Engleski kutak: Improve your English — Chat II (English only)

[slafko]

Woden kaže:

This is a democratic forum and everyone is invited.

Wrong on both counts.

[Woden]

slafko kaže:

Wrong on both counts.

Yeah?

Speak up now or else hereafter for ever hold your peace.

[Nica]

Forum does not function on the principles of democracy.

Please, do not comment moderating policy on these threads. That is not allowed. For any objections, please use Poruke, žalbe, komentari subforum.

Please, stop this arguing and try to have a constructive debate.

[Emericzy]

Nica kaže:

Please, stop this arguing and try to have a constructive debate.

Well, as long as we argue in English, it is constructive in terms of this topic. Arguing displays the facets of practical language and its peculiarities as well as, or better than, a polite chat.

[antilles]

i'd dare say.
arguing is good. but only if, and when, it makes sense. if not, it's counterproductive, even linguistically.

[Nica]

Emericzy kaže:

Well, as long as we argue in English, it is constructive in terms of this topic. Arguing displays the facets of practical language and its peculiarities as well as, or better than, a polite chat.

antilles kaže:

i'd dare say.
arguing is good. but only if, and when, it makes sense. if not, it's counterproductive, even linguistically.

Yes, a discussion can be productive, as well as unproductive. Regardless of the language used, this discussion just wasn't the one that can be referred as "a productive one".

[Emericzy]

Nica kaže:

Regardless of the language used, this discussion just wasn't one that can be referred as "a productive one".

It's yours to judge and ours to bow to your judgment.

[winter1212]

50 lbs of clothing from Ed and I's closet going OUT THE DOOR

Should it be MY or MINE?

[Emericzy]

winter1212 kaže:

50 lbs of clothing from Ed and I's closet going OUT THE DOOR

Should it be MY or MINE?

Ed's and my

[bosko21]

greetings everyone,
I would like to ask what is the best way to improve English? Books, games, something else? My goal is to to be fluent, in conversation and writing, but for now I can't afford course because I'm out of work.

[Emericzy]

bosko21 kaže:

greetings everyone,
I would like to ask what is the best way to improve English? Books, games, something else? My goal is to to be fluent, in conversation and writing, but for now I can't afford course because I'm out of work.

The best is, of course, living somewhere where English is spoken.

Even there, however, reading a lot is a must if you want your language to be at least passably fine.

Here, reading is a double, or triple, or quadruple must. Read, read and read. And then read some more.

An English-speaking girlfriend can also do wonders.

[bosko21]

yeah, I thought so. I'm reading a lot lately but i need to do some writing so i came here.

Where did you learn English Emericzy?

[makaranin]

Emericzy kaže:

(...)
You mention the House of Review as if it were a fantastic democratic achievement. It is not. It's just part of a different parliamentary sytem, that's all. Some countries have a two-house parliament, others have a single house. Neither has proved markedly more or markedly less democratic. We used to have two houses initially but the upper house (which you call the house of review) proved to be of no consequence -- about as useful as the British House of Lords. It was soon removed from the system and no one has shed a tear.


This is a silly statement. About as silly as your usual statements about Croatian language. You are a very, very irritating person to talk with.

(...)

Your (unwarranted, unnecessarily aggressive, and ill advised) comments very much reminded me of the diatribe of Mr. Milanovic directed at the EU upon Croatia's accession to the EU. He, fully aware that his stance was illogical, without any factual backing, and in direct contravention of documents that Croatia had signed only a short time before nonetheless persisted with his ill advised and aggressive attitude and accompanying rhetoric. The outcome of such a stance ought to have been predictable to everyone, even him. Sadly it wasn't, and Croatia embarrassed itself (once again) in front of the eyes of the entire world - without any help from any external influences.

Nowhere do I claim that a "house of review" is a PANACEA for all of the holes that Croatia has managed to dig (mainly) for itself, and for all of it's current problems. No, my claim is that it would be nigh on impossible for Croatia to pull itself out of it's current difficulties and predicament without this small change first; and it being only one of many steps necessary - but without it Croatia will remain in it's current (sad) state. But this is not the proper forum for such a political debate and/or discourse and I do not wish to take this discussion any further. I would however just like to add that people (within Croatia) talk a lot about Democracy without being fully aware of what that word really means. That the prevailing attitudes (in Croatia at least) appear to be that of stubborn intolerance and BIGOTRY. And, as a small example that I am not alone in saying that democracy is not functioning in Croatia I would refer you to the petition by the association "U Ime Obitelji" who are attempting to get a Constitutional change regarding elections in Croatia (narrowly defeated, I believe by the machinations of minister Bauk and his cronies).

And finally, even though I may be OT a little here I would comment on my comments re the Croatian language (on other PDF's) that you alluded to. If you recall, my main comments were about the irregularities/inconsistencies which were not highlighted as such. My latest example is my most recent search for the Croatian word for "diuretic". Guessing that, it being of a technical nature, it would be translated (essentially) phonetically but with the insertion of the letter "j" between the 'i' and the 'u' I proceeded to search for "dijuretik" in HJP. Only to discover that there is no "j" inserted, contrary to the on-line copy of "Hrvatski Pravopis" (and the section on 'slovo J' - which is inserted between i-a, i-e, i-o, etc). Just another irregularity...

[makaranin]

Woden kaže:

(...)

If you only knew what the Senate reduces to in practice!!!

The thing is that I do (know)! However, I also know, and see, what happens when you do not have something like that in place. I am living in a country where we, although having many problems of our own, as well as "instances" of corruption, etc., but where the "system" essentially functions. Not quite Utopia, granted, but when compared with Croatia, a million times better, and with a much, much better future. But then, as in all things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But one cannot ignore one's own experiences, discussions, attitudes and opinions aired/heard, etc.

The reason that I mentioned that this was not the correct forum for a political discourse is that:

1.) the are already threads in place for political dialogue and,
2.) for a debate to take place one must not be a bigot and have a closed mind/stance/attitude and,
3.) I do not benefit in the least (from this discourse) apart from becoming a target for such people (i.e. people who do not like/wish to hear different views and/or opinions).

[Emericzy]

Makaranin, I will no longer waste my time on your remarks. It's just too much bother and we never get anywhere. Sorry. Have a nice day.

[Emericzy]

bosko21 kaže:

Where did you learn English Emericzy?

In Zagreb.

I was bad at English in school, so my parents enrolled me in a children's course run by some kind of Socialist Youth organization. It helped a lot. I had a very good teacher there. When I completed all the courses on offer and could get no further, she told me to continue on my own.

"Find a subject that you like very much and read about it as much as possible," she said. "Especially if the same thing is not available in Croatian." So I started with Playboy and Penthouse, hahahahahahaha. And car and motor cycle and aviation and sailing magazines and science fiction. I read a huge amount.

Another thing she said, which I recommend with all my heart -- but no one wants to listen, even though it is hugely important -- is to read without a dictionary. "Dictionary is your enemy," she said.

And she was right. Using the dictionary distracts you from reading and also narrows you down to dictionary definitions. Without it, you have to make your own definitions out of the context. Those are usually better than the ones in the dictionary, and they stay in your head, while those from the dictionary tend to be forgotten.

So, to recapitulate: read a lot, read the stuff you like and read without the dictionary.

And of course, once your passive knowledge has grown sufficiently, there comes the time to convert it to active. Travel, or get a job with a foreign company, or get an English-speaking lover, or a mixture of all three.

[Woden]

Emericzy kaže:

Makaranin, I will no longer waste my time on your remarks. It's just too much bother and we never get anywhere. Sorry. Have a nice day.

Never give up never surrender.

There is a softie behind that frowning avatar, innit?

[Woden]

makaranin kaže:

The thing is that I do (know)! However, I also know, and see, what happens when you do not have something like that in place. I am living in a country where we, although having many problems of our own, as well as "instances" of corruption, etc., but where the "system" essentially functions. Not quite Utopia, granted, but when compared with Croatia, a million times better, and with a much, much better future. But then, as in all things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But one cannot ignore one's own experiences, discussions, attitudes and opinions aired/heard, etc.

The reason that I mentioned that this was not the correct forum for a political discourse is that:

1.) the are already threads in place for political dialogue and,
2.) for a debate to take place one must not be a bigot and have a closed mind/stance/attitude and,
3.) I do not benefit in the least (from this discourse) apart from becoming a target for such people (i.e. people who do not like/wish to hear different views and/or opinions).

I am glad that you do know because you will be able to explain a few things regarding that matter to the unknowing lurkers. (We know who they are.)

For example, makaranin do you understand how senators are elected to the Senate in your country?

If you do then please also explain the preferential system as well.

Your country is a constitutional monarchy why not then have the House of Lords instead of the Senate?


If you repudiate these simple questions we will certainly know that you should have started your post with: "The thing is that I do not know" (what I am talking about.).

[Emericzy]

Woden kaže:

Never give up never surrender.

There is a softie behind that frowning avatar, innit?

There's a man who has better things to do in life than futile wrangling.

[IstoABolje]

Hi guys!
I've been looking for a way to improve my writing skills and found this topic!
I hope to start actively participate in conversations because my writing skills (and spoken as well) are a bit rusted.
I have no problems with understanding English when it comes to reading or listening, but it takes me quite a long time to compose a sentence when speaking or writing. The thing is that I haven't used English for writing/speaking since high school. I hope to change that.
Talk to you soon, cheers