A useful and productive day

Sep 12, 2008
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the local community college where I go depends on foreign students. I spent most of this afternoon helping ESL tutoring. Pronunciation drills, grammar confusion, etc. It was only my second time doing this. I had a lot of time the first time, last week. Today was even more fun


Four exceptionally cute girls. One guy. Three Japanese, one Vietnamese, one Korean.


The Japanese had the worst problems in pronunciation. Also rhythm. Japanese don't have the wealth of vowels we do in English. Things that to us are very different sound the same to them. And Japanese has a very distinct music that is as different from English as night an day.

They all had problems with glides (R, L) .

The major issue was with how English handles aspect. It is something I remember from Russian, which handles it in a very weird manner. Aspect gave me no end of problems in Russian, so I could sympathize with their problems in English


Anyway, they were all very polite and nice and the girls were all very sweet.

I had a great afternoon.

I also worked with a guy on his SQL class. He was working on the IRD, which is the worst hump in SQL till you start doing sub queries.

It was a good day.

And I got 100 in Rep too!
 
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the local community college where I go depends on foreign students. I spent most of this afternoon helping ESL tutoring. Pronunciation drills, grammar confusion, etc. It was only my second time doing this. I had a lot of time the first time, last week. Today was even more fun


Four exceptionally cute girls. One guy. Three Japanese, one Vietnamese, one Korean.


The Japanese had the worst problems in pronunciation. Also rhythm. Japanese don't have the wealth of vowels we do in English. Things that to us are very different sound the same to them. And Japanese has a very distinct music that is as different from English as night an day.

They all had problems with glides (R, L) .

The major issue was with how English handles aspect. It is something I remember from Russian, which handles it in a very weird manner. Aspect gave me no end of problems in Russian, so I could sympathize with their problems in English


Anyway, they were all very polite and nice and the girls were all very sweet.

I had a great afternoon.

I also worked with a guy on his SQL class. He was working on the IRD, which is the worst hump in SQL till you start doing sub queries.

It was a good day.

And I got 100 in Rep too!

Good stuff! I know a smidgeon of Japanese from when my dad worked in Japan when I was growing up. I can tell you I have no end of problems with pronunciation.

For instance: They say "pleased to meet you" (then bow at the waist, arms hands clasped in front of chest).

Pronounced (the way I do it): Had-jay may mahsh-tay.

Don't know if I"m doin it right, but....they seem to understand me when I say it like that and don't laugh at me. ;)

It probably sounds like some American from the south (think Scarlett O'Hara, my accent is refined, not redneck) trying to speak Japanese. :lol:
 
the local community college where I go depends on foreign students. I spent most of this afternoon helping ESL tutoring. Pronunciation drills, grammar confusion, etc. It was only my second time doing this. I had a lot of time the first time, last week. Today was even more fun


Four exceptionally cute girls. One guy. Three Japanese, one Vietnamese, one Korean.


The Japanese had the worst problems in pronunciation. Also rhythm. Japanese don't have the wealth of vowels we do in English. Things that to us are very different sound the same to them. And Japanese has a very distinct music that is as different from English as night an day.

They all had problems with glides (R, L) .

The major issue was with how English handles aspect. It is something I remember from Russian, which handles it in a very weird manner. Aspect gave me no end of problems in Russian, so I could sympathize with their problems in English


Anyway, they were all very polite and nice and the girls were all very sweet.

I had a great afternoon.

I also worked with a guy on his SQL class. He was working on the IRD, which is the worst hump in SQL till you start doing sub queries.

It was a good day.

And I got 100 in Rep too!

Oh to be an undergrad again..........

You've got three options with two discrete answers: Yes or No. That's six possible combinations.

What are you doing blogging about it here?

Make your move!

Truly, youth is wasted on the young.
 
The Japanese had the worst problems in pronunciation. Also rhythm. Japanese don't have the wealth of vowels we do in English. Things that to us are very different sound the same to them. And Japanese has a very distinct music that is as different from English as night an day.
Yup. Particularly fun to hear them try to pronounce vowel-s sounds.

see becomes "shee"

spicy becomes "spaishi"

super becomes "shupeh"

Don't get me started on flied lice...


(I'm sure we sound just as silly trying to pronounce japanese words)

---

Have you considered teaching English in another country? It doesn't pay as well, but you can get visas easily enough, if sponsored by a school.


P.S. I r addicted to j-rock!
 
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can't get a visa. Long story.

But it is a fun thing to do here.

And now I know some words they can use for drills!
 

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