Starting a new "native-speaker-only expressions" t

[Francois]

It's bedtime there? For goodness sake, I'm wide awake.

:wink:

When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime is no fun,
I say 'Good night', Ron.


How's that?

Well, "here" and "there" don't rhyme. And "fun" and "Ron" don't rhyme. Other than that, not bad.

:wink:

Well, the Cranberries managed to make "gun" and "bomb" rhyme

FRC

[RonBee]

Dear teachers, I have a little suggestion and maybe you can think about it. Could you consider starting a new thread named something like "native-speaker-only expressions", where you guys may put some expressions that you think may be unlikely to be heard from a non-native-speaker? I browsed the forum and found some expressions like that. For example,

If you would like me to I will move this one to General Discussions (Language). :)

That's fine. Thanks, Ron.

Give me a minute.

:)

It would seem that a person's political affiliation would have nothing whatsoever to do with that person's participation in a sport.

Hey, that's mine.

I have no idea how you recognised that is yours. :wink: Tell me, Ron, what is difference between "it would seem that..." and "it seems that..."? Maybe nothing much?

Well, in that case it was a polite way of saying that the two things (politics and sports) don't have a darned thing to do with each other. Or shouldn't, at least.

:)

I think the blue parts are not something that ESL learners are likely to say. As for me, for example, I may say "It seems that..." and would not put a "whatsoever" behind "nothing".

Perhaps you meant to say you would not put it after nothing.

Yes, that is what I meant. What I said is ambiguous, right? But what is the problem? What other meanings may it have?

I don't think "ambiguous" is the right word here. You just didn't say what you meant to say.

:)

On the other hand, non-native-speakers may say something that you guys are not likely to say. For example, non-native-speakers tend to use "I think"(at least to me) when they want to express their opinion on something. I find that native speakers do not use "I think" that often. Could you also put some alternatives to that kind of "I think" expressions in the thread(maybe the thread name needs to be changed then), so we could use them sometimes for a change but not constantly saying "I think"?

Hm. I use "I think" plenty on this forum, but I see what you mean. It may be a cultural thing. Also, it may be that some people see it as redundant to say "I think" when they are clearly expressing an opinion. However, it does perhaps add a degree of politeness.

I now figure "I think" is not that "bad". :wink:

The question is how to define whether a particular expression is "native-speakers-only" or "non-natives-only"? I think( :wink: ) since you guys have answered so many questions on the forum, you may have had a good understanding of that. Then, how to single out a particular expressions since there are so many in your minds? You may pick any one of the posts, see some English used by non-native-speakers and then add something to the thread. You may do that once a while, when you could afford the time.

That is an interesting question. I do, of course, recognize English idioms when I see them, but the other thing is more difficult. On the other hand, I do every once in a while demonstrate how an expression might be stated in idiomatic English. Is that the kind of thing you have in mind?

Hm, let me explain something here. As teachers on the forum, you may counter a variety of different English(Chinglish, etc). I figure there may be something that you are quite "impressive", because it is really far from what you would say. Then, if you could spare the time, instead of giving your suggestions in that post, put them in the thread that I suggest. I mean, you put all of these things together in a specific thread so all of learners may learn something from it. I understand this could be kind of over-demanding. That is why I called it a suggestion. I undertstand we have to think about the feasibility and some other factors.
Whatever it is on your mind, please just tell me. :)

Whatever it is, Ron, thank you very much. :D

Okay, I'll do my best. With your help perhaps I can make something of it.

:)

[Edited to properly attribute Cooler's words to him.]

[blacknomi]

It's bedtime there? For goodness sake, I'm wide awake.

:wink:

When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime is no fun,
I say 'Good night', Ron.


How's that?

Well, "here" and "there" don't rhyme. And "fun" and "Ron" don't rhyme. Other than that, not bad.
:wink:

I know "here and here" don't rhyme,
couldn't I just take the last three letters
as one type of rhyme?

[Casiopea]

When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime is no fun,
I say 'Good night', Ron.

The 're' of here and there rhyme. :D
The first two lines have five counts each. :D
The last two lines have different counts:

3rd: When ' day ' time ' is ' no ' fun (6)
4th: I ' say ' Good ' night ' Ron (5)

The 3rd line has 6 counts, whereas the 4th line has 5 counts.

The words 'here' and 'there' share a near-rhyme pattern, whereas the words 'fun' and 'Ron' do not. :(

4th: I say "Good night", good Sun. 8)

(Ron is the Sun) :D

[blacknomi]

When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime is no fun,
I say 'Good night', Ron.

The 're' of here and there rhyme. :D
The first two lines have five counts each. :D
The last two lines have different counts:

3rd: When ' day ' time ' is ' no ' fun (6)
4th: I ' say ' Good ' night ' Ron (5)

The 3rd line has 6 counts, whereas the 4th line has 5 counts.

The words 'here' and 'there' share a near-rhyme pattern, whereas the words 'fun' and 'Ron' do not. :(

4th: I say "Good night", good Sun. 8)

(Ron is the Sun) :D

(A five year old girl is humming along the poem)


When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime's no fun,
I say 'Good night', Run.


She is just at the early stage of phonology acqusition.
8)

[RonBee]

When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime is no fun,
I say 'Good night', Ron.

The 're' of here and there rhyme. :D
The first two lines have five counts each. :D
The last two lines have different counts:

3rd: When ' day ' time ' is ' no ' fun (6)
4th: I ' say ' Good ' night ' Ron (5)

The 3rd line has 6 counts, whereas the 4th line has 5 counts.

The words 'here' and 'there' share a near-rhyme pattern, whereas the words 'fun' and 'Ron' do not. :(

4th: I say "Good night", good Sun. 8)

(Ron is the Sun) :D

(A five year old girl is humming along the poem)


When it's bedtime here,
I say 'Morning' there.
When daytime's no fun,
I say 'Good night', Run.


She is just at the early stage of phonology acqusition.
8)

While "here" and "there" don't really rhyme, you can make them rhyme if you do it just right, but it can be tricky. I think your last one works just fine. Let's take one more look at it.

• When it's bedtime here,
  I say 'Morning' there.
  When daytime's no fun,
  I say 'Good night', Run.

The emphasis put on certain syllables makes all the differences. I do like sun better than run there, and if you put enough stress on sun you really don't need the extra syllable.

(I've written about a thousand or so poems myself, especially if you count all the couplets. :wink: )

:)

[twostep]

[Well, "here" and "there" don't rhyme. And "fun" and "Ron" don't rhyme. Other than that, not bad.

:wink:[/quote]

As long as they go together :wink:

[RonBee]

"Here" and "there" are a pair
That you can't take anywhere.

:wink: