Re: English is my foreign language

[thedaffodils]

Hello!

#1 English is my foreign language.

#2 English is a foreign language to me.

I first wrote the first sentence, but I later thought the second sentence sounded natural to me intuitively.

My questions are as below:

Q1: Is Sentence 1 right grammatically?

Q2: If #1 and #2 are correct grammatically, which sentence is more smooth?

Thanks!

[BobK]

They are both grammatical, but only the second means what you mean. You might use 'my foreign language' in either of these cases:

• Everyone in a school has to study one foreign language (this is just an example); the school offers say German and French. (My daughter went to such a school. Her foreign language was German.)
• Someone 'collects' languages. Every year they study a new one. Someone might ask 'What's your foreign language this year?'

In the plural, the possessive can also be used to mean the number a person speaks: someone who knows I speak several might ask me 'Is Mandarin one of your foreign languages?'



b

[thedaffodils]

Hi BobK,

Thank you for your help. I've understood.

[2006]

hello!

#1 english is my foreign language. it means english is the foreign language i (am studying)(will study).

#2 english is a foreign language to me. in north america it means 'i understand english very little or not at all.'

so the two sentences have different meanings. what is your intended meaning?


i first wrote the first sentence, but i later thought the second sentence sound natural to me intuitively.

My questions are as below:

Q1: Is sentence 1 right grammatically?

Q2: If #1 and #2 are correct grammatically, which sentence is more smooth?

Thanks!

2006

[thedaffodils]

Hi 2006,

Thank you for your reply.

My intended meanings are as below:

- English is not my mother tongue.

- I don't live in an English-speaking country. For example, though India is not a native English-speaking country, the English language is one of its official languages. Yesterday, I run into the terms -ESL and EFL. ESL means English as Second Language; EFL means English as Foreign Language. Therefore, I think generally the English of ESL students would be better than that of EFL students.

- English is just one foreign language I understood. But probably, I knew Japanese. (I don't really understand Japanese. It is just an illustration.)

[2006]

hi 2006,

thank you for your reply.

My intended meanings are as below:

- english is not my mother tongue. this is a very good and clear sentence.
- i don't live in an english-speaking country. For example, though india is not a native english-speaking country, the english language is one of its official languages. Yesterday, i run into the terms -esl and efl. Esl means english as second language; efl means english as foreign language. Therefore, i think generally the english of esl students would be better than that of efl students. probably so because they probably live in an english speaking environment.

- english is just one foreign language i understood. why did use use past tense here? but probably, i knew japanese. (i don't really understand japanese. It is just an illustration.)

2006

[thedaffodils]

2006,

Thank you for your reply again. Maybe "English is not my mother tongue" is the exact sentence I should say.

TD: English is just one foreign language I understood.

2006: why did you use past tense here?

I should have used present tense for this. Well, English is not my mother tongue. Engish grammar is different to Chinese grammar. Though I mostly understand the rules of English tenses, I make grammatical mistakes now and then if I am not care enough. I can't completely shake off the impact of my mother tongue; and one the other hand, I don't do enough practice.

[2006]

2006,

Thank you for your reply again. Maybe "English is not my mother tongue" is the exact sentence I should say. I can't think of a better one.



I should have used present tense for this. Well, English is not my mother tongue. Engish grammar is different to Chinese grammar. Though I mostly understand the rules of English tenses, I make grammatical mistakes now and then if I am not care enough. I can't completely shake off the impact of my mother tongue; and one the other hand, I don't do enough practice.

I see. Since you realize that, you have taken the first step towards correcting it.

[thedaffodils]

I see. Since you realize that, you have taken the first step towards correcting it.

Thank you very much for your help, 2006.

[BobK]

Incidentally TD, it's 'if I am not careful enough'; or 'if I don't take enough care'. I think you got those two mixed up.

b