How Often Do You Correct Your Wife'S/ Gf'S English?

[red1green0]

This nonsense makes it into most every thread.

"..almost every thread.', surely.

And, if I might ask, where is it you hail from?

The English speaking World.

And, what is an example of something you correct that you believe is the result of her being American?

Leaving '...ly' off adverbs, 'This is real nice' for example, instead of 'This is really nice'.

'How are you?', 'I'm good'.

Me: 'You're good? good at what?'

Just quick examples off the top of my head.

Edited February 10, 2012 by red1green0

[xthAi76s]

This nonsense makes it into most every thread.

"..almost every thread.', surely.

And, if I might ask, where is it you hail from?

The English speaking World.

And, what is an example of something you correct that you believe is the result of her being American?

Leaving '...ly' off adverbs, 'This is real nice' for example, instead of 'This is really nice'.

'How are you?', 'I'm good'.

Me: 'You're good? good at what?'

Just quick examples off the top of my head.

hmm ... OK

[DocN]

I do from time to time, as I know she wants to learn.

The cutest thing is that "washing" turns into "watching" many times...so we are "watching" the "ditches" or turn on the "watching machine" (TV???)...

[Kwasaki]

I don't correct my wife at all unless she ask me what's this or what does that mean, and I tell her in my pidgen Thai. .

I would like to support my wife who was never lucky enough to get a good education, I understand that speaking pidgin English with your partner maybe thought as foolish by some but my wife really has no interest on improving or in learning more English, so to me understanding communication I think is much more important.

To get my message across by using pidgen English is for me to be understood, otherwise no matter how slowly my spoken English is my point is lost amongst the extra correct words I have spoken.

I thought this was funny.

Krupnik

I always tell him to correct me on the mistakes that I make in Thai even if he still understands what I mean, but my Thai is far worse than his English!

So do you always know when you make a mistake. ?

I am proud of my cockney accent it is part of who I am, I've got our 18month great great great Thai nephew, saying " ello mate " , the family love it, saying he speaks English already.

Edited February 10, 2012 by Kwasaki

[xthAi76s]

It can be cute and it can be funny but it can also be embarrassing. I agree with an earlier post that says that his partner finds it hard to switch between languages after talking to her Thai friends or watching soaps. My partner is the same. It is incumbent upon us to not allow our partners to be ridiculed so we must help them as they must help us.

A major problem for anyone learning the English language is that we spend the majority of the time speaking in metaphors, so not only does someone have to learn the words but they have to learn the metaphors too. When they can understand the metaphors then they are truly fluent in English.

Anyway, the most embarrassing language difference one I came across was an American couple that came to visit me in Scotland, the fella was a US Army Major at the time ( XO ) and his wife was a beautiful self respecting Christian lady. We were sitting in a pub that my family owned at the time and the couple were being treated like royalty, everyone was hanging on their every word. We had driven together from Germany to Scotland and someone asked the lady if the journey was hard. Her reply........

" I was sitting for too long and now I've got a sore fanny "

Cue embarrassed silence................

I've noticed this metaphor/idiomatic problem, and, in my opinion, it is more acute in English speakers from the smaller (than the US) countries. Also, there's a tendency (even in the US) for English speakers to use idiom heavily (and metaphor, as well) as a way to

a.) display their 'intelligence' to the world and

b.) to distinguish themselves from other speakers hailing from other English speaking countries/regions.

The more trouble listeners encounter trying to understand these speakers, the better the speakers feel. It does seem though that speakers from places like UK, OZ, etc (the more quaint English speaking countries) utilize these communication instruments heavily.

Edited February 10, 2012 by ThailandMan

[GreenSnapper]

How can someone have a " Degree in English ", yet only speak it " quite well " ??

Where does this " Degree " get issued & to what standard ??

My wife's brother recently gratuated with a university degree in english.

I can't communicate with him.

Lucky that he is not a surgeon ....

[scorecard]

Speaking pidgin English with your partner is foolish IMO since it teaches that person the incorrect way to speak English.

Better to speak more slowly, more clearly and if necessary, use simpler words (or do what I tend to do, use a more complex word but then explain it) so that your partner's English is improved without them feeling picked on, criticized or like an idiot.

Agreed! I cringe every time I hear someone speaking pidgin English to his/her partner....especially when the person wants to learn more English! It doesn't help them if you model poor English. For the most part, an English language learner can understand "Should we go to the store?" or "Wanna go to the store?" just as well as "We go store?"

Here's another example of pidgin / Thinglish "You go Bangkok.". This could mean:

- Did you just go to Bangkok?

- Have you ever been to Bangkok?

- Are you going to Bangkok?

In fact it doesn't take long to say (and write down) the correct sentences and explain the full and clear meanings. With some further reinforcement the Enlish learner will convert to the correct English.

[rizenkroft]

Siammcfarang I have the exact problem I just find it too amusing and don't want to feel like her father correction her every time. One classic that I will never correct is " I ask when I did something she is accusing me of" wife says back you do that everywhen!

[inzman]

I try to be helpful when I correct them. I appreciate that they try to speak english.

[Kwasaki]

Speaking pidgin English with your partner is foolish IMO since it teaches that person the incorrect way to speak English.

Better to speak more slowly, more clearly and if necessary, use simpler words (or do what I tend to do, use a more complex word but then explain it) so that your partner's English is improved without them feeling picked on, criticized or like an idiot.

Agreed! I cringe every time I hear someone speaking pidgin English to his/her partner....especially when the person wants to learn more English! It doesn't help them if you model poor English. For the most part, an English language learner can understand "Should we go to the store?" or "Wanna go to the store?" just as well as "We go store?"

Here's another example of pidgin / Thinglish "You go Bangkok.". This could mean:

- Did you just go to Bangkok?

- Have you ever been to Bangkok?

- Are you going to Bangkok?

In fact it doesn't take long to say (and write down) the correct sentences and explain the full and clear meanings. With some further reinforcement the Enlish learner will convert to the correct English.

Nothing wrong with, " You go Bangkok.", it really depends on the situation or the circumstances, pidgin english has a benefit in different cultures, try this with your intelligent Thai partners :-

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of injections my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.