English Thread

[ratlady]

hey @all   -

  ...this thread is almost getting "out of hand" now...   - I'll see if I can "catch up" a little here (hope that I don't miss too much... and that "darn" [sorry...   ] computer of ours won't mess up again...)

As far as movies go, I always enjoyed watching the original even though it took a while to really understand everything... but back then, I was watching mostly for "practice" anyway...   Now, I can't really enjoy the German version of a US/English movie any more, since for once, I mostly know the original voice of the actor (ever compared "Seinfeld" here and there? yuck!   ), and second, I can kind of "see" that the words don't match up with the "lip movements"... something I've NEVER noticed before...

@Crimson Tide -

yeah, it can get kind of "confusing" after a while - and even worse sometimes... For me, I've had a point a few years ago when I actually had trouble talking in German - like, my mum would call and I'd feel like an idiot, trying to find the words and always ending up mixing in English words...  I know, it's probably hard to imagine, but it's real... Luckily, now that I've discovered the joy of "internet communities", I read and write in German regularly, which helped a lot to "eliminate" those problems...

(and the "rubber - eraser mess-up" is a "classic"...   )

@stephan -

sorry, I think I completely "missed" your first post here, sorry    - welcome on board  The "Airbag" and BE-AE-German "discussion" actually got me to think of another thing that's always puzzled me... The "Handy", as they call it in "German", is unknown over here... that's a cell phone (sometimes, but rarely, mobile phone). I don't know whether the British call it "handy", too? I think "mobile phone" is more common over there...?

Some words that still "bother" me due to their "similarity" in German are words like "vehicle" (...my "favorite"   ... no matter how often I hear it or how often I "rehearse" in my mind, it always comes out wrong...   ), "azalea", "acetaminophen",... ooohhh, usually I "come across" way too many of those when I try to "avoid" them, but whenever I try to think of some, they absolutely elude me...!  

On the other hand, sometimes it's real hard to find the "right" word in German... I just recently - finally! - found out what an ATV (or "Fourwheeler") is in German, because on our last visit there, we saw one by the side of the road... I immediately pointed it out - "THAT's what I always mean by "dune buggy" - what IS it?"   Well, now I know over there they call it a "Quad". Sounds funny...

Oh, one more thing to the movies - @Stephan, you said it would not affect the story, which is true, but sometimes there's "play of words" involved which is always somewhat hard to get across... Take Monthy Python, for example (ok, that's kind of extreme, as there really IS no story - but even those I've - occasionally - "seen" dubbed rather than "sub-titled"...   )

Makes me think of that joke I heard recently - about those three boys at Christmas, who get assigned the roles of the Three Wise Men at their school's "Christmas play" and are told to "read their bible and dress accordingly"... Well, at the rehearsal, they show up dressed as fire men! The teacher is shocked and asks them - didn't they read their bible as told? Answer: Yes we did, it said the Three Wise Men came "from a fire"...!

...no worries, that's really only understood in the South - where "a fire" sounds EXACTLY like "afar"...  

...sorry, stupid joke - but I still like it...  

[Stephan_]

Oh, one more thing to the movies - @Stephan, you said it would not affect the story, which is true, but sometimes there's "play of words" involved which is always somewhat hard to get across... Take Monthy Python, for example (ok, that's kind of extreme, as there really IS no story - but even those I've - occasionally - "seen" dubbed rather than "sub-titled"...   )

Hi ratlady, hi @ll

I think you have to know a few things about the British if you want to understand Monty Python (one of my favourites/favorites). They are making fun of the British way of life. To understand these sketches you have to know the news broadcast of BBC and those things. Or the relation between the French and the English.

Some movies play with the relation between US citizens and Canadians. So, I you have no idea about the relation of this neighbors, it won’t help if the translation is perfect.

So to make it short, it immensely helps if you live in the country where the movie is done, but it does not depend so much on the translation.

I’m used to the German voices of the actors and for me it’s funny to here the “strange” voices of the original movie.

Anyway, when I’m in the states I notice, that it helps a lot to listen to the original soundtrack of the movies in the plane and the first days I like to watch tv. That helps to brush up my untrained English.

Greetings from the deep south of Germany

stephan

[ratlady]

@Stephan -

gee, you're up early... I'm just about to go to bed over here!    (would be by now, but still "fighting" with that "dang" computer...   )

yes, you're right... a lot of the times you have to know the "background"... Still, sometimes it does "lose a little" in translation when they do "play with words" (although at other times, the German "word play" is really not that bad either...   )

And, I admit, there were a few TV-series I regularly watched in Germany long before I ever set foot into an "English-speaking" country... THAT was strange, too, all of a sudden getting used to a "different" voice... I guess it's just been a little "too long ago" for me...  

(BTW - Monty Python is still on top of my favorites, too... I hardly ever watch a movie more than once, rarely twice - most of theirs, I've seen two or three times, or more... and still laughing my "rear end" of every time...   )

[IkeaRegal]

My english is so bad, but i like to read it. And i´m so proud that i understand the most of it.  

If i need a special word that i never read, i use http://dict.leo.org/ .

Bye!

[ratlady]

My english is so bad, but i like to read it. And i´m so proud that i understand the most of it.  

If i need a special word that i never read, i use http://dict.leo.org/ .

Bye!

 

(...can't be THAT "bad", then...    )

...and LEO is exactly what I use too... even now, still, occasionally...  

[Crimson Tide]

Hi, IKEA REGAL......welcome in our Thread! ( I like your nickname!)

I'm sure, you are much better in English than me, for example!
When you can understand all, then you can also write it down!

You just have to write one time, it ist like the first jump into cold water, and then, suddenly, it works----and nobody is perfect, but you are on the way to improve your skills from  that moment, you are writing your exchange of views here with us! Try it!

@ Hello, Stephan , Ratlady,
I like Monty Python too, and the more I've seen old series (Flying Circus), the more I loved the jokes!
I have never tried to understand the original tone, but now, when I come back to Germany, I'll catch up on them without looking to the subtitles!
I love black humor in jokes AND in crime stories!
I like especially John Cleese, as an individual actor too!
When I just think about "A Fish Named Wanda", (hope the title is right?)
I would like to see that movie in English!

You talked about the voices of the actors!
Have you ever heard the original voice of Sylvester Stallone?
He has such a deep voice, how could they synchronize it so high?
The different voice changes the character of a person!

[cleoxx]

Hi all together,

now I also try to join this thread. Maybe it helps me to improve my written english a bit! In general, it's really interesting to read here!
I also like to read books in the original english version like you! When I like to read a book which was written by an English/American author, I always order the original version at amazon or buy it directly in the States (if I'm there for vacation).
Same with movies: In my opinion, some things (especially jokes) you can't translate very well! Luckily, we have a movie theater here in Stuttgart which only shows movies in the original version!!! And every Wednesday there is an english sneak preview in the Ufa (for only 4,10 Euros) or Cinemaxx in Stuttgart! And when my boyfriend returns from one of his 6 to 8 week long business trips from the US, he always brings some original DVDs (movies, friends-collection, sex-and-the-city-collection,...). Fortunatelly, we have a DVD-player, which plays DVDs with all regional codes!

Greetings from the (South)-East of Stuttgart
cleoxx

[americanhero]

@ cleoxx,

cool, you joined us in our English thread. I never thought it will work so well and like you we all want to improve our English in some way.
I`m really astonished that there are so many members/users in this board who are interesting in reading  books in the orignal version. Before I start a trip into the USA, I create a book list with books I wanted to buy there. What kind of fiction do you like?



Greetz,

Yvonne

[cleoxx]

@american hero:
The first english books I read were from John Grisham, because they are  easy to read: Short sentences, no difficult grammar or words used...
But I think it's 3 or 4 years ago that I read the last John Grisham book.
After that, I started to read some travel books written by Bill Bryson. And I have also read all "Harry Potters" in English -  except the newest one. I hope the english paperback is available soon!
Normally, I only buy paperbacks - not only because they are cheaper. Another reason is, that I take the train for going to work. This takes me 40 minutes (one-way), which I normally use for reading. So I have to carry books in my bag - and the paperbacks weigh less!  
The latest book I bought in English is "Angels & Demons" written by Dan Brown. But I haven't started reading yet!

Since 4 weeks, we also have a subscription to the "Time"-magazin - we had a really good offer for that! So I have another opportunity to read articles in English!

I think, I have a lot of practice in "passive" English (reading, listening,...=, but I seldom use English active (like speaking or writing), which is one of the reasons I joined this threat.

Hope, we will continue with that threat!

Many greetings
cleoxx

[ratlady]

Hey @cleoxx    That's great you joined in, too - we're going & growing!!
...and, what a coincidence - I LOVE John Grisham, in fact, I just got me "The king of Torts" from a "second-hand" bookstore the other week... Haven't read it yet, though (too busy reading and writing online...     ) And, the last book I did read was "Angels & Demons"!!  

@IkeaRegal & maybe "others out there"-

You just have to write one time, it ist like the first jump into cold water, and then, suddenly, it works----and nobody is perfect, but you are on the way to improve your skills from  that moment, you are writing your exchange of views here with us! Try it!

@Crimson Tide - you're EXACTLY right!! And also, by coming forward yourself you may even "encourage" others who might be reading this thread, but feel "unsure" about writing anything, to come forward, too!

In fact, it's kind of similar to "real life" - you don't have to be perfect or even near-perfect to be understood - the main thing is, to overcome your "inner barrier" and just try it out... "Just do it" - isn't that the "American Spirit"?  

By the way, y'all are SO lucky to have that "DVD" option   ... at home in Germany, we (even now) don't have anything like that, and back when I was still trying to "practice" as much as I could at home, I had to "make do" with whatever came on regular (cable) TV that occasionally had the "option" of switching over to the original... watching movies I'd NEVER watch otherwise... sometimes, I think it didn't even matter that I didn't understand what was going on...  

[Stephan_]

My favourites are Grisham and Crichton. I order most of my books via Amazon, because I can afford a stay in the US only every two years

When I’m in the US I buy the books at the supermarket - depending on the cover and the blurb (I found this word in LEO ) and the price.

One thing is funny about reading English books: I cannot always remember the title, so I bought a few books twice.

I also read the Potter books in English and in the beginning it was sometimes difficult to get the words because I didn’t recognize whether I don’t know the vocabulary or whether it’s a special word out of the job typical vocabulary of a wizard.

stephan

[KurtHans]

Hey,
For all who enjoy listening to native speakers, I’d recommend podcasts. As you probably know, a podcast (~2nd generation blog) is an audio file that can be downloaded and listened to on your PC or mobile listening device (~ipod). Both the BBC and NPR (national public radio) offer tons of free broadcasts on their websites. For starters, I’d recommend NPR’s story of the day (http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=4819386).
Enjoy,
Kurt.

[Crimson Tide]

I also read the Potter books in English and in the beginning it was sometimes difficult to get the words because I didn’t recognize whether I don’t know the vocabulary or whether it’s a special word out of the job typical vocabulary of a wizard.

stephan

    Hi, Stephan!

 I know that problem very good, but after the third book I knew the most typical wizard vocabulary! Sometimes better than the
muggle-language!  
Right now I'm reading the new John Le Carre´, The Constant Gardener,
I'm finished with the first 100 pages, it is good    I can already recommend that book!

[Crimson Tide]

Hey,
For all who enjoy listening to native speakers, I’d recommend podcasts. As you probably know, a podcast (~2nd generation blog) is an audio file that can be downloaded and listened to on your PC or mobile listening device (~ipod). Both the BBC and NPR (national public radio) offer tons of free broadcasts on their websites. For starters, I’d recommend NPR’s story of the day (http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=4819386).
Enjoy,
Kurt.

Hi, Kurt,
welcome to our thread!
NPR Radio is one of my favourite radio channel. At first I heard about that interesting programm not voluntarily,(our teacher from the English Language Institute "forced us"   ) It was sometimes my homework to hear some of teir stories, a discussion of two professors who discussed about DNA and Gene Manipulation, for example!   That was hard, but it is a very good way to learn a lot of new vocabularies!
I found out very fast that NPR Radio is one of the most critical(ly) programm I have ever seen or heard here in the USA! I appreciate that!

[Anoka]

Wow, this is really the first thread that deserves the name "english thread".

I enjoy reading books in english very much. I think english is a colorful language and it is much easier to express your feelings. In the US I joined a book club, where we had to read a book every month, and then discuss it in the group. This was a great experience. Not only did my vocabulary steadly grow, but I also learned how american think and see life.
 
In addition to the native languages german/french/italian movies and shows in Switzerland are also shown in der original language, which ist mostly english. So over here we get lots of possibilities to listen to english native speakers. I really prefer movies and shows in english with the original voices. And the punch line is right there where it should be. For those who are interested in getting to know the american culture better and know what satire means, I would recommend "The Simpson". A little bit over the top, but just out of everydays life.  

NPR was also one of my favorite radio channels. And we also should mention PBS on TV. In the morning they have a great childrens program Later in the day their informational program is great and critical.