[Grammar] Is this correct?

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indonica

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[FONT=&quot]Worked with kids to strengthen their abilities to learn through plastic arts.[/FONT]
 

birdeen's call

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But who worked?
 

Barb_D

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I need help with "plastic arts" as well.
 

indonica

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I did. I am trying to explain in a resume that I volunteer as a art teacher with orphan kids.
 
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birdeen's call

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Then why not say it was you who worked? English sentences need their subjects.

I worked with kids to strengthen their abilities to learn through plastic arts.

What about Barb's question? What do you mean by "plastic arts"? Do you mean visual arts generally or those arts which involve some plastic materials?
 

indonica

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;-)
Thank you verry much birdeen.
 

charliedeut

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Then why not say it was you who worked? English sentences need their subjects.

I worked with kids to strengthen their abilities to learn through plastic arts.

What about Barb's question? What do you mean by "plastic arts"? Do you mean visual arts generally or those arts which involve some plastic materials?

Hi,

Plastic arts is a direct translation from Spanish ("formación plástica" where kids can inprove their dexterity with different materials): it means the time, in class, when kids play with plasticine, clay, crayons, paper and the like to create anything.

Hope it helps

Greetings,

Charliedeut
 

Barb_D

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Thanks for the explanation.

If you wish to use that phrase with English speakers, however, you may need to explain what it means, unless the art community already understands it. I truly had no idea what it meant.

(I have split off the other question to a new thread. Please do not add unrelated questions to the end of an existing thread. Thanks.)
 

birdeen's call

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Wikipedia says that the term "plastic arts" is redundant and ambiguous.
 

charliedeut

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Wikipedia says that the term "plastic arts" is redundant and ambiguous.

Hi there,

Please refer to post #7 to undo redundancy and ambiguity on this topic.

Thanks

Greetings,

Charliedeut
 

birdeen's call

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Hi there,

Please refer to post #7 to undo redundancy and ambiguity on this topic.

Thanks

Greetings,

Charliedeut
Sorry, I haven't provided the link. Visual arts - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Note that your post doesn't solve the ambiguity problem---you only gave one meaning of the term and the other meaning (that of "visual arts") still exists. Please have a look at this entry too. Again, the meaning it gives is different from yours, which adds to ambiguity.

Lastly, It's not obvious to me that the term is a direct translation from Spanish. It exists in many languages. Are you sure it came to English from Spanish?
 
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Barb_D

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Charlie, the point isn't that you know what it means, or even that you gave us that excellent explanation. The point is that the average reader of this phrase won't know what it means. That's why I said it either needs to carry an explanation like yours, or the writer needs to be 100% that the audience who will read this resume is completely familiar with it.

I can write something for an audience who knows a certain term and not explain it, but if what I am writing will be viewed by others, I need to use a different term or explain the term the first time I use it.

If all art teachers know this phrase, and if only art teachers will read the resume, it's okay. But if someone else, like a human resources generalist, will read the resume first, then another way of expressing this must be found.
 

charliedeut

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Lastly, It's not obvious to me that the term is a direct translation from Spanish. It exists in many languages. Are you sure it came to English from Spanish?

No, that was my mistake :oops:: I did NOTmake it crystal clear that the OP translated it literally from Spanish, which is the OP's native language, as well as mine.

Thank you on that one.

Greetings,

Charliedeut
 
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charliedeut

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Charlie, the point isn't that you know what it means, or even that you gave us that excellent explanation. The point is that the average reader of this phrase won't know what it means. That's why I said it either needs to carry an explanation like yours, or the writer needs to be 100% that the audience who will read this resume is completely familiar with it.

I can write something for an audience who knows a certain term and not explain it, but if what I am writing will be viewed by others, I need to use a different term or explain the term the first time I use it.

If all art teachers know this phrase, and if only art teachers will read the resume, it's okay. But if someone else, like a human resources generalist, will read the resume first, then another way of expressing this must be found.

Hi Barb,

Thanks on that one. I'm working at it. The thing is that I only deal with Spanish students; therefore, they hardly need such clarifications. But I'm still getting used to provide clearer data in such posts here. I'll certainly try my best! Thanks again.

And now a rest for while:cheers:

Greetings,

Charliedeut
 

Rover_KE

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[FONT=&quot]Worked with kids to strengthen their abilities to learn through plastic arts.[/FONT]

You also need to be made aware, indonica, that kids should never be used in any sort of formal context.

Many people, and I am one, find the word intensely irritating.

Use 'children'.

Rover
 
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