[XPero]

I'm studying a subject at University called "Historia del Inglés Contemporaneo" (History of Contemporary English). It deals with almost all about English as a language and one curious thing is the common mistakes that non-native speakers make. Here you are some of them:

1) No proper use of "the" --> "I like *the football"
2) No proper use of infinitives in some cases --> I want that you come with me (should be: I want you to come with me)
3) Overuse of "can", "have", "put"...when others words match better with what we want to say
4) Incorrect use of "which" and "who"--> That is the man *which came yesterday to my house
5) Reduction of questions tags to 2---> "isn't it?" and "no?"
6) The dropping of the 3rd person singular -s ---> Here he *come

These are some of them...I just thought it would be curious to know

XPero

[phoenix_nf]

Im no native speaker english. i yet like ta use da phrace "What is wrong to you?" to irritate my phrend who lakes to korrects my inglish.


(PS.. this was to irritate my friend. could someone edit this line on monday. as i would like to show this post to my friend on tuesday.)

[JoeMSFN]

That's OK. Many native english speakers don't know the language that good either.

[un4given1]

JoeMSFN, on Jan 20 2005, 12:04 AM, said:

That's OK.  Many native english speakers don't  know the language that good either. 

My mother was an English major. "Many native English speakers don't know the language that WELL either." HAHA

[matrix0978]

Lol. We just use the language so much we get old with it and modify it!

[TiXer]

lol.. But bad english does make som good jokes now and then..

[brian873]

A dinae ken wit awe the fuss is aboot man as long as folk unerstawn ye, ye cud use awny patter ye like.

hail hail

[Tokugawapants]

Some common mistakes by Native English speakers:

1. Improper use of direct object in statement of comparison (Correct: I am taller than he)
2. Improper use of direct object with predicate (linking) verb (Correct: It is I!)
3. Improper use of subject pronoun "who" (Correct: from whom, to whom, with whom)
4. Improper use of adverb "where" (Correct: From whence did you come?)
5. Lack of subjunctive mood (Corrrect: I wish I were 1337)

[MCT]

if u say all that, why not put a hat on & call yourself shakespear

"GoodDay! sir, Whence' the closest restaurant"
"Whom will u meet There"
"Ya'll mama" LMFAO!

bugs me tho when ppl type shorthand (im good 4 that , but i hate reading it ) lol

[Tokugawapants]

MCT, on Jan 25 2005, 02:07 PM, said:

"GoodDay! sir, Whence' the closest restaurant"
"Whom will u meet There"
"Ya'll mama" LMFAO!

Whence is only used when you're saying from "where." You use "where" when you say to where, in where, or at where lol .

Shakespearian writing/speaking is so difficult. Thou art proper, and thy English is thine. Nay, I dare not meddle thither. I must refrain from speaking in this manner whilst online lest I be smote for flaunting my erudition, which is all for naught.

[MCT]

i know, i made a joke im going 2 say whence @ work tomorrow & see "whom" notices lol

[phoenix_nf]

Quote

Shakespearian writing/speaking is so difficult.

Why dont we look on the brighter side. Shakespear was bad at english.

[brian873]

two postives always make a negative ?, Aye right !

and as it is Burns night here's a song youu may know

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

Chorus

hail hail

[Astalavista]

in the philippines is it quite funny bec. we mix chinese, tagalog and english.

[Spyder2k]

I'd love to see some common german mistakes, or chinese

[mark]

Astalavista, on Jan 25 2005, 04:17 AM, said:

in the philippines is it quite funny bec. we mix chinese, tagalog and english.

So what do you call it? Chagalish? Entagnese? Tagenchi? Enchilog?


DL

[SiMoNsAyS]

probably i'm the 1 who made most mistakes of this kind

[Shotgun]

me too, every once in a while. I mostly speak Spanish, but online I use both. IMO I'm fluent with English. Somewhat intermediate on the spoken part.

[Incroyable HULK]

I'd like to be politely corrected when I do such mistakes. Otherwise, how will I know all the errors I am doing...

[Tokugawapants]

I'm learning Spanish myself. Sometimes I wonder, when non-native speakers are taught English formally (in a class), do they teach the very proper English (with the rules I stated above), or do they teach the more relaxed, common, colloquial English like most people speak to each other?