davilan
Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2011
- Member Type
- Other
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- United States
- Current Location
- Russian Federation
Hi,
I'm a yank living in Russia. I am teaching teachers of English as a second language some things that would not have gotten in their university courses.
I'm working on a lesson plan about the nuance of the language. I'm having a problem finding some good examples to dissect that can also be apparent enough to be teachable.
An example I am using so far: automatic, automate the dictionary would define these as having the same meaning-interchangeable synonyms. When I explain that automate would tend to imply in the language: one task being done after the other automatically vs. automatic: implying the task is done without additional assistance, how do you teach that technically it would be correct to "build an automatic assembly line" but the nuance of the language makes "an automated assembly line" more clearly define the intention of the phrasing.
How do you teach "nuance" to people who think they know English?
Short of trying to make a list of every example explaining the nuance-which I also can't find and would be happy to get some lists-nuance comprehension is one of the most difficult yet important parts of getting inside the language.
I'm a yank living in Russia. I am teaching teachers of English as a second language some things that would not have gotten in their university courses.
I'm working on a lesson plan about the nuance of the language. I'm having a problem finding some good examples to dissect that can also be apparent enough to be teachable.
An example I am using so far: automatic, automate the dictionary would define these as having the same meaning-interchangeable synonyms. When I explain that automate would tend to imply in the language: one task being done after the other automatically vs. automatic: implying the task is done without additional assistance, how do you teach that technically it would be correct to "build an automatic assembly line" but the nuance of the language makes "an automated assembly line" more clearly define the intention of the phrasing.
How do you teach "nuance" to people who think they know English?
Short of trying to make a list of every example explaining the nuance-which I also can't find and would be happy to get some lists-nuance comprehension is one of the most difficult yet important parts of getting inside the language.
