Using English on TBBS

[captcalhoun]

what's worse is, it's spelt Lieutenant, but pronounced Leftenant. i always say 'loo-tenant'...

and, no, it's not archaic.

according to wikipedia, it's the French's fault, people misread lieu as leuf and thought it was lef.

 

[tomalak301]

This has been a great thread to read so far. I know it's weird, but I've always thought there was kind of a universal translator on forums like this and whatever people wrote showed up as your common language. I see some people from other countries post here and how their English is flawless, and I think, "man I wish many people I know in real life would actually talk like that".

I know I'm late but I got to page 2 two of this thread where you guys were talking about accents and the squiggly things on top of letters. Kind of wish there was something on the keyboard to activate the symbol list because I don't know how to type the e with the apostrophe above it, or the n with the ~ over it. It seems more of a hassle to type a language like Spanish than to speak it, while I might contend the reverse is true with English.

 

[backstept]

This has been a great thread to read so far. I know it's weird, but I've always thought there was kind of a universal translator on forums like this and whatever people wrote showed up as your common language. I see some people from other countries post here and how their English is flawless, and I think, "man I wish many people I know in real life would actually talk like that".

I know I'm late but I got to page 2 two of this thread where you guys were talking about accents and the squiggly things on top of letters. Kind of wish there was something on the keyboard to activate the symbol list because I don't know how to type the e with the apostrophe above it, or the n with the ~ over it. It seems more of a hassle to type a language like Spanish than to speak it, while I might contend the reverse is true with English.

that's why they make regional keyboards with different character layouts

 

[M'Sharak]

You need to think this through with a lot of thorough thought before falling into a slough of despond.

Better, after having thought through a lot of thorough thought, to be falling into a dry martini than a slough of despond, I'm thinking.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I know I'm late but I got to page 2 two of this thread where you guys were talking about accents and the squiggly things on top of letters. Kind of wish there was something on the keyboard to activate the symbol list because I don't know how to type the e with the apostrophe above it, or the n with the ~ over it. It seems more of a hassle to type a language like Spanish than to speak it, while I might contend the reverse is true with English.

Each language has its own keyboard. I have an Italian keyboard, so the accented letters used in my language have their own key: they are just as easy to type as any other letter (à è é ì ò ù). I guess it's the same for French, Spanish, Czech, etc.

Not to mention: Cyrillic keyboards, Hebrew keyboards, Chinese keyboards!

ETA: keyboard layouts at wiki.

 

[tomalak301]

I know I'm late but I got to page 2 two of this thread where you guys were talking about accents and the squiggly things on top of letters. Kind of wish there was something on the keyboard to activate the symbol list because I don't know how to type the e with the apostrophe above it, or the n with the ~ over it. It seems more of a hassle to type a language like Spanish than to speak it, while I might contend the reverse is true with English.

Each language has its own keyboard. I have an Italian keyboard, so the accented letters used in my language have their own key: they are just as easy to type as any other letter (à è é ì ò ù). I guess it's the same for French, Spanish, Czech, etc.

Not to mention: Cyrillic keyboards, Hebrew keyboards, Chinese keyboards!

ETA: keyboard layouts at wiki.

That's interesting, the different layouts. Seems like the US should go for a more universal international layout though, instead of the standard QWERTY mainly because of the influx of non-english speaking people in the country (especially in California where Hispanics and Asians will be a majority in a few years.

 

[scotpens]

And WTF is a "leftenant"? That's UK English, maybe even archaic, but it's bothersome.

And why is Greenwich pronounced "Grennich"?

. . . I know I'm late but I got to page 2 two of this thread where you guys were talking about accents and the squiggly things on top of letters. Kind of wish there was something on the keyboard to activate the symbol list because I don't know how to type the e with the apostrophe above it, or the n with the ~ over it. It seems more of a hassle to type a language like Spanish than to speak it, while I might contend the reverse is true with English.

I don't know how it works on Windows, but the standard Mac US/UK English keyboard has shortcuts for the various accent marks.

That's interesting, the different layouts. Seems like the US should go for a more universal international layout though, instead of the standard QWERTY mainly because of the influx of non-english speaking people in the country (especially in California where Hispanics and Asians will be a majority in a few years.)

The QWERTY keyboard layout, which was originally designed to minimize mechanical jams on early typewriters, is still standard for languages that use the Latin alphabet, although there's an alternative layout, the Dvorak keyboard, that's simpler, faster and more efficient.

 

[Gul Re'jal]

No, not every language has it's keyboard (I mean the hardware with special keys). It was the case in the times of typewriters, but not computers. Polish keyboards are the same as American. We type our letters by using the right ALT and the "similar" letter. To write "ą" I need to press ALT and "a," for "ę"--ALT + e.

There are two different software layouts for a Polish keyboard. The physical keyboard is the standard American keyboard, but one can choose if the layout is "programist" (or whatever it's called in English) that uses ALT and all other symbols are as written on the keyboard, or "typewriter" that uses the layout of old typewriters (meaning that our letters are where the keys [ ] ; ' are and the symbols above the numerals are also "displaced").

I don't know if anyone uses "typewriter" keyboard these days.

In Hong Kong they also use the American keyboard plus software to write characters.

 

[Trilliam]

As a speaker of english as my native tongue, I have gotten used to a lot of idosyncracies, but one that still bugs me is why does "paradigm" get pronounced as "paradyne" or "paradime"? Not to mention words like "colonel", "kernel"?

And WTF is a "leftenant"? That's UK English, maybe even archaic, but it's bothersome.

And Australian.
The proper pronunciation. BTW it's aluminium, not aluminum.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Yes and I'm sure your coupe has both a boot and a bonnet. Or do you have an estate?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Paradigm has probably come from a Latin-inspired spelling, as in the 18th century when spelling was standardised, those responsible used a LOT of Latin-inspired spelling even for words that didn't come from Latin.

(I've just been reading a book on this... )

Was the name of that book Brother, can you paradigm?

 

[Captain_Nick]

Even native speaker of English sometimes won't do speak good like I do

 

[Alidar Jarok]

No, not every language has it's keyboard (I mean the hardware with special keys)

I used it for language classes (generally Italian, but I also used a French-Canadian keyboard for French). In that case, I memorized the difference.

And Australian.
The proper pronunciation. BTW it's aluminium, not aluminum.

Look, I'm willing to acknowledge that color was originally colour, etc. Webster, in his attempt to simplify this, removed a lot letters. But Aluminum was named that way first. No one changed it by making it to Aluminum. Instead, they decided to change to Aluminium because they thought elements should end in -ium. However, Platinum isn't Platinium. I don't see why aluminium should be favored given this context.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

And Vulcan isn't Vulcanian, either.

 

[Trilliam]

I have a 4WD, DH has a liftback. DS1 has a station wagon, DS2& 3 drive sedans.

 

[Trilliam]

Even native speaker of English sometimes won't do speak good like I do

Don't speech goodly?

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Even native speaker of English sometimes won't do speak good like I do

You speekum Engis gooderdly.

 

[trampledamage]

I have a 4WD, DH has a liftback. DS1 has a station wagon, DS2& 3 drive sedans.

I learn new words every day, what on earth is a liftback?

 

[Captain_Nick]

Even native speaker of English sometimes won't do speak good like I do

Don't speech goodly?

I AM BRILLAINT

 

[M'Sharak]

I have a 4WD, DH has a liftback. DS1 has a station wagon, DS2& 3 drive sedans.

I learn new words every day, what on earth is a liftback?

It's like a hatchback or top-hinged station wagon door, but typically more sloped than vertical (similar to a fastback profile.) The "liftback" designation may have originated with the early-70s Toyota Celica models which featured such a door.

Example