How Good is Your English?

[Dirt Grinder]

My English is gooder than most folks.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by randomparent

"My wife, my family, and I all speak English pretty well." What's up with the me?

Good catch!

[rodentraiser]

I go by what I learned in German (and Russian and French and Spanish). If the case is nominative, it's "I". If the case is accusative or dative, it's "me". The accusative and dative cases are made by putting "with, by, to" and other words with your pronoun. So it's "You and I are going to the store.", but "He gave the candy to Fred and me.". Come to think of it, I learned more about English grammar studying other languages than I ever did in English class. That's weird.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

I go by what I learned in German (and Russian and French and Spanish). If the case is nominative, it's "I". If the case is accusative or dative, it's "me". The accusative and dative cases are made by putting "with, by, to" and other words with your pronoun. So it's "You and I are going to the store.", but "He gave the candy to Fred and me.". Come to think of it, I learned more about English grammar studying other languages than I ever did in English class. That's weird.

I found an old diary that I kept in 7th grade and was appalled by my grammar. "Me and him walked home from school together."

I must have learned proper English from my strict 8th grade teacher who had us writing thank you notes and diagramming sentences.

But, just as you mentioned above, I didn't REALLY understand English until I studied another language and then it was like a light bulb going off in my head. I learned Latin. Bingo! It all made sense to me and English grammar was something that was suddenly easy to understand.

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

...Come to think of it, I learned more about English grammar studying other languages than I ever did in English class. That's weird.

That's because you have to understand the structure of your primary language to learn the structure of another.

[AmFest]

Originally Posted by randomparent

"My wife, my family, and I all speak English pretty well." What's up with the me?

Next notch up:

You probably speak English better than I.

[emcee squared]

I speak real good.

For real, I think my vocabulary is above average, but I tailor my words to the company in which I'm speaking to. In the presence of idiots, I speak like a 5th grader, etc.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

That's because you have to understand the structure of your primary language to learn the structure of another.

For a lot of us it's easier to learn the structure of another language. At least the structure is taught rather than just absorbed the way our native language is. After we understand the structure of the other language, the structure of our own language falls into place and makes sense.

[HalfLifeFan88]

I cat spel to god u undetan? It harde.