.:Pure English. Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages:.

If you can speak Chinese and are able to find anyone who is interested in it, so why not? Create a topic, open a discussion and you'll find out.

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5293317]If you can speak Chinese and will be able to find anyone who is interested in it, so why not? Create a topic, open a discussion and you'll find out.[/QUOTE]

i just tried to make a joke, wasn't funny... nevermind... forget it

Oh, a persistent joke.

I see.:)

Извините, меня заинтриговало слово "persistant"...Нашла только "persistent". Это просто опечатка или мне ещё поискать? :)

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5293408]Oh, a persistant joke.

I see.:)[/QUOTE]

a persistant joke? what is that supposed to mean?

Maybe (about your joke) "персистирующая", "неопадающая" или "перманентная"

[QUOTE=MYRTILLE;5296347]Maybe (about your joke) "персистирующая", "неопадающая" или "перманентная"[/QUOTE]

yeah... but I didn't persist or insist on anything... well... anyway... not important

[QUOTE=MYRTILLE;5295977]Извините, меня заинтриговало слово "persistant"...Нашла только "persistent". Это просто опечатка или мне ещё поискать? :)[/QUOTE]

Так уж прямо и "заинтриговала". В данном случае конечно опечатка:)

Such word exists, though.
For instance, persistant oscillation - незатухающие колебания (polytechnical dictionary).

Вероятно, мое техническое образование навеяло эти воспоминания. I didn't think it was that deep inside of me.
Спасибо,что так внимательно меня читаете.

[QUOTE=KaterinaZ;5296139]a persistant joke? what is that supposed to mean?[/QUOTE]

Never mind

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5296460]
For instance, persistant oscillation - незатухающие колебания (polytechnical dictionary).

Вероятно, мое техническое образование навеяло эти воспоминания. I didn't think it was that deep inside of me.

[/QUOTE]

and that does remind me of ABBYY Lingvo)))

Why not? It's among the dictionaries I use. Not the best one for me, though.

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5297016]Why not? It's among the dictionaries I use. Not the best one for me, though.[/QUOTE]

agreed, not the best one, but still good)

Once I found 4 variants for the business expression "оборотные средства" - [I]circulating assets, floating assets, floating funds, turnover means,[/I] but none of these really works. Actually, the term 'working capital' is widely used.

That wasn't the only case after which I became more careful with Lingvo.

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5297227]Once I found 4 variants for the business expression "оборотные средства" - [I]circulating assets, floating assets, floating funds, turnover means,[/I] but none of these really works. Actually, the term 'working capital' is widely used.

That wasn't the only case after which I became more careful with Lingvo.[/QUOTE]

yeah.. well, you gotta be flexible with translations and dictionaries

In case you have enough time. :)
Giving online lessons I should be fast too. It usually takes seconds to decide.

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5297467]In case you have enough time. :)
Giving online lessons I should be fast too. It usually takes seconds to decide.[/QUOTE]

as far as i understand you teach adults, so why not involve a student into the word or phrase research, that can be useful...

Online - yes, can't imagine teaching kids like that for now.:) But who knows.

As for the word search I agree, it takes place most of the time but haven't you seen lazy adult students? Some of them need a babysitter more than a teacher.:) (kidding)
Or sometimes the word appears just like that during the communication and is needed to be translated the same minute, not as a part of active vocabulary, you know.

lazy adults? ))))) all the time!!! I'm one of them!)))))))

Ok... so, what's your solution?

Every person can be lazy to some extent.
Days of laziness occur in my life too. This usually happens before/after preparing and doing some extremely hard or major lesson presentations.

Students can sometimes become lazy because they are bored with the task, when the exercise is too easy or too difficult. Dwelling upon grammar makes their life terrible.
They should have more fun doing the right things even studying grammar items and issues.
However, if a student is pathologically lazy, always having ready-made excuses, even a magician won't be able to cope with that. Group work is the worst sort of education for such students, only personal lessons might lead to success, but not necessarily. Motivation is the main key to success.

[QUOTE=KaterinaZ;5293352]i just tried to make a joke, wasn't funny... nevermind... forget it[/QUOTE]

Sorry, it was MY joke. And thanks for your keeping me company. Now seriously. Would anybody like to discuss on the subject “Dead men: who are they”?

Personally I'm not really into it, but what actually do you mean?

[QUOTE=English Teacher;5301991] Would anybody like to discuss on the subject “Dead men: who are they”?[/QUOTE]
I believe, necrophiliacs would readily pick up that subject... Do you want to discuss it more? :)

It has nothing to do with necrophilia. And with no philia, for that matter. Because I don't invite anybody to love the dead or alive or anything about them both. I only wonder… Why is it that almost everybody is so much against this subject? Of course, there are lots of old women who simply bask in funeral details, but they are the same women who would with no less relish be telling your about some wedding. So we would either have to ascribe to them very paradoxical views on life or simply come to the conclusion that the cause of those social event somehow passed their consciousness.
But isn't it only a grotesque representation of the mindlessness, so characteristic to all human kind and, frankly, every individual?
I am sure that at this point of my lecture the majority of listeners will say "So we are" and merrily leap away to… whatever they like to do. Still, no optimism can nullify the fact that everybody must die.
What kind of a fact is it? That's the question.

Or, perhaps, at that piont of your lecture the majority of "listeners"/readers will snore...

[QUOTE=English Teacher;5323497]Why is it that almost everybody is so much against this subject? [/QUOTE]
It is not so much that everybody is against... I think there are bunch of other more interesting topics to talk about than dead people. They are so static, you know. There is practically no life in them. :)
[QUOTE]lots of old women who simply bask in funeral details[/QUOTE]
It's up to them. I prefer basking in the sun to basking in funeral details. Tastes differ.
[QUOTE]Still, no optimism can nullify the fact that everybody must die.
What kind of a fact is it? That's the question. [/QUOTE]
This fact is a simple truth. We will all die... some day. And here comes the philosophy. "To be or not to be - that is the question". What do you think Hamlet meant by this question?
This fact, however, does not mean that we must think or talk about death and dead people every day. I think this is usually called "common sense", but if you prefer to call it optimism I will not argue with you.

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5297016]Why not? It's among the dictionaries I use. Not the best one for me, though.[/QUOTE]

Снимимте пелену с глаз, развейте мои заблуждения, т.к. до сегодняшгего дня пользовалась только ABBY LINGVO и считала, что лучше просто не бывает:)
Какой словарь на сегодняшний день наилучший на ваш взгляд?

[quote=Princesssa;5329293]Снимимте пелену с глаз, развейте мои заблуждения, т.к. до сегодняшгего дня пользовалась только ABBY LINGVO и считала, что лучше просто не бывает:)
Какой словарь на сегодняшний день наилучший на ваш взгляд?[/quote]

Да нет наилучшего, любой перевод контекстно зависим.

[QUOTE=Princesssa;5329293]Снимимте пелену с глаз, развейте мои заблуждения, т.к. до сегодняшгего дня пользовалась только ABBY LINGVO и считала, что лучше просто не бывает:)
Какой словарь на сегодняшний день наилучший на ваш взгляд?[/QUOTE]
Тоже юзаю Лингво.
Владельцам КПК/коммуникаторов могу подсказать где взять например ещё толковых словарей
[URL="http://4pda.info/news/2171/"]Talking Concise Oxford Dictionary v7.1[/URL]
[URL="http://4pda.info/news/5770/"]Lexisgoo English Dictionary v3.5[/URL]

[QUOTE=Newton;5329508]Да нет наилучшего, любой перевод контекстно зависим.[/QUOTE]

Да это мне и самой понятно, поэтому ABBY LINGVO 12 и нравился мне именно тем, что, на мой взгляд, дает много примеров употребления слов в контексте. Много по сравнению с теми электронными словарями, которые я видела в своей жизни:)

[URL="http://www.bartleby.com/61/"][/URL][QUOTE=Princesssa;5329293]Снимимте пелену с глаз, развейте мои заблуждения, т.к. до сегодняшгего дня пользовалась только ABBY LINGVO и считала, что лучше просто не бывает:)
Какой словарь на сегодняшний день наилучший на ваш взгляд?[/QUOTE]

Носители языка частенько не воспринимают переводы слов,взятые из Lingvo. Говорят, что такое слово просто не используется, оно либо книжное,либо забытое и устаревшее. Я часто использую для работы толкование слов на английском языке, в Lingvo они бывают не очень точными, приходится обращаться к британским словарям. Этих случаев у меня было слишком много,чтобы считать Lingvo самым надежным. Однако,я его все же использую, но осторожно.
Многие любят Мультитран. Я обхожусь без него.

Мне очень нравятся English-English словари:

Longman Active Study Dictionary + CD ROM - словарь хорош для тех,кто имеет начальный и средний уровень языка, чтобы не терять время на просмотр словарей уровня advanced. В нем все просто и понятно.

[URL="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/"]http://www.macmillandictionary.com/[/URL]
Есть звучание слов, количество звездочек указывает насколько часто слово употребляется, слова красного цвета входят в лексический минимум (7 500 слов),который используют носители языка. Часто пользуюсь его книжной версией, там много есть полезного.

[URL="http://www.bartleby.com/61/"]http://www.bartleby.com/61/[/URL]

Этот cловарь люблю за раздел "Entries with Notes", книжную версию тащила из Америки, обожаю почитывать.

[URL="http://www.ldoceonline.com/"]http://www.ldoceonline.com/[/URL]
Этот важет для меня, так как я использую много учебников того же издательства. Книжная версия дает все варианты произношения слова (иногда три) с комментарием о том, британский или американский вариант.

[URL="http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/lookup?cc=uaъ"]http://www.oup.com/elt/catalogue/teachersites/oald7/lookup?cc=uaъ[/URL]
Это для меня - надежная классика языка, есть комментарии о том, чем синонимы отличаются друг от друга, как сказать "ноль" по-английски и почему слов для этого несколько и т. п.

Им я доверяю без оглядки.

Cпасибо за такой разветнутый ответ. На прошлой неделе уже приобрела себе "Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English New Edition + CD-ROM" осталось только найти время для его изучения:(

как лучше перевести [B]из-за [/B] .... дождя / непогоды /

Использую due to - хотя вроде не звучит

because of bad weather?

[QUOTE=saporodshe_;5349235]как лучше перевести [B]из-за [/B] .... дождя / непогоды /

Использую due to - хотя вроде не звучит[/QUOTE]

Я бы сказал: "It rained, so...", "The weather was bad, so..."...

люблю простые формы, не люблю слова типа because, due to, etc.

[QUOTE=saporodshe_;5349235]как лучше перевести [B]из-за [/B] .... дождя / непогоды /

Использую due to - хотя вроде не звучит[/QUOTE]

Да,такое не всегда найдешь в словарях. Здесь может помочь хороший справочник "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan (Oxford).

Here's what it says:

А вот еще:
[B]due to[/B]
prep.
Because of.
Usage Note: Due to has been widely used for many years as a compound preposition like [I]owing to[/I], but some critics have insisted that due should be used only as an adjective. According to this view, it is incorrect to say
[I]The concert was canceled due to the rain[/I], but acceptable to say
[I]The cancellation of the concert was due to the rain[/I], where due continues to function as an adjective modifying cancellation. This seems a fine point, however, and since due to is widely used and understood, there seems little reason to avoid using it as a preposition.

И еще:
[URL="http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/exercises/because.htm"]http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/exercises/because.htm[/URL]

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5332703]
Носители языка частенько не воспринимают переводы слов,взятые из Lingvo. Говорят, что такое слово просто не используется, оно либо книжное,либо забытое и устаревшее.[/QUOTE]

Пользуюсь словарями Longman (Longman dictionary of contemporary English, Business English Dictionary и т.д.) а также юзаю Lingvo 12. Так вот заметил одну интересную вещь. Все знают, что в словарях дается несколько значений одного и того же слова. Так вот, в словарях Longman первые значения слов (наиболее часто употребляемые) в Lingvo находятся на последнем месте (как наименее употребляемые) и наоборот :-)

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5358224]Да,такое не всегда найдешь в словарях. Здесь может помочь хороший справочник "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan (Oxford)...............[/QUOTE]
Вернее помочь реально [URL="http://narod.ru/disk/1416516000/eng032_2.zip.html"]он может здесь (в смысле здесь его можно слить) :)[/URL]

[QUOTE=Princesssa;5344967]Cпасибо за такой разветнутый ответ. На прошлой неделе уже приобрела себе "Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English New Edition + CD-ROM" осталось только найти время для его изучения:([/QUOTE]

CD ROM шикарный, но однажды он не стал открываться, и пришлось искать patch в интернете.

Hello, everybody! I'm happy to be back here: I've spent some time without Internet connection... And you haven't been wasting any time: the discussion of dead men was pretty amusing! :)
It's been good brain exercise - trying to figure out what could have awakened such an interest!
Anyway, the best way to know for sure is to just wait a little. After a while, everyone will learn from own experience, who dead men are :)

[QUOTE=Ajax;5349262]because of bad weather?[/QUOTE]

Agree - "because of" seems to fit in best. From my own expereince with native speakers - they tend to use "due to" mostly in the positive sense - I mean, to describe reasons of positive things happening. "Because of", however, is very often used in the negative sense: "It's all because of you!" :)

[QUOTE=Bagirapuss;5473605] the discussion of dead men was pretty amusing! :)
[/QUOTE]
Yes, we tried to liven up the discussion. :)

Folks, who is acquainted with the skills activation method based on Losanov's study - the one that we call "погружение в языковую среду" in Russian? We've decided to turn to this technique again, using it for summer studies. But the problem is, no one can offer a suitable word to call it in English! "Immersion" sounds stupid, "plunge" is even worse... Maybe there is a term ready-made, we just have never come across it?
Help if you can!

Are you asking about the term or the method? As far as the former is concerned, the term "language immersion" is usually used.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_immersion[/url]
And it does not sound stupid at all, but perfectly corresponds to the russian equivalent "погружение".

[QUOTE=Bagirapuss;5473630]Agree - "because of" seems to fit in best. From my own expereince with native speakers - they tend to use "due to" mostly in the positive sense - I mean, to describe reasons of positive things happening. "Because of", however, is very often used in the negative sense: "It's all because of you!" :)[/QUOTE]

Yeah, for most people rain may seem a negative thing too.
:)
__________________

I agree with the word "immerse". Here's what I've found:
[URL="http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/immerse"]http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/immerse[/URL]

[URL="http://www.oup.com/oald-bin/web_getald7index1a.pl"]http://www.oup.com/oald-bin/web_getald7index1a.pl[/URL]

[URL="http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/immerse"]http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/immerse[/URL]

[quote=Bagirapuss;5473981]Folks, who is acquainted with the skills activation method based on Losanov's study - the one that we call "погружение в языковую среду" in Russian? We've decided to turn to this technique again, using it for summer studies. But the problem is, no one can offer a suitable word to call it in English! "Immersion" sounds stupid, "plunge" is even worse... Maybe there is a term ready-made, we just have never come across it?
Help if you can![/quote]

What about "submerge"? Is it also stupid? ...or not existent?))

"An immersion programme is one in which children, as a group, are taught some or all of their school subjects in a language that is not their mother tongue. It is aimed at fostering bilingualism. In the Basque country in Spain, for example, children who speak Spanish as their first language receive primary education in Basque. Total immersion describes the situation when all curriculum subjects are taught in the second language; immersion is partial when only some subjects are taught in this way. Immersion should be distinguished from submersion, which is what happens when individuals (rather than groups) who speak one language are placed in a situation in which their education is mediated using another. This is often the case with the children of immigrants. Immersion programmes originated in Canada in the 1960s, where English-speaking children took their school subjects in French. These programmes have been extensively studied. Results show that, in general, immersion education is not prejudicial, either to the ongoing development of the pupils' first language, or to their overall academic performance. Moreover, they achieve a near-native level of understanding of the
second language, although, in production, their grammatical accuracy falls short of native speakers. The earlier and the more total the immersion, the better the results overall."
Scott Thornbury "An A-Z of English Language Teaching"

[QUOTE=Gottik;5474144]Are you asking about the term or the method? As far as the former is concerned, the term "language immersion" is usually used.
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_immersion[/url]
And it does not sound stupid at all, but perfectly corresponds to the russian equivalent "погружение".[/QUOTE]

Thanks! That's exactly what I was asking about. When we last used it, we did call it "immersion", but just for want of a better word. It was, however, very long ago - in the 80-ies. Since then, I haven't heard of anyone using it in Odessa on adult learners, as we used to do.
Yes, I am aware of the fact that it doesn't help develop accuracy in the students' speech. We also never used it that way, and we aren't going to try now. The objective here isn't to teach language, but much rather to activate the knowledge the students already have and to convert it into skills. I regard it as a useful and fun addition to regular normal language lessons, and that's what I am going to try now. Back in the 80-ies it brought in some really impressive results, especially regarding that our students were between 35 and 50 yers of age - and all of them were captains, chief officers or chief mechanics of merchant vessels... Now we have younger and far less self-concerned students, so it ought to be a success :)

[QUOTE=Bagirapuss;5473605]Hello, everybody! I'm happy to be back here: I've spent some time without Internet connection... And you haven't been wasting any time: the discussion of dead men was pretty amusing! :)
It's been good brain exercise - trying to figure out what could have awakened such an interest!
Anyway, the best way to know for sure is to just wait a little. After a while, everyone will learn from own experience, who dead men are :)[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it was a rich topic. But Gottic (strange for a Gottic, isn't it?) considers it not live enough. And for all that he says his tastes differs from those of old women who enjoy everything moving, bustling, jostling, clashing, etc., no matter around what – be it even a dead body.

They say "death is inevitable, so let's forget about it". But the implication of such statements must be that they know it perfectly well what it means, the Death. I strongly doubt it, though I admit that they may prefer to think so. They seem more likely simply to find this subject unpleasant to discuss.

They (Gottic in particular) call the death 'a simple fact'. But if it is so simple, why nobody can understand it? The facts of this kind demand not only knowing but understanding also, and such are all simple facts. By the way, that's exactly what Tolstoy said. "Ivan Illich knew that he will die, but he simply couldn't understand it" – something like that. But Ivan Illich all his life lived as an animal, and only approaching to the death start (too late, unfortunately) making a human being of him. This is the gist of the narration. Should we wait for that too? Or the earlier we think of death the better? And, secondly, should we humiliate the human mind reducing it to apish consideration as "to avoid" or "to take advantage"? And finally, this is truly reasonable and even common sensible, if you come to it – to think of the inevitable much more than of things (which we often do) which as likely to happen as not.

English Teacher, as far as I remember, you proposed to talk about "dead people", but not about death as an abstract philosophical notion.
[QUOTE]his tastes differs from those of old women who enjoy everything moving, bustling, jostling, clashing, etc., no matter around what – be it even a dead body.[/QUOTE]
Sorry, but it is hard for me to imagine "moving, bustling, jostling, clashing" around a dead body. Looks more like a carnival to me where a dead body, I hope you will agree, is absolutely unnecessary.
[QUOTE]But Ivan Illich all his life lived as an animal, and only approaching to the death start (too late, unfortunately) making a human being of him. This is the gist of the narration[/QUOTE]
I read that story and I do not quite agree with you. As I recall, all that Ivan Illych experienced in the end was tremendous suffering. So what made a human being of him? His suffering and his agony before death? Yes, he must have had his thoughts in the end. Something like all people think of in or closer to the inevitable death, I belive - "was my life worth living, what was it all for..."
Probably, Tolstoy put more philosophy or more of his own ideas in his thoughts. Did that make human being of him as you state? Ivan Illych had rather conventional life, but he was an official, had a family that looked after him to the last. To say that he lived all his life like an animal is an exaggeration. Thus you may call everyone's life. Is it only because people do not think about death deeply untill it comes too close?
Yes, I heard or read somewhere that knowing of the fact that we will all die makes us different from animals. But, first of all, that is definitely not the only thing that makes us different. And second, who really knows what the animals, at least some of them, actually know about. )
Finally, do not make any conclusions from my nickname here. It is a result of a mere random choice or thought as you wish, believe me, and has nothing to do with my personality or positions expressed. So just do not pay attention to it.

Oh, sure, or it would have been "Gothic"... I'm sure English Teacher didn't mean to make fun of your nickname.
I do agree with you about animals: elephants, for instance, know what death is. They will come again and again to places, where some of their relatives died, and spend a lot of time giving honours to their bones... Does it make them human? I don't think so. We are and remain different species, no matter hat and how much we really know.
As for attitude to Death itself... Oh, I think it is rather informative, if you wish to understand a person. I mean, it tells a lot about the level of your maturity, doesn't it?

[QUOTE=Bagirapuss;5531890]Oh, sure, or it would have been "Gothic"... I'm sure English Teacher didn't mean to make fun of your nickname.
[/QUOTE]
Оh, I know he didn't. :)
He just tried to presuppose something basing on my nickname. I just advised him not to do that.

[B]Gottik[/B][QUOTE]English Teacher, as far as I remember, you proposed to talk about "dead people", but not about death as an abstract philosophical notion.[/QUOTE]
What, then, did you think we were going to discuss? Some aspects of carrion putrefaction? Embalming fluid composition? Cemetery sanitation? Forensic methods of corpse dating (:))? Funeral cosmetics? They are curious subjects too, but did I write "flesh"? No. "Dead MEN. WHO are THEY?" As for me, it's plain enough. And this is not abstract, oh no!


[QUOTE] Looks more like a carnival to me where a dead body, I hope you will agree, is absolutely unnecessary. [/QUOTE]
You are wrong here. Dead body is such savoury an appetizer to that carnival… What is carnival, anyway?

[QUOTE] I read that story [/QUOTE]
It's very pleasant to meet a literary educated person. Still, isn't ability to speak a foreign language a sure token of education, especially in our country? By the way, did you read a short story by H. James "The altar of the Dead" (I am not quite sure about the title)? There he put the question "who are they" exactly in that form. At least, so was my impression.

[QUOTE] Probably, Tolstoy put more philosophy or more of his own ideas in his thoughts. [/QUOTE]
Ivan Illich couldn't have his own thoughts. You see, he was a fictional personage.


[QUOTE] Ivan Illych had rather conventional life, but he was an official, had a family that looked after him to the last. To say that he lived all his life like an animal is an exaggeration. [/QUOTE]
This exaggeration you will meet in the novel itself. If I remember well, it was like this: "The life of Ivan Illich was most ordinary and most horrible". Though I don't think Tolstoy would despised animals. And I never said that only people know about their own death. I meant animal attitude towards death. For animals such attitude may be (sometimes; and I saw it) quite noble, but for men it is always ignominious. (I know, Tolstoy wouldn't have agreed with me, but it would've been only words on his part)

[B]Bagirapuss[/B][QUOTE]As for attitude to Death itself... Oh, I think it is rather informative, if you wish to understand a person. I mean, it tells a lot about the level of your maturity, doesn't it?[/QUOTE]

Oh, this is a mature thought. My congratulations. The matter is the question (about death) can exist only in the personal dimension. It somehow has to become personal. And it not necessarily means 'to live into' or 'to encounter with'. For me it became personal at the age of four of five the latest, with the first conscious thoughts and (often tied with them) first distinct recollections. One of those – it's awful to say – obsessive thoughts was 'Could I have been born to another parents and into quite other place – and would I still be Me?' Such questions confirm their own verity, so in the end I decided for metempsychosis, though I wasn't very sure (and so it remains to this day). However, what a nice occupation for a boy of four, isn't it?
But nothing was equal to the thought of the death. I can't even call it thought. It was The Idea.
You know, there is some peculiar kind of dreams that you dream when you lay in fever. It is the only dream for the whole night, no matter how often you waken. You pick it up where you left it, and it can't be otherwise, because it's a circle, a tormenting effort to visualise some abstract and slippery idea. But in the idea of the death there was nothing abstract. There was nothing to abstract. I think, never in human life, even on the verge of the death itself, there can be a period like this the earliest, so near still to non-existence, when the idea of one's own finality appears so neat and appalling, not polluted yet by either gruesome pictures of physical death or sordid details of contacts with people.

Ух-ты! English-speaking thread! :)

[QUOTE=English Teacher;5548034]"Dead MEN. WHO are THEY?" As for me, it's plain enough. And this is not abstract, oh no!
[/QUOTE]
If it is plain enough for you why don't you just answer this question yourself first and then listen to the opinions of others?
[QUOTE]It's very pleasant to meet a literary educated person.[/QUOTE]
Thank you. Leaves much to be desired though. From my side I can say that you have quite a good vocabulary. I had to look up a few words. :)You did not probably pull all these words straight from your head. However, as you definitely saddled up you favourite horse talking about all that, this may be a possibility.
[QUOTE]Still, isn't ability to speak a foreign language a sure token of education, especially in our country?[/QUOTE]
Well... May be... It depends though. Definitely not 100%.
[QUOTE]By the way, did you read a short story by H. James "The altar of the Dead" (I am not quite sure about the title)? [/QUOTE]
No, I did not read that. I know the writer though. I read his story "Daisy Miller".
[QUOTE]I meant animal attitude towards death.[/QUOTE]
What do you mean by animal attitude to death? Could you specify?
[QUOTE]If I remember well, it was like this: "The life of Ivan Illich was most ordinary and most horrible"[/QUOTE]
Prabably, but not "like an animal", right? Or is it the same for you?
[QUOTE]I know, Tolstoy wouldn't have agreed with me, but it would've been only words on his part[/QUOTE]
Don't you think that Tolstoy knows much more about death right now then you do? :)

[B]Gottik[/B]
[QUOTE]If it is plain enough for you why don't you just answer this question yourself first and then listen to the opinions of others? [/QUOTE]

Why can't each of us shape this theme a bit differently, in accordance with personal proclivities (look up this word too, and maybe 'propensity')?


[QUOTE]You did not probably pull all these words straight from your head.[/QUOTE]
You won't believe…


[QUOTE] However, as you definitely saddled up you favourite horse talking about all that… [/QUOTE]

It isn't the only one. Though, if you insist…
Here is the verse. "A tiny graveyard worm"


I've had a dream. In it my sight acquired
the queer property to penetrate through soil
Or maybe it was soil became pellucid.
Or better still. I was myself a worm
Or something like. I felt in every coil
Affinity to place where I was born.

Another world. A huge amount
of roots. And which is which?
Entangled, intertwined more tightly, more expansive
than in the upper world. And each
Connected in the furtive struggle
For soil and, may be... soul.

Are not we all like that?
You see yourself as separate, as something different, as "myself".
But have the common flesh, and dust, and graveyard worm.


[QUOTE]I read his story "Daisy Miller".[/QUOTE]
Yes, a "new woman". He liked that smart type. But it was something like a logical fallacy. If you like feminists you must like feminism. But read his "The Bostonians" … Anyway, he is an author worth reading the whole of him. Did you read "Turn of the screw" or "Aspern's papers"?

[QUOTE]What do you mean by animal attitude to death? Could you specify?[/QUOTE]

Mostly indifferent, I think.
[QUOTE]Prabably, but not "like an animal", right? Or is it the same for you?[/QUOTE]
In general, it is like 'abject animal instincts': nothing abject for animals.
[QUOTE]Don't you think that Tolstoy knows much more about death right now then you do?[/QUOTE]
No.

Ситуация складывается так, что меня либо скоро забанят либо мне самому приятнее будет уйти. Если хотите продолжать разговор, предлагаю перенести его в альтернативый форум "Одесса-Мама". Я уже там. Одна из страниц [url]http://www.***********/showthread.php?p=31907#post31907[/url]

Absolutely! Tha latest discussion has nothing to do with teaching and methodology.:)

[QUOTE={Totoro};5551529]Ух-ты! English-speaking thread! :)[/QUOTE]

I thought of something like this from the very start... But it's nice to have an English-speaking thread after all, isn't it? It's practice, and someone might be able to pick up some vocabulary, which is nice and useful... So, join in!
The latest discussion hasn't been really cheerful, but it's pretty philosophic, which is also a nice thing :)

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5573113]Absolutely! Tha latest discussion has nothing to do with teaching and methodology.:)[/QUOTE]

Well, if you are teaching English, it doesn't necessarily mean that all your interests have to be about teaching and methodology, does it? You might like the idea of just discussing soemthing in English from time to time.

[QUOTE=English Teacher;5572225]Ситуация складывается так, что меня либо скоро забанят либо мне самому приятнее будет уйти. Если хотите продолжать разговор, предлагаю перенести его в альтернативый форум "Одесса-Мама". Я уже там. Одна из страниц [url]http://www.***********/showthread.php?p=31907#post31907[/url][/QUOTE]

Why do you think you are going to be banned? Have you been using obscene language? Insulting anyone? I can't see anything of such sort... You were just sharing some ideas and experience, and it's nice to see just how much you trust us here. Honestly, I'd feel reluctant to tell some people I have never seen about such personal feelings from my childhood. Thank you for having dared!

[B]Bagirapuss[/B]
[QUOTE]Honestly, I'd feel reluctant to tell some people I have never seen about such personal feelings from my childhood.[/QUOTE]
haven't quite got what you mean.
[QUOTE]Why do you think you are going to be banned? Have you been using obscene language? Insulting anyone? I can't see anything of such sort...[/QUOTE]

don't you see I have "нарушения" already? One of my threads was closed without any explanation, another was stripped of posts. you can judge for yourself if there could have been anything obscene. and the total number of my posts is still about 30. No, I quit. If you want to continue our conversation welcome to Odessa Mama. Moreover, I respect wishes of thread authors (Pure Turquoise)

[QUOTE=English Teacher;5605348]
I respect wishes of thread authors (Pure Turquoise)[/QUOTE]

I am neither the author not a moderator of this thread. You are mistaken if you mean it was all my fault and desire.:stop:

By the way, nobody sees your "нарушения", only you can.

Oh, I've been to "Odessa-mama", and it seemed rather small and not very exciting... I must say, I am so far quite happy with this forum, though I might visit that one, too, from time to time. This forum just has some topics that I like, and that one doesn't... Maybe it is just a matter of time, though.
As for my comment about sharing personal feelings... Well, to me, the childhood recollections of such "psychological" sort are personal. Very personal. Someone might disagree, of course...
And to a more cheerful point: we're going to have our first "immersion this week-end. Seven students... Wish me luck! :) I feel slightly nervous, to be honest :)

GOOD LUCK!
Are you going to teach them different subjects in English?

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;5627138]GOOD LUCK!
Are you going to teach them different subjects in English?[/QUOTE]

Not quite so. We're visiting the live butterfly exhibition, and sure there will be a kind of follow-up. But basically, we are going to play a group of foreign tourists in Odessa. So, it's asking for and giving personal information, orientation in the city, meals, sightseeing - that should be enough for the first attempt. And there is a video - "One Day in London".
All in all, like a "summer camp", but for adults.

That sounds nice.:)

That was great! But 6 hours turned into 7 - nobody wanted to leave :)
The butterflies are real hit of the season :) Have you ever seen adults stained in paint all over colouring butterfly silhouettes? And perfectly happy about it? I have!

:) I used to work as a tour guide in Mediterranean cruises, and we had a bus trip to the batterfly park on Rhodes island.
When adults see what they like their faces sometimes look like kids'. We've been to some of the most amazing places in Europe

It's indeed very refreshing to see people interested and happy! And especially so when it helps them learn better English. Europe is really amazing, but even here in Odessa we have plenty of lovely sights.
It's strange, but many of them are not seen or not noticed by Odessans, whereas they are enjoyed by tourists. The students admit they wouldn't have gone to see the butterflies but for the English course :) Like we seldom go to the beach in summer - we are always too busy :)

I agree! Tourists look at the Opera and Ballet Theatre not in the same way as we do, and living next to the beach doesn't mean I spend much time there. :)

You know, what strikes me most of all about the immersion practice is the qualitative difference in the type of tasks. At all "normal" classes, we mostly aim at language-based tasks practicing this or that target language. Here, all tasks have to be activity-based. Russian is strictly excluded, so the student has to bring up all the English they can to help them communicate this or that particular idea... It's a bit queer at first to switch over from a "normal" class situation to this process with absolutely different objectives. But my word, the result is worth it!

No doubt.

[QUOTE=Bagirapuss;5695729]You know, what strikes me most of all about the immersion practice is the qualitative difference in the type of tasks. At all "normal" classes, we mostly aim at language-based tasks practicing this or that target language. Here, all tasks have to be activity-based. Russian is strictly excluded, so the student has to bring up all the English they can to help them communicate this or that particular idea... It's a bit queer at first to switch over from a "normal" class situation to this process with absolutely different objectives. But my word, the result is worth it![/QUOTE]

What was the age of your students?
And How much was the fine for Russian?:)

[QUOTE=staniv;5736634]What was the age of your students?
And How much was the fine for Russian?:)[/QUOTE]

The oldest one was 34, the youngest was 19.
As for the fines, here, they are not about money. They have to mime a dog begging for a treat, or sing a roudalay, or something like this.

Hello! Is anybody here? Let's revive this topic, please!

[QUOTE=SOLGA0207;51994538]Hello! Is anybody here? Let's revive this topic, please![/QUOTE]

Hi! Somebody is here for sure. )

[QUOTE=pure_turquoise;51996883]Hi! Somebody is here for sure. )[/QUOTE]
Oh!!!! Thank heaven!!!! I was scared I'm alone here)))

[QUOTE=SOLGA0207;51997124]Oh!!!! Thank heaven!!!! I was scared I'm alone here)))[/QUOTE]

'You are not alone,
I am here with you...' :rose:

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