English gym

Although open to everyone, this thread is dedicated to Cosworth, who is about to start a training in English language within the scope of his university course for a degree in economics if I remember right.

I will propose a randomly series of practical exercises intended to improve the "Drive" on this language, this means, the ability to build sentences and express average to advanced, more complex concepts; let's start with a simple one: Cos, as far as I know you do have a driver's licence.

Could you describe each individual step, in the sequence you learned at the driving school, from the point at which you open the car's door until the car starts moving?

Of course I (And maybe my colleague Diva) will correct you once you're done with it.

Go ahead

Rasputin ha scritto:Although open to everyone, this thread is dedicated to Cosworth, who is about to start a training in English language within the scope of his university course for a degree in economics if I remember right.

Thanks. Yes, it's right.

Rasputin ha scritto:I will propose a randomly series of practical exercises intended to improve the "Drive" on this language, this means, the ability to build sentences and express average to advanced, more complex concepts; let's start with a simple one: Cos, as far as I know you do have a driver's licence.

Could you describe each individual step, in the sequence you learned at the driving school, from the point at which you open the car's door until the car starts moving?

Of course I (And maybe my colleague Diva) will correct you once you're done with it.

Go ahead

Ok. I usually take a car when i must accompany my sister to a party. I'm usually a taxi for my sister. I would like take a car for fun but i can't. When i must take a car, i join into the garage, open the car with the key, then i join into the car. When i'm into the car, insert the key, push friction, and start up, then i leave the garage.

Rejected. Rasp, I haven't seen the english lessons yet.

Prendetemi in giro. La colpa è dell'Italia che non insegna per bene l'inglese dalla nascita.

Le parole in arancione sono prese dal dizionario.

push friction, il nuovo grande film di quentin tarantino!

forza cos, conta pure anche su di me, ma vedo che hai fior di maestri... ce la faremo!

Cosworth117 ha scritto:
Ok. I usually take a car when i must accompany my sister to a party. I'm usually a taxi for my sister. I would like take a car for fun but i can't. When i must take a car, i join into the garage, open the car with the key, then i join into the car. When i'm into the car, insert the key, push friction, and start up, then i leave the garage.

Ok, first nobody will tease you or I'll personally kick the shit out of his ass.

- It sounds better if you say "Take my sister to..." or "Drive my sister to..." instead of "Accompany", this word has a slightly different use.

- "Friction" is wrong; it basically means friction between two surfaces. In a car, that is the clutch

- You forgot, in the sequence: 1) to fasten seat belt 2) more important, to engage the 1. gear, obviously before you release the clutch, otherwise I'd have to think your sister seats at the steering wheel instead of you

I would rephrase the sentence like this:

I usually take the car when I have to take my sister to a party. I'm usually a taxi for my sister. I would like to take a car for fun but i can't. When I must take the car, I get into the garage, open the car's door with the key, then sit into the car. Once i'm into the car, I insert the key, step on the clutch, and start up, then i leave the garage.[/quote]

It's not exactly the way a native speaker would say, but it contains no major mistakes.

Any questions?

Rasputin, it seems like you got a good grasp of the language. Did you follow some courses, or did you learn it through your work?

Also, how many people know english at a proficient level, back in Italy? I thought it is pretty common, or am I wrong?

Rasputin ha scritto:Ok, first nobody will tease you or I'll personally kick the shit out of his ass.

I like her happy, and I like driving.

Rasputin ha scritto:- It sounds better if you say "Take my sister to..." or "Drive my sister to..." instead of "Accompany", this word has a slightly different use.

- "Friction" is wrong; it basically means friction between two surfaces. In a car, that is the clutch

- You forgot, in the sequence: 1) to fasten seat belt 2) more important, to engage the 1. gear, obviously before you release the clutch, otherwise I'd have to think your sister seats at the steering wheel instead of you

I would rephrase the sentence like this:

I usually take the car when I have to take my sister to a party. I'm usually a taxi for my sister. I would like to take a car for fun but i can't. When I must take the car, I get into the garage, open the car's door with the key, then sit into the car. Once i'm into the car, I insert the key, step on the clutch, and start up, then i leave the garage.

It's not exactly the way a native speaker would say, but it contains no major mistakes.

Any questions?

No. All right.

PJ, I have no clue how it looks like in Italy, it used to be a pretty poor level though, and what our friend Cosworth says seems to support the idea things haven't change much up until now.


Regarding me, languages are my job, I do it for a living; translations and some interpreting.

I learned English and Spanish at the university, then learned German myself.

Wanna have a laugh? Here the way it looks in Germany:

http://www.introbia.ch/download/public/WeAreSinking.swf

Cosworth117 ha scritto:
No. All right.

Alright Cos, how about taking something from that training you downloaded, copy & paste here then we talk about it?

Rasputin ha scritto:
Regarding me, languages are my job, I do it for a living; translations and some interpreting.

I learned English and Spanish at the university, then learned German myself.

I see... What do you need to be a translator, exactly?
I'm certified for the C2 level of english, but apart from that, bulgarian, italian and a little bit of russian and german, I don't really know any other 'useful' languages. Would I have any chances to land a translating job?

Wanna have a laugh? Here the way it looks in Germany:

http://www.introbia.ch/download/public/WeAreSinking.swf

PJ I doubt it. Not because of lack of knowledge, the problem is the place you live. It took me over 1 year (And I've been lucky) to build up a customer base, and they are almost all industrial manufacturers for machinery, stuff that requires thick instructions manuals which then need to be translated from German into a target language depending on the land where they're sold.

Rasputin ha scritto:Alright Cos, how about taking something from that training you downloaded, copy & paste here then we talk about it?

Film?

Rasputin, join the chat on the bottom right corner of the screen :)

Rasputin ha scritto:PJ, I have no clue how it looks like in Italy, it used to be a pretty poor level though, and what our friend Cosworth says seems to support the idea things haven't change much up until now.

Yes, I'm afraid the level is still really bad, especially if compared to other european countries. Maybe we should teach more English and less religious superstitions at school...

P.S. Feel free to correct me if I make mistakes, my English is pretty bad too, and I'd like to improve it.

Rasp, I also need a english lesson..

BestBeast ha scritto:Rasp, I also need a english lesson..

Just stay here and take part in the conversation...we have other forum members with pretty good knowlege of the English language, i.e. Diva, Sergio and I dont't know who else..just hang on, we'll see

Do you believe in Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Steerpike ha scritto:Do you believe in Flying Spaghetti Monster?

I don't believe in Him. I know He exists because of the evidence, like the existence of spaghetti (nobody could have invented them but Him), or the correlation between global warming and the decrease in the number of pirates.

Fux89 ha scritto:

Steerpike ha scritto:Do you believe in Flying Spaghetti Monster?

I don't believe in Him. I know He exists because of the evidence, like the existence of spaghetti (nobody could have invented them but Him), or the correlation between global warming and the decrease in the number of pirates.

I totally agree with you.

Guys, would you like to talk about... this?

Hey guys, I am glad to to help whenever I can...

I'll be joining the discussion later tonight.

PaperJack ha scritto:
Also, how many people know english at a proficient level, back in Italy? I thought it is pretty common, or am I wrong?

I think you're definitely wrong.

Yeah Dave, that's what I told him...But, as you can see from the videoclip I linked, it is a pretty common problem

Yes I saw you told him, but I wanted to take part

davide ha scritto:Yes I saw you told him, but I wanted to take part

You're welcome. Point is, Cos should take part in the conversation, I chiefly created the thread for him...let's see if he dares

Ok...
More or less, this is my level:

Fantastic video uoz!

"Son of a beach!"

uoz ha scritto:

That video is pretty funny... I always show it to my students (not the underage students, though! )

Diva ha scritto:That video is pretty funny... I always show it to my students (not the underage students, though! )

Why not

Rasputin ha scritto:

Diva ha scritto:That video is pretty funny... I always show it to my students (not the underage students, though! )

Why not

Don't wanna have problems with their parents... you know... people out there are crazy!!

I understand

About to lay down on the couch and watch an episode of "Spartacus"... have you guys ever seen it? I am still deciding whether I like it or not...
Better to grab a Martini Soda from the fridge... that would probably help me make up my mind...

Diva ha scritto:About to lay down on the couch and watch an episode of "Spartacus"... have you guys ever seen it? I am still deciding whether I like it or not...
Better to grab a Martini Soda from the fridge... that would probably help me make up my mind...

"Episode"?? Spartacus is, as far as I know, a movie from the '60ies directed by Stanley Kubrick

Rasputin ha scritto:"Episode"?? Spartacus is, as far as I know, a movie from the '60ies directed by Stanley Kubrick

It is also a TV series. Never seen it, though. These days I'm watching Game of Thrones.

Fux89 ha scritto:
It is also a TV series. Never seen it, though. These days I'm watching Game of Thrones.

"The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic"

I'd rather say, inspired by the original movie, which is not even mentioned on your link to Wiki...

Never seen it.

http://atei.forumitalian.com/t4061p10-english-gym#135857

Cosworth117 ha scritto:http://atei.forumitalian.com/t4061p10-english-gym#135857

Ok, I'll start: I think those two are really high.

Rasputin ha scritto:

Fux89 ha scritto:
It is also a TV series. Never seen it, though. These days I'm watching Game of Thrones.

"The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic"

I'd rather say, inspired by the original movie, which is not even mentioned on your link to Wiki...

I've also seen the movie. A masterpiece.

I personally like this tv series, it has some pulp influence, some scenes could perfectly fit in a Quentin Tarantino's movie... you know, heads getting chopped off, all the blood squiring out... a lot of sex scenes also. Just sometimes they push it a little too far and it looks a bit unreal...

I think "Surreal" (On the verge of "Gory") is the word...I'm just guessing, though, I never seen any of the episodes

Diva ha scritto:I personally like this tv series, it has some pulp influence, some scenes could perfectly fit in a Quentin Tarantino's movie... you know, heads getting chopped off, all the blood squiring out... a lot of sex scenes also. Just sometimes they push it a little too far and it looks a bit unreal...

If you like blood and sex scenes, you should definitely try Game of Thrones.

Fux89 ha scritto:

Diva ha scritto:I personally like this tv series, it has some pulp influence, some scenes could perfectly fit in a Quentin Tarantino's movie... you know, heads getting chopped off, all the blood squiring out... a lot of sex scenes also. Just sometimes they push it a little too far and it looks a bit unreal...

If you like blood and sex scenes, you should definitely try Game of Thrones.

What is it about? (keep it general, no spoilers, please... )

Can we talk about everything in this topic, provided that it's in English?

I guess so...

What is your favourite number?

Uhm... I don't know... maybe 3.

Diva ha scritto:Uhm... I don't know... maybe 3.

Nice, it's the only prime number such that is both a Mersenne prime and a Fermat prime, and it has got many other interesting properties.

Steerpike ha scritto: it has got many other interesting properties.

... yeah, I know!!

42

+prestige to who gets the reference!

PaperJack ha scritto:42

+prestige to who gets the reference!

It's a beautiful number. It is abundant, it's an sphenic number, it's divisible by the sum of its digits (Harshad number) and (last but not least) it's the answer to life, the universe and everything.

Steerpike ha scritto:Can we talk about everything in this topic, provided that it's in English?

Sure boy...this thread was originally intended to help Cosworth practising a bit, I hope he reads at least