Wow. I was bombarded with emails about how funny you all thought my kids' test answers were. I guess I've gotten so used to it. I barely even realize the hilarity of Engrish. You know, it's not just tests that bring out funny English. My Every Day functions on a level only marginally above what was exposed in my last post, with most people. I even find myself modifying my speech in the hopes that I will be better understood. No more contractions. Nope. No more articles in places where its clear you don't need them (seriously, who needs articles at ALL anymore? They`re so 90s). These days I'm full of enthusiastic statements like,
`EHHHH?! You will go Tokyo for kurisumasu holiday?! Sugoi!`
An even worse example: I now consistently use then instead of so, in a sentence like,
`My kids have no school today, then, I take holiday leave.`
Japanese people really like to do that. I don't know why. But what they like... Joy-su likes. Except that this is really pronounced (by both myself and others) as den, since Japanese people have trouble with the interdental fricatives. No shame there, those things are tough!
I also have to teach funny English lessons sometimes. If the teacher doesn't ask me to edit their handout, I'm stuck agreeing with their Engrish. The hardest part is reading it out loud to the kids. You really have to concentrate hard to read what they've written and not say it correctly. Look, this is the lesson I taught today (kids got this on their handout too):
Screen de Lesson
Let`s learn English expressions while watching one Sheen of movie `Anastasia` and understand contents of the stories
10 years ago royalty family get separated because of the festivity of Rasputin. Anastasia is too young and does not have any memories of her past is brought up in an orphan home as Anya.This is scene where Anastasia is going to Paris for a trip of search for hereself. But The empress bets the prize money on looking for Anastasia and Anastasia meets with Domitri and Vladimir who aim at the prize money. But She has to get Visa to go to paris and meet with them
Let`s watch the Sheen!
- Expalin a meaning of each word.
- Practice pronaunciation.,
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Dude!!! I think I would go completely mad if I had to deal with such business. I almost lost it once because Jerome insisted that the word his HS English teacher taught him must be much better than the one I proposed for him to use in a certain situation... Good thing he's learned that Maren is (almost) always right...or at least when it comes to English vocabulary in a discussion with a Frenchy!
Love and kittens!
Maren
I agree with Maren! I think I'd go nuts! Way to be patient and polite!
Yeah, Jerome needs to know that you are always going to be right when it comes to English, and definitely always right when it comes to English in an argument with a French speaker. Which, lets face it, he is. But power to him for always trying to argue... like staring death in the face with you, I imagine;-)
Post a Comment