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English is really difficult to learn
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tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 8797 Credit: 2,930,782 RAC: 1 |
No, AFAIK it was an optics problem. They had run a simulation but they failed to do a very simple experiment involving a knife and a candle and the focus was not where it should have been. But they repaired it with a Shuttle mission. Tullio |
Bill Walker Send message Joined: 4 Sep 99 Posts: 3868 Credit: 2,697,267 RAC: 0 |
Take a look at http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter4/table8.html . The knot is listed under "Non-SI units accepted for use with the SI", and is defined in terms of m/sec. Nothing to do (now anyway) with any miles. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Whom David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
an hotel. Is that not the same as 'common usage' as in "did you see the snow man," instead of saying "saw you the snowman?" |
Julie Send message Joined: 28 Oct 09 Posts: 34053 Credit: 18,883,157 RAC: 18 |
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William Send message Joined: 14 Feb 13 Posts: 2037 Credit: 17,689,662 RAC: 0 |
I still would stay in a hotel than an hotel. Well the rule as I learned it, is when it starts with a vowel sound, you have to use 'an' - hotel as I pronounce it starts with a distinctive 'h' sound so it's 'a hotel'. There are examples of words that are written with a letter in front of the vowel that isn't pronounced, making it 'an'. I can only think of 'NVidia' atm - pronounced ENVidia - which is debatable :D A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read. (Mark Twain) |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
I still would stay in a hotel than an hotel. Learned people tend to use 'an' with 'history' (and various suffixed versions of it). I have always surmised (but don't really know) that this practice comes from Cockneys dropping the 'h' sound from the beginning of words and then using 'an' to sound right. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
Gundolf Jahn Send message Joined: 19 Sep 00 Posts: 3184 Credit: 446,358 RAC: 0 |
I can only think of 'NVidia' atm - pronounced ENVidia - which is debatable :D What's about "an hour later"? ;-) Gruß Gundolf [edit]or the other way around: a European example[/edit] |
The Simonator Send message Joined: 18 Nov 04 Posts: 5700 Credit: 3,855,702 RAC: 50 |
"an" before a word beginning with "h" is possible only under the following circumstances: I can see why learning English is "a horrific experience". Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge. |
The Simonator Send message Joined: 18 Nov 04 Posts: 5700 Credit: 3,855,702 RAC: 50 |
The purpose of grammar is to make the meaning of a sentence clear. If, for instance, i was to write that my hair needs cutting badly, what do i mean? Do i want a haircut urgently, or a terrible haircut? It's even more confusing when words have their meaning changed. Being from the north, this lead to much confusion upon meeting some londoners who described things as 'sick', which when i was growing up was an excuse to stay off school not a compliment. Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge. |
The Simonator Send message Joined: 18 Nov 04 Posts: 5700 Credit: 3,855,702 RAC: 50 |
Judging by your avatar I would say that it both has been and needs to be ;-))))) At least i still have some. This was/is a third meaning, whereby something good would be described as 'sick'. Eg: "Aw man, that's a sick phone!" Makes no sense to me either. Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge. |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
With out convention there would be problems, some still get all up on GBS for not using contractions. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
I can see why learning English is "a horrific experience". Now I'm trying to decide whether you're baiting us grammar cops. "The who and whom one is rather more easier, sometimes who sounds better then whom and vice versa." I just posted a mini-rant on Facebook last night about "more _____er." However, if you want to claim "better then" to be a typo, I might believe you. Ditto for Simon's "lead" that seems like it should be "led." Another of my biggest (and newest) pet peeves is "could/should/would of," which, thankfully, no one has used here (at least lately). David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
The Simonator Send message Joined: 18 Nov 04 Posts: 5700 Credit: 3,855,702 RAC: 50 |
Another of my biggest (and newest) pet peeves is "could/should/would of," which, thankfully, no one has used here (at least lately). A song for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bug-hnPxFaY Life on earth is the global equivalent of not storing things in the fridge. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
This was/is a third meaning, whereby something good would be described as 'sick'. Eg: "Aw man, that's a sick phone!" My problem is with people who use "of" when they should use "have". To borrow from your examples, such irritating persons would say/write "How could I of known you'd be there? ... I certainly wouldn't of gone." This most likely comes from the contraction "would've" sounding like "would of." No excuse, AFAIAC. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
Whatever happened to common sense? It is not common, and mostly does not make sense. |
David S Send message Joined: 4 Oct 99 Posts: 18352 Credit: 27,761,924 RAC: 12 |
Whatever happened to common sense? Well said. David Sitting on my butt while others boldly go, Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri. |
Michael Belanger, W1DGL Send message Joined: 30 Jul 00 Posts: 1887 Credit: 7,441,278 RAC: 49 |
And here I'm of French descent and I did not understand much of that. As well as am I (of Canadian French descent) and I can only understand/speak a few words/phrases, but nowhere near enough to converse with someone (Canadian or Parisian French). |
celttooth Send message Joined: 21 Nov 99 Posts: 26503 Credit: 28,583,098 RAC: 0 |
converse with someone (Canadian or Parisian French). ____________ Not to worry, They don't communicate well with each other any way. |
W-K 666 Send message Joined: 18 May 99 Posts: 19093 Credit: 40,757,560 RAC: 67 |
You care if you have to do specification writing. But here, couldn't give a damn as long as what is written makes sense and doesn't confuse or upset people. |
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