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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on August 20, 2009, at 16:36:10
It's weird growing up with parents who don't speak English. I learned all of my English in books and at school. There are certain words that I am still learning.
For example, I didn't know what a pair of shorts were until I came over to Canada. We just never wore shorts in the SF Bay area.
I just learned a few months ago that a "couple of coins" means two coins. I always thought it was just a synonum of "a few". lol
My sister and I often say, "close the lights" instead of "shut off the lights". I think it is because the Cantonese way of saying that is closer to the word "close".
Weird eh?
I think I am a bit delayed in the langauge department. LOL It doesn't help that I am nearly mute with other people. I have an awful time pronouncing words.
Posted by Sigismund on August 20, 2009, at 16:39:50
In reply to Easy words I didn't know, posted by Deneb on August 20, 2009, at 16:36:10
People say 'shut off the lights' where you are?
We say 'turn off the lights'.
We don't say 'off of' the way Americans do.
Americans might say "I want to come off of' something or other?
Posted by Deneb on August 20, 2009, at 16:48:08
In reply to Easy words I didn't know, posted by Deneb on August 20, 2009, at 16:36:10
Oh wait, my bad, we say "turn off the lights" here too. LOL I can't even remember the proper way to say it.
Posted by Phil on August 20, 2009, at 20:39:09
In reply to Re: Easy words I didn't know, posted by Deneb on August 20, 2009, at 16:48:08
A lot of Mexicans say get off the car instead of get out of the car.
New Yorkers say they are waiting on line and not in line.
Posted by Sigismund on August 20, 2009, at 21:18:22
In reply to Re: Easy words I didn't know, posted by Phil on August 20, 2009, at 20:39:09
When I was learning the most elementary Spanish I could see that their word for 'on' was differently used to ours. I forget now...there's sobre and en, which can be used for this.
It's crappy being monolingual.
We have a vague plan to go teaching English as volunteers in Vietnam. I could do one on one for 2 hours a day. That'd be about it.
Posted by Phil on August 21, 2009, at 4:30:25
In reply to Re: Easy words I didn't know, posted by Sigismund on August 20, 2009, at 21:18:22
TO, TOO, TWO!!!!! WHAT'S SO HARD ABOUT THAT??!!!
Posted by Phillipa on August 21, 2009, at 12:38:27
In reply to Re: Easy words I didn't know » Sigismund, posted by Phil on August 21, 2009, at 4:30:25
Being originally from Ct turn off the lights and stand in line. Just different dialects in different areas. Like here in South Put it up means put it away, cary me to the store means can I have a ride to the store. Different places you live. Phillipa
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