[bwalters]

I am just curious as to wether our friends from other countrys undersand us american's when we use conjunctions. Such as can't (can not) don't (do not) haven't ( have not)? I am sure that they have taken at least some english other wise they could not (couldn't ) converse with us at all. For the most part I understand what they are trying to say. I may have to read it a couple of times but that is OK. Let me know if not using conjunctions would be better for you to understand.

[Smurfysmurf]

Bill, I am an American now, but grew up in Germany and learned to speak English mainly in school over there. We did learn about don't, won't, didn't, can't.

It's an interesting question though. I am sure that a lot of words we use aren't easily understood

[bwalters]

I have actually been thinking about that for quite awhile. I would think that just learning to speak or write english is hard enough without having to know everything about our slang and abreviations.

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Well,

I am an English student and yes I did learn about conjunctions, whilst being at school and also throughout my studies at university. Funny thing is that I am doing a grammar course at university, which offers more insight on the methods which are taught at English grammar schools and comprehensive schools and American highschools.

[SmurfingH]

Dom, have you learned that the English and the Americans are "two nations divided by a common language"?!! I can't remember who said that but it's so true. Sometimes the same words have different meanings depending on which country you live in!

[Smurfysmurf]

Tell me about it I used to get into big trouble about that

I still like what Prof. Higgins said about Americans speaking English "The Americans haven't used it in years"

[Ritter_Schlumpfenherz]

Dom, have you learned that the English and the Americans are "two nations divided by a common language"?!! I can't remember who said that but it's so true. Sometimes the same words have different meanings depending on which country you live in!

Yep,

I learned that phrase in one of my cultural studies classes and I often catch myself switching between RP and GA.

@Moey: Just take "rubber" as a example.

rubber = "Radiergummi" (RP)
rubber= "Kondom" (GA)

[Schildkoete]

Hi Bill

it's not the problem with the grammar.

It's more the problem with a direct translation !!!:

Let me explain what do I mean with all the phrases

Here is your lesson for runaways

First "All start is heavy", if you stand on the far looking tower you can
see a lot and if you are pig strong and you have the umbrella power
so it's me sausage that you do not have the through holding money
to understand what I'm talking about.

So now I do a cry test






PS: through holding money --> staying power (Durchhaltevermögen)
pig strong --> have husky --> (Saustark)
far looking tower --> television tower -->(Fernsehturm)
umbrella power --> aegis --> ( Schirmherschaft)
it's me sausage-->don't give a hang --> (Ist mir Wurst )
cry test --> wine tasting --> (Weinprobe)

[Tojo]

That's funny Ingo - I didn't know what on earth the text was on about

cry test --> wine tasting --> (Weinprobe)

That had me weining with laughter

[eggie smurf]

I still like what Prof. Higgins said about Americans speaking English "The Americans haven't used it in years"

I agree...it should be called speaking "English" or speaking "American" because they can be quite different Same with Australian, they use English words but they can be very different to the American meaning.. my favorite difference so far is "meds"...we use it here to mean prescription drugs while Aussies mean tampons (wtf?! lol!)

[Tojo]

my favorite difference so far is "meds"...we use it here to mean prescription drugs while Aussies mean tampons (wtf?! lol!)

I'd forgotten that word - not that I needed meds myself of course - but it is one of those words peculiar to Australia. Snags is another that comes to mind which has nothing to do with getting your cardie caught on a nail

Is the word cardie used in the US & in Australia?

[agent smurf]

I am just curious as to wether our friends from other countrys undersand us american's when we use conjunctions. Such as can't (can not) don't (do not) haven't ( have not)? I am sure that they have taken at least some english other wise they could not (couldn't ) converse with us at all. For the most part I understand what they are trying to say. I may have to read it a couple of times but that is OK. Let me know if not using conjunctions would be better for you to understand.

Bill, excuse me I was thinking about this since I read about it today on the forum, isn't this the English grammar everywhere and not just in America? Correct me if I'm wrong, I've asked wikipedia and I think it kind of agreed with me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_grammar

[bwalters]

Hi Tojo; I have never heard that word before. So I don't know.

[bwalters]

Hi Agentsmurf; I don't know thats why I asked the question. I just wanted to make sure that by my using a conjunction over the two words that people would understand me. I am not sure what you learn in you english classes.

[agent smurf]

I've heard that I should use 's not instead of isn't (if it's not a question) that's all I know about grammar. So not sure either.