How do British people understand British English?

Discussion in 'Serious Discussion' started by mdlgaofei, Mar 14, 2016.

  1. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

    Feb 13, 2012
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    This is how I would correct that paragraph:

    What was interesting, was that the study of the skeleton showed that while he had been alive this man had been seriously handicapped, with a defect that had limited the use of the upper right side of his body, that he suffered from Arthritis, and that he was blind in one eye.
     
  2. mdlgaofei

    mdlgaofei MDL Member

    Dec 2, 2015
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    Are you a native speaker?
    http://forums.mydigitallife.net/thr...erstand-British-English?p=1226522#post1226522
     
  3. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

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  4. mdlgaofei

    mdlgaofei MDL Member

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    #64 mdlgaofei, May 3, 2016
    Last edited: May 3, 2016
    (OP)
    We don't add nor move any auxiliaries in some clauses(从句),but we add or move the auxiliaries in some main clauses(主句). I think (that) the subject of the main clauses is main(or "more important" or others),and these grammars seem mandatory in English.
    And in some cases,someone looks for the subject. So I ask "do the auxiliaries of the main clauses point to the subject of the main clauses"
     
  5. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

    Oct 21, 2009
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    That is the point of both our thinking (philosophy) and language (grammar):

    Maybe this helps: http://www.criticalreading.com/simple_sentence.htm

    Because, quite frankly, you seem a bit lost in side issues. A better way to speaking a foreign language would be a KISS strategy ("Keep It Simple, Stupid", as the English put it... :D )

    https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/english-grammar/clause-phrase-and-sentence - a good source

    https://www.tesol-direct.com/tesol-resources/english-grammar-guide/clauses/ - good analytical approach

    More to the point:

    http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/clauses

    Hope it helps... ;)
     
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  6. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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  7. mdlgaofei

    mdlgaofei MDL Member

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  8. Michaela Joy

    Michaela Joy MDL Crazy Lady

    Jul 26, 2012
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    Only on Tuesdays...

    Every other day, we just grunt at each other, and we automatically understand.

    It's an English thing... :D
     
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  9. gorski

    gorski MDL Guru

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    :D :D :D Luv tha'!!! :D :D :D
     
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  10. Mr.X

    Mr.X MDL Guru

    Jul 14, 2013
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    :biggrin::worthy::trollface:
     
  11. mdlgaofei

    mdlgaofei MDL Member

    Dec 2, 2015
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    Could native speakers look at this post?

    What're the different meanings of "I got this computer from bargain" and "I got this computer on sale"?
    What're the different meanings of "I like heavy coffee" and "I like strong coffee"?
    What're the different meanings of "Price down" and "Can I get a discount"?
    What're the different meanings of "I got it without money" and "I got it for free"?
    What're the different meanings of "It's our first time to meet" and "We've never met before"?
    What're the different meanings of "I want to play with my friends tonight" and "I want to hang out/go out with my freinds tonignt"?
    What're the different meanings of "I make my face" and "I put on my makeup"?
    What're the different meanings of "I mistook him" and "I mistake him for someone else"?
    What're the different meanings of "Which do you select" and "Which do you choose"?
    What're the different meanings of "What is your job" and "What do you do for a living"?
    What're the different meanings of "I'll receive my salary next week" and "I'll get paid next week"?
    What're the different meanings of "He is in good condition" and "He is in good shape"?
    What're the different meanings of "Today's newspapers have his articles" and "Today's newspapers carry his articles"?
    What're the different meanings of "You'll have a cold" and "You'll catch a cold"?
    What're the different meanings of "Please wait outside the white line" and "Please wait behind the white line"?
    What're the different meanings of "Where is here" and "Where are we"?
    What're the different meanings of "Most Westerners have high noses" and "Most Westerners have long noses"?
    What're the different meanings of "It is why I was late" and "That is why I was late"?
    What're the different meanings of "empty" and "taken"?
    What're the different meanings of "It's a novel of three volumes" and "It's a novel in three volumes"?
    What're the different meanings of "soft" and "tender"?
    What're the different meanings of "This new book will be sold well" and "This new book will sell well"?
    What're the different meanings of "I'm a public servant" and "I work for the government"?
    What're the different meanings of "Today is hot" and "It is hot today"?
    What're the different meanings of "Don't make the office out of order" and "Don't leave the office in a mess"?
     
  12. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

    Feb 13, 2012
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    Too many to reply about, but there is no such word as "What're"

    You can't shorten "What are" to "What're"
     
  13. Mutoid

    Mutoid MDL Member

    Sep 23, 2015
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    #73 Mutoid, May 4, 2016
    Last edited: May 4, 2016
    What're

    Technically it is a " non-standard shortened form ( or contraction ) "

    I agree that reading it jars to a native English speaker , but the dictionary says it's OK

    (..... so long as the apostrophe is in the correct place for the missing letter , of course.)

    :)
     
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  14. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

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    Cambridge dictionary says otherwise

    http://dictionary.cambridge.org/spellcheck/english/?q=What're

    As does dictionary.com
    http://www.dictionary.com/misspelling?term=what're&s=t

    Oxford dictionary too
    http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/spellcheck/english/?q=what're

    And Collins
    http://www.collinsdictionary.com/spellcheck/english?q=what're


    If Oxford and Cambridge say it's wrong, it's wrong
     
  15. Mutoid

    Mutoid MDL Member

    Sep 23, 2015
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  16. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

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    English British of course, which is the title of this thread

    And that is not a dictionary

    You know what relevance Oxford and Cambridge have to the English British language right?
     
  17. Mutoid

    Mutoid MDL Member

    Sep 23, 2015
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    Of course !
    My mistake .
     
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  18. MrMagic

    MrMagic MDL Guru

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    I use words like that in every day language, but my point was that it is slang, not a real word, and OP is obviously trying to master correct British English (Queens English)

    Or 'Posh toffee nosed tw4ts' as we call them

    The way the royal family and prime minister etc talk (A$$hats language)
     
  19. Mutoid

    Mutoid MDL Member

    Sep 23, 2015
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    Cambridge ?
    That's where Harvard is , right ?
     
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  20. Mutoid

    Mutoid MDL Member

    Sep 23, 2015
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    OK .... guilty as charged !

    What is my punishment to be ..... 100 lines ?

    I would pick one of Bart's from the opening credits of The Simpsons :-

    " Pork is not a verb "
    " I will not startle the incontinent "
     
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