Quebecker here

GrosMinet

Member
Dec 21, 2013
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Hello,

How are you?

I'm a French Canadian from Québec and I'd like to find opportunities to practice my English (which I'm studying) while having interesting talks about important topics.

I'm a student at university in religious studies. I like talking religion, philosophy and ethics. Politically, I'm middle-of-the-road, I guess. Which actually means sometimes I find myself agreeing with liberals and sometimes with conservatives...

I have some political opinions but I'm no expert, just an average citizen.

I also like talking about everyday life and joking around.
 
jug_welcome2.jpg
 
Hello,

How are you?

I'm a French Canadian from Québec and I'd like to find opportunities to practice my English (which I'm studying) while having interesting talks about important topics.

I'm a student at university in religious studies. I like talking religion, philosophy and ethics. Politically, I'm middle-of-the-road, I guess. Which actually means sometimes I find myself agreeing with liberals and sometimes with conservatives...

I have some political opinions but I'm no expert, just an average citizen.

I also like talking about everyday life and joking around.



I was lost in Montreal, stopped to ask directions...and the Montrealer pretended he didn't speak English until I used the only French I knew... Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir


....then he came clean.


Welcome!.....I don't hold a grudge.
 
Hello,

How are you?

I'm a French Canadian from Québec and I'd like to find opportunities to practice my English (which I'm studying) while having interesting talks about important topics.

I'm a student at university in religious studies. I like talking religion, philosophy and ethics. Politically, I'm middle-of-the-road, I guess. Which actually means sometimes I find myself agreeing with liberals and sometimes with conservatives...

I have some political opinions but I'm no expert, just an average citizen.

I also like talking about everyday life and joking around.

Hello GrosMinet,

I am so happy to meet you and welcome you, and your curiosities, to the site of other average citizens, doing the best and the worst that we can...:lol:

I hope you can find interesting forums and that you enjoy yourself, and have some good discussions and some laughs.

Merry Christmas,

Athena*
 
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Hello,

How are you?

I'm a French Canadian from Québec and I'd like to find opportunities to practice my English (which I'm studying) while having interesting talks about important topics.

I'm a student at university in religious studies. I like talking religion, philosophy and ethics. Politically, I'm middle-of-the-road, I guess. Which actually means sometimes I find myself agreeing with liberals and sometimes with conservatives...

I have some political opinions but I'm no expert, just an average citizen.

I also like talking about everyday life and joking around.
Welcome to USMB, GrosMinet. Hope you enjoy the boards at USMB.


th
 
Bienvenue :) J'aime bien la Belle Provence.

Doesn't look like your English needs any work. Enjoy the joint. :D
 
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To all,

Again, thank you.

I happen to have an English question.

Let's take an example, the sentence :

That claim may be challenged.

If I want to add an adverb (such as "actually" or the like), do I put it before or after "be"???
 
To all,

Again, thank you.

I happen to have an English question.

Let's take an example, the sentence :

That claim may be challenged.

If I want to add an adverb (such as "actually" or the like), do I put it before or after "be"???

You could do it multiple ways.

"Actually, that claim may be challenged" -- implies the claim had been thought solid but now you're pointing out an "Achilles heel"

"That claim, actually, may be challenged" -- could be used if you're presenting a list of claims... claim A (given), claim B (given), claim C (not so solid) -- here you put more emphasis on that, which is an important word for a Francophone learning English.*

You could also say "That claim may be challenged, actually" -- a kind of softening effect.... as in "I hate to be contrary but you may find that claim is open to debate". This could be viewed as a slightly more British, and/or more non-confrontational placement. Putting the adverb at the end sort of implies a certain sympathy, as if to say, "that can be challenged... I know, it doesn't seem like it, but it can be".

Such an adverb might be placed in any of these positions with only subtle implications distinguishing them. Or sometimes no implication at all and just a matter of style. However you would not likely say "That claim may be actually challenged". That would be awkward.


* I hear a lot of Francophones who don't notice our distinction between this and that. It's more crucial for us than ce and ca in French. This always means the thing or the matter in the immediate present, in hand, nearby, while that always means the thing farther away, the thing removed from us, far removed or at least not immediately "here". This/that is like me/you or here/there.

I just mention this because it's probably the most common grammatical telltale sign of a Francophone speaking English, who tend to use that when this would be more appropriate, and it stands out.

Hope this helps. Feel free to PM if you want to; I never really tire of stuff like this.
 
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Thank you Pogo, it was helpful.

Yes, I'm also a bit awkward with the words this and that.
 

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