fluency in english

[RonBee]

It's based in England, but many of the people involved, like Ron, are American.

Yeah, and it gets lonesome sometimes being the only one.

(Mike and CS haven't been around much lately. Maybe it's because I've been getting to the questions first. __ )

8)

[RonBee]

I've only recently gotten turned on to banging on. It's cool!

:D

[christina]

I've only recently gotten turned on to banging on. It's cool!

:D

Okay, I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. I'm lost. What are you banging on about?

[RonBee]

I've only recently gotten turned on to banging on. It's cool!

:D

Okay, I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. I'm lost. What are you banging on about?

Well, if I am any judge (and I'm not), you used that phrase just right. :) Anyhow, I was referring to what TDOL said earlier, thus: "It's sad to hear people banging on about Shakespeare as a justification for claiming to be superior." I have only recently run across that expression, and I have taken a shine to it. (That's an American expression meaning I like it.)

8)

[christina]

I've only recently gotten turned on to banging on. It's cool!

:D

Okay, I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. I'm lost. What are you banging on about?

Well, if I am any judge (and I'm not), you used that phrase just right. :) Anyhow, I was referring to what TDOL said earlier, thus: "It's sad to hear people banging on about Shakespeare as a justification for claiming to be superior." I have only recently run across that expression, and I have taken a shine to it. (That's an American expression meaning I like it.)

8)

Can it get any more embarrassing than this? *praying a black hole will open and swallow me up* I woke up this morning and realized that it had to be British English and that to indicate that you wrote it in italics... I had never seen or heard it before (which doesn't mean ANYTHING).

See that's what I meant - the simplest things still confuse me. Especially when I'm tired!

Gotta run. I'm late for work!!! But I just HAD to come here before I leave and prove I'm not a complete idiot. :D

[RonBee]

I woke up this morning and realized that it had to be British English and that to indicate that you wrote it in italics...

Not exactly. I don't want to be disagreeable, but I would have done that with anything I wanted to call attention to for whatever reason. :wink:

I had never seen or heard it before (which doesn't mean ANYTHING).

I only ran across it myself a few days ago. But from now on I am going to use it when I want to sound British. TDOL teaches me British slang, and I try to teach him how to spell.

Gotta run. I'm late for work!!! But I just HAD to come here before I leave and prove I'm not a complete idiot. :D

Not at all. If your speaking skills are as good as your writing skills your English must be darn near perfect. :wink:

8)

[Tdol]

We take shines in BE too.

[RonBee]

We take shines in BE too.

Are you referring to "I have taken a shine to it"? Perhaps the Americans got that one from the British. (I'm not sure how old it is.)

8)

[Tdol]

Yes.

Dictionary.com gives these idioms with shine:
Idioms:
shine up to Informal
To try to impress or please: shined up to the boss, hoping to get a raise.

take a shine to Informal
To like spontaneously.

The first is not something I've heard here, but the second is common enough.