Why can't people be taught proper english as thier second language

[ManDownUnder]

A deetch deeger, OTOH, knows how to breast-feed it.

No idea what you meant by that (seriously) but I enjoyed the visuals...

[avgas]

Indeed. Like swimming has a silent P...

Depends on how big the P is in comparison to the pool. also depends on trajectory to the water (if said persons a first exterior and then enter to proceed swimming).
Over all could be worse if it were a silent crap in swimming.

[avgas]

Definitely other side of the Tesman that one. A dutch dugger is a doughty kiwi chap who knows how to productively wield his implement. A deetch deeger, OTOH, knows how to breast-feed it.

really - up here we just pipejack lol

[007XX]

No no - you may be just the person ... take the name of your home country. The place of your birth. En Francaise? And In English.

They are the same thing except to the ear, which is exactly my point

Oh, absolutely...but as much as I feel fairly eloquent on many subjects, I would certainly struggle to really explain myself on this subject as convincingly as yourself and Hitcher...

You got to know when to leave the Titans battle it out, y'know?

All kidding aside, I would most definitely concur there has been times when pronunciation has been a challenge for me (especially in earlier years in NZ), as starting from not talking a word of english, I took it very seriously to better myself and make sure my command of the language was to be as close to perfect as I could.

I found it very puzzling though when I was trying to help my young son to learn to read properly, and NZ school system no longer uses phonetics...

[Hitcher]

No idea what you meant by that (seriously) but I enjoyed the visuals...

Draw a mental picture of how a road-worker leans on their shovel...

[ManDownUnder]

Draw a mental picture of how a road-worker leans on their shovel...

Aaaaa gotcha.. dammit - there goes my boobie picture....

[007XX]

It's refreshing to see an Aucklander finally admit to that one.

Yes, and as an Aucklander, I found some biologically strange creatures in Wellington...

I wasn't always an Aucklander, but then home is where the heart is...

[Hitcher]

All kidding aside, I would most definitely concur there has been times when pronunciation has been a challenge for me (especially in earlier years in NZ), as starting from not talking a word of english, I took it very seriously to better myself and make sure my command of the language was to be as close to perfect as I could.

Goodness me. If your spoken English is as good as your written English, I am very impressed! What is your mother tongue, and how long have you battled to master English?

And what language do you think and dream in?

[Hitcher]

I found some biologically strange creatures in Wellington...

Hey! I represent that!

[ManDownUnder]

And what language do you think and dream in?

...Kiwibiker...

[007XX]

Goodness me. If your spoken English is as good as your written English, I am very impressed! What is your mother tongue, and how long have you battled to master English?

And what language do you think and dream in?

Thank you, coming from you that means quite a bit actually.
Mother tongue is french, am still fluent but I make sure to read as many french books as I can to make sure I don't loose my broader vocabulary.
It's hard to recall how long it took to be comfortable, but I could make myself understood within about 6 months I guess...been in NZ for 13 years now, but my accent still gives me away.

I dream in english now, and definitely think in english. My father teases me I have an english accent when I call him!

Hey! I represent that!

Certainly, there are to be exceptions to every rules.

[Steam]

I represent that!

Where did that resent/represent mistake originate? Is it a kiwibiker thing or more widespread? I have seen quite a few people doing it but I can't decide whether they are being serious.

[Hitcher]

I have seen quite a few people doing it but I can't decide whether they are being serious.

Good lord man. I am always VERY serious, don't you know?

[jrandom]

Mother tongue is french...

Ah.

I understand, now.

[idb]

You misunderstand me. I wasn't talking about then, I was talking about now. Whoever originally transcribed Fijian had a better ear than we do.

Fijians don't pronounce the D in Nadi as a hard D, as we do. Rather than somebody concoct a new symbol or character for that sound, they used the same D as we do, but pronounced it differently. There are numberous other tongues besides those of the South Pacific that do similarly, e.g. Spanish's double L, which is pronounced "Yuh" in words such as villa or Guillermo.

Read more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fijian_language and follow the links.

But...but...but.........why not just write 'Nandi'????
Then everyone will know how it's pronounced.

European languages have a long history in written form but the Polynesian versions were shiny and new......and they made it complicated!!!!!

Cick Whuckers!!!