r native English speaker try too speak slower and to use easy words. If u feel that the one who's listening to u, don't understand a certain word, explain it in another way.

Note: I have the experience that's easier for me to have a conversation in English with another non- native English speaker, rather than with a native English speaker.

[Drowsy_Piaw]

Actually My Grammar is BAD but im trying to use it right!

Sometimes im confused how to use it :?

[frankenburner2]

I agree with STB on this .......... U need a basic knowledge of both, grammar and vocabulary, to communicate in another than ur own language. I come from a country with 2 language, Dutch and French, and I always learned not to laugh and respect when someone 's trying to speak in ur language.

I have the impression ( and I try not to be too provoking) that native English speakers r the worst in speaking English with non-native English speakers. They don't slow their pace of speaking and they don't use easy words. What I mean by this is, if u r native English speaker try too speak slower and to use easy words. If u feel that the one who's listening to u, don't understand a certain word, explain it in another way.

Note: I have the experience that's easier for me to have a conversation in English with another non- native English speaker, rather than with a native English speaker.

note to self: when speaking with thaibel..dumb it down a little...shouldn't be too difficult for me...

[khun_lung]

I think Thais are a bit daunted by the concept of grammar because grammer, per se, is not taught as part of the Thai language. Thai DOES have grammar, of course. But it's not emphasized nor is it as complex as English.

When I teach I try not to put too much emphasis on grammar. And in fact I think the TOEFL people got it right by calling it "structure" instead of grammar.

While learning English grammar is unavoidable, it can be taught more subtly and in a more comprehensive way than just spouting off the rules!

[i_love_som_tam]

as long as you can understand them and they can understand you, why should you give a rat's ass?

[MichaelGray]

Grammar is very important imho, otherwise you will end up speaking thailish or some strange version of the English language.

Not quite correct, you see native English speakers learn to speak the language years before they get taught the grammar. Why learn a lagnuage to learn a language?

[STB]

I could speak a decent bit of English before I studied it at school, but learning the grammar improved my English quite a lot

We've got plenty of immigrants over here, and you always pick out the ones that didn't study grammar, they are not talking Dutch, they are raping the language.

[MichaelGray]

I noticed some thing in the English native speakers, most of them can speak only English :roll:

That's quite a claim. I'd like to see some statistics on this, what % of native English speakers also speak another language.

[venus]

thai people with proper education seem to have better grammar but they find it very difficult to speak.

it seems to me that, in tf, you can tell a lot from the way people write... i mean - their "background" ... especially, with farangs.

i have noticed that, little by little, some girls in tf seem to have developed their grammar - meaning : they are smart enough to learn to have their english improved and it proves that spending so much time on tf is not a total waste of time & oxygen afterall.

[Aomazon]

Wow, this amaze how ppl care grammar. I no speak english not good 'cuz i too old to learn but i excercise with farang friends. they learnt me lots of knowledge.

thank you Tf friends who gave me today. without you, i can no speak engloish like this.

[Aomazon]

Wow, this amaze how ppl care grammar. I no speak english not good 'cuz i too old to learn but i excercise with farang friends. they learnt me lots of knowledge.

thank you Tf friends who gave me today. without you, i can no speak engloish like this.

Ahhh, not only has my favourite lesbian mastered grammar, but sarcasm too.

*bows* thank you thank you

[i_love_som_tam]

i speak thaiglish. easily mastered and easily understood. i suggest you learn it, adam henry

[i_love_som_tam]

i speak thaiglish. easily mastered and easily understood. i suggest you learn it, adam henry

Pig-lish, too, I see . . . :roll:

only towards ill mannered, boorish persons. get my drift? :wink:

[i_love_som_tam]

i speak thaiglish. easily mastered and easily understood. i suggest you learn it, adam henry

Pig-lish, too, I see . . . :roll:

only towards ill mannered, boorish persons. get my drift? :wink:

Got it . . .

. . . I got my adam in a huff there for a minute.

as long as your henry is intact :wink:

[Zombiedriven]

I noticed some thing in the English native speakers, most of them can speak only English :roll:

That percentage is pretty high. I'd like to see some statistics on this, what % of native English speakers also speak another language.

Well lets see here I am one of those people who only speak English and yes I am from the US but I do pick up what I need to know from all the other countries I work in righ now I am stuck on a curve Pashtu and Dahari so I can teach and work with the locals of the area I am at currently. There is one more thing my grammer is still bad I never cared much for dragging all the stuff most smart people should know seeing as how I just make houses and dig trenches

[sunsnow]

I think Thais are a bit daunted by the concept of grammar because grammer, per se, is not taught as part of the Thai language. Thai DOES have grammar, of course. But it's not emphasized nor is it as complex as English.

When I teach I try not to put too much emphasis on grammar. And in fact I think the TOEFL people got it right by calling it "structure" instead of grammar.

While learning English grammar is unavoidable, it can be taught more subtly and in a more comprehensive way than just spouting off the rules!

I agree with this and most others. Grammar is necessary,teaching English and also for me with Thai. Because otherwise you learn speaking just by "visually" or "by ear". I agree, with some ppl this is ok, but for example for me personally and I guess many others, need to understand reasons why say somehow, so that when a new situation arises, you can use your "structure" info to make these new sentences. Me personally, I have noticed that I am very much learning stuff basing on grammar (that's the way Finnish is taught in Finland and foreign languages, these days more and more emphaiss ALSO on spoken language).

For example with Thai I have found it very very distressing when the teacher doesn't explaing WHY you put that word there or here. I NEED TO KNOW THE RULES otherwise I feel that I dont really UNDERSTAND how things go... That's just me ofcourse. (That's the reason I have liked in away David Smythes Thai book because the guy explains also grammar a bit)

Oh and MichaelGray: it is prettttty different thing to compare children learning the language by ear at that age with total immersion into the thing, than adults learning hour or two a day. Totally different setting. And try to teach someone English when you dont know english grammar? As a child, you dont indeed learn the grammar, it "has to be" taught at school and alas, it is damn hard to teach someone your own language when you dont know "reasons" why things go like they do...I know personally by trying to teach one Thai Finnish. IMPOSSIBLE sometimes when you have no idea of WHY when the students asks certain things and exceptions to the RULES...

[Princess]

To Thai people who struggle with English, don't worry too much about making mistakes. I can assure you that your English is far better than my Thai!

*Clap clap* I say the same thing to any Thai person who is afraid that their English isn't good. I sound totally ridiculous speaking Thai.

Michaelgray,words cannot describe how loathsome, inerudite, patronizing, condescending, and self-righteous I find you and your opinions. In the future, do us all a big favor and just shut up.

P.S- I'm not a native English speaker. Chew on that pisspot.

[i_love_som_tam]

To Thai people who struggle with English, don't worry too much about making mistakes. I can assure you that your English is far better than my Thai!

*Clap clap* I say the same thing to any Thai person who is afraid that their English isn't good. I sound totally ridiculous speaking Thai.

Michaelgray,words cannot describe how loathsome, inerudite, patronizing, condescending, and self-righteous I find you and your opinions. In the future, do us all a big favor and just shut up.

P.S- I'm not a native English speaker. Chew on that pisspot.

Yikes... smack down