Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Nov 22nd 2010, 8:46 pm
#1096
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2010
Location: Close to the wine
Posts: 1,522
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
As a non-English person who is a native speaker of English I also want to point out that the English language isn't just spoken by English people (well, duh!). In fact there are a lot more of us native English speakers outside England (the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, India, South Africa etc.) than inside it. So why teach a word which is only used extremely rarely in certain parts of southern England in an English textbook in Italy? Insane! FWIW I only know what punting is from watching Brideshead Revisited - and I'm a native speaker of the language! 
I bet these kids who are being taught these obscure very English English words would have problems keeping up their end of a basic English conversation of the "how was your weekend?" variety.
I bet these kids who are being taught these obscure very English English words would have problems keeping up their end of a basic English conversation of the "how was your weekend?" variety.
Picture of a single cristmas cracker ... but there were enough boxes for 10 letters. It was so frustrating. My wife "a teacher" was saying but how is this possible,,,, you are English and you don't know the answer . Peter there must be another word for cracker think what is it.." After my niece had returned to school we found out the answer was Crackerbox !!!!!
We also failed with a badly drawn black and white picture of the red flower. Holly I said. Nope ok try holly and Ivy nope. Then I realised and said the red plant. Ok but what is its name. CHRISTMAS PLANT !!!!
It is in fact called Poinsettia. But who knows that other than Percy Thrower.
My wife also teaches privately in the evening and helps senior school kids who are working for their exams. She will sometimes ask me which is the correct way to say a particular sentence. If I say both are ok she blows a fuse. Or if I ask her to repeat them again because neither of them make any sense. A lot of the english school books they work from are poor.
Nov 22nd 2010, 8:57 pm
#1097
The Original Red Head!
Joined: May 2007
Location: Firenze, Italia
Posts: 4,981
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Antonia's school uses the Longman's range of English books. It was quite a relief as they look like they have been edited by an English speaker....
Nov 23rd 2010, 1:27 am
#1098
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: rome italy
Posts: 257
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
I didn't want to offend anyone I'm from the north myself. I was just thinking how many kids who don't live near Cambridge know what punting is. I phoned up my 13 year old nephew and asked him he started rabbiting on about football
Nov 23rd 2010, 1:58 am
#1099
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: Le Marche
Posts: 946
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Punting is also a way of kicking a rugby ball, and I think the term is used in football as well.
Nov 23rd 2010, 2:42 am
#1100
The Original Red Head!
Joined: May 2007
Location: Firenze, Italia
Posts: 4,981
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
It's just something I knew, but then I'm from a different age to today's 11 year olds, so who knows?? I'll ask my Gt nephew, he's 11 and in Manchester..
Can't you also use it as a betting term, as in "I'll take a punt on it.."?
Nov 23rd 2010, 3:29 am
#1102
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2010
Location: Close to the wine
Posts: 1,522
Nov 24th 2010, 1:45 am
#1103
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: Roma
Posts: 338
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Not sure if this is an Aussie thing but to punting on something can be gambling - like 'I might take a punt on that horse.' And punters are customers - not just for women of the night but pretty much anywhere.
Not sure if those poor Italian kids learnt those meanings though.
Pecora - you should tell your wife that languages constantly evolve and English is a rich tapestry with speakers from all over the world who all speak English 'correctly'.
Not sure if those poor Italian kids learnt those meanings though.
Pecora - you should tell your wife that languages constantly evolve and English is a rich tapestry with speakers from all over the world who all speak English 'correctly'.
Nov 24th 2010, 1:48 am
#1104
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2010
Location: Close to the wine
Posts: 1,522
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Not sure if this is an Aussie thing but to punting on something can be gambling - like 'I might take a punt on that horse.' And punters are customers - not just for women of the night but pretty much anywhere.
Not sure if those poor Italian kids learnt those meanings though.
Pecora - you should tell your wife that languages constantly evolve and English is a rich tapestry with speakers from all over the world who all speak English 'correctly'.
Not sure if those poor Italian kids learnt those meanings though.
Pecora - you should tell your wife that languages constantly evolve and English is a rich tapestry with speakers from all over the world who all speak English 'correctly'.
Honest
Nov 25th 2010, 4:16 am
#1105
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2010
Location: rome italy
Posts: 257
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
"punter" now that has just reminded me of an episode of only fools and horses I saw last year, the really funny thing was it had italian subtitles!!! they were funnier than the episode itself Sky did 2 or 3 episodes and then I think the english teacher who was doing the translating had a nervous breakdown
Sky did 2 or 3 episodes and then I think the english teacher who was doing the translating had a nervous breakdown
Nov 25th 2010, 5:24 am
#1106
MODERATOR
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Province of Vicenza
Posts: 19,049
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
"punter" now that has just reminded me of an episode of only fools and horses I saw last year, the really funny thing was it had italian subtitles!!! they were funnier than the episode itself Sky did 2 or 3 episodes and then I think the english teacher who was doing the translating had a nervous breakdown
Sky did 2 or 3 episodes and then I think the english teacher who was doing the translating had a nervous breakdown"quick the pigs are coming" was translated as : arrivano i maiali
Sometimes you just have to know the slang and not just textbook English.
"Rodney you plonker" is not exactly ..... "Rodney, sei un pagliaccio"
Nov 25th 2010, 6:50 am
#1107
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,678
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Love your avatar Lorna. Spent €65 on chocs for the xmas tree today. At last I won't have to buy a new tree for them. Last yrs survived on our terrace.
At last I won't have to buy a new tree for them. Last yrs survived on our terrace.
Nov 25th 2010, 7:15 am
#1108
MODERATOR
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Province of Vicenza
Posts: 19,049
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
But I had to make it smaller and it obviously lost its animation because now it neither spins nor flashes.
Nov 25th 2010, 6:39 pm
#1109
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2010
Location: Close to the wine
Posts: 1,522
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Nov 25th 2010, 7:35 pm
#1110
MODERATOR
Joined: Apr 2008
Location: Province of Vicenza
Posts: 19,049
Re: Schools, teachers, kids and parents. Education in general.
Honestly. You jinxed me. Hope the Christmas tree lighs do work when I bring them up from the cellar.
