Only English :)

[michal_ssj]

Well... The issue how good can a non-native speaker get in the area of pronounciation is a bit controversial. Generaly s/he can never reach exactly the same quality but acquireing a near-native pronounciation is not impossible.

Actually I'm having CPE classes. There are some people much better than me in the group and none of them speaks like a native speaker. This is possible to achieve only for those who have lived abroad for a couple of years. For example check on youtube for Artur Boruc giving an interview in English. I love his Scotish accent.

Another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration is the pronounciation itself... As there are hundreds of them - the two main standards being thought are RP ( Received Pronouncation - British ) and General American. The problem is that both are artificial creations and native speakers basicly do not use them. If RP is used it is used by the Royal Family or TV presenters. Great Britain is very rich in accents and getting only native speakers would end up in everyone speaking some different accents. It may be easier for a good Polish speaker of English to learn proper RP than for i.e. a bloke from Manchester.

As it often happens - things depend of preferences and personal opinions.

Well, I think American English is nowadays the most popular (thanks to all those American movies) and that's why it should be taught at schools instead of Queen's English which is used only in small parts of Britain.

[Qbuś]

Actually I'm having CPE classes. There are some people much better than me in the group and none of them speaks like a native speaker. This is possible to achieve only for those who have lived abroad for a couple of years. For example check on youtube for Artur Boruc giving an interview in English. I love his Scotish accent.

Actually, I am ( have been for 4 years now ) a student of English philology. And I know that a year of classes concentrated on practical phonology can be a real treat for ones pronounciation. The reason why people who study English for a long time do not have a good accent is that they never concentrate on it. It is only studied 'on the side'. Practical phonology on the university is a two year course - one year is segmental phonology ( learing how to pronounce each and every vowel, consonant and dipthongs ) and the second is rhytm. Not every one will have a perfect accent after this but 90% of the poeple have a very good or good one. Of course, spending time abroad helps very much and is a natural way of learning but pronounciation can be tought.

Well, I think American English is nowadays the most popular (thanks to all those American movies) and that's why it should be taught at schools instead of Queen's English which is used only in small parts of Britain.

My personal esthetical feeling point towards RP but I must admit that AmE is more widespread. I do not know enough about AmE to say whether poeple in movies speak the correct version of it but it certainly is some version of the american accent. One thing that is better about RP is that ( at least that's what I heard ) it is not so hard to switch from RP to AmE but the other way round is much harder.

[michal_ssj]

Actually, I am ( have been for 4 years now ) a student of English philology. And I know that a year of classes concentrated on practical phonology can be a real treat for ones pronounciation. The reason why people who study English for a long time do not have a good accent is that they never concentrate on it. It is only studied 'on the side'. Practical phonology on the university is a two year course - one year is segmental phonology ( learing how to pronounce each and every vowel, consonant and dipthongs ) and the second is rhytm. Not every one will have a perfect accent after this but 90% of the poeple have a very good or good one. Of course, spending time abroad helps very much and is a natural way of learning but pronounciation can be tought.

If you say so... But the fact is that most of teachers have problems with their pronounciation, isn't it? You say that they just don't pay enough attention to that but this would be a little to simple explanation. Look, my current teacher (at highschool) does anything she can to sound British. It's really important to her, unfortunately she is still having strong Polish accent. Her tryings make her even sound silly because everyone realises how unnatural she is. If somebody speaks Polish for 99,9% of his life, he gets used to it so much that he simply CAN'T avoid Polish accent. Such a person shouldn't teach oders how to speak, that should be natives' job.

[Adie13]

Yea,yea. The fact is that the most of our Polish teachers have problems with pronounciation. I agree with this. But you can't cross out a teacher whose accent is not soo great as a natives'. There is small tolerance for each other.

I prefer UK English cause is much more tidy (especially London stress - i like it ). Sometimes US English feels a bit grubby.

But I have to say - what anything would you do, you are not able to leave in 100% your usuall Polish accent. We have to get over this...

[Behemot]

Hello all.

I have a problem. A big one. Is there anybody who can write here what they tell in 00:00 to 00:41?

I really need it. You must rewrite here that, what they're tell because my listening skills aren't good enough.

Thanks from the mountain! [joke ofc!]

[MarkV]

It wasn`t a great challenge for me but it was a nice excercise

Here is the text you asked for (if it is still needed anyway):

"[Narrator] - In the 1980s a group of impressionable young men watched too much television. Today they survive as defenders of that forgotten era. If something or someone from the 80s is in jeopardy and if you can find them maybe you can hire... The Chain Gang.

oy - This is terrible. With the 80s held hostage on history my only hope is to find The Chain Gang.

[M]an - The Chain Gang... I hear they`re terrific.Will there be anything else sir?

- Not unless you can help me find The Chain Gang.

[M] - You`re in luck and you`ve just found them."

[Asasyn]

What the [beeep] men?

[[Ekspert] Mormegil]

kwak - i'd say this means quake, probably said by Polish.

Another word close in writing, is quark (kwark in Polish), but i don't think you could have find this word, if you are not really interested in quantum physics.

Hope it proves useful.

[Mega_Gamer]

Yeah, but what is main topic of this thread? It looks like he is about everything! But "Only English" means only we have to talk in English... but about what? But this is good topic, Polish and English are the BEST!

But i want to teach myself Japan language... BUT THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!

[Felix]

Well, generally there is no main topic here.

People talk here about everything I guess.

Hmm, maybe not about hot chicks. Too bad :roll: That should be changed...

However... Japanese could be good choice I'm not a pundit, and I can only surmise, but being "Japanese - Polish - English" translator can provide loads of money.

[Qbuś]

No topic is a good topic. We can always tack about the lack of topic, the nontopicness can be quite interesting. Why do you think is there no topic? Is no topic better than a bad topic? Who is responsible for this berefment? How do you feel about it? Do you want to talk about it?

[wormer]

No topic is a good topic. We can always tack about the lack of topic, the nontopicness can be quite interesting. Why do you think is there no topic? Is no topic better than a bad topic? Who is responsible for this berefment? How do you feel about it? Do you want to talk about it?

Yes we should talk about it. I would say that the nontopicness is not natural, I think that some people are behind it, they, for some unknown reason, want this thread to have no topic.

[Qbuś]

Yes we should talk about it. I would say that the nontopicness is not natural, I think that some people are behind it, they, for some unknown reason, want this thread to have no topic.

I will start with the pleasant stuff - correcting one mistake 'Behind' has only a literal meaning in this context and cannot be used as the polish 'być za czymś - popierać'. Here it has only a physical meaning and I cannot imagine standing behind a topic xD

Why is it unnatural? Does every single one of your conversations have a clear-cut topic?

[wormer]

I will start with the pleasant stuff - correcting one mistake 'Behind' has only a literal meaning in this context and cannot be used as the polish 'być za czymś - popierać'. Here it has only a physical meaning and I cannot imagine standing behind a topic xD

I'm not sure, but I think I heard some time ago sentence "he was behind this"(not in phisical meaning) in some film. But, as I sad, I'm not sure.

Why is it unnatural? Does every single one of your conversations have a clear-cut topic?

Of course not, but in online forums almoust every thread have its topic, so I think that some IVUL people need this one, and some other threads, to have no toipc :twisted: .

[[Ekspert] Mormegil]

I will start with the pleasant stuff - correcting one mistake 'Behind' has only a literal meaning in this context and cannot be used as the polish 'być za czymś - popierać'. Here it has only a physical meaning and I cannot imagine standing behind a topic xD

"be behind something" is mistake you say, so you should say why saying it is making a mistake

I guess it should be "lie behind something", but i'm not sure.

Lack of topic is very flexible, but makes topic not growing fast.

[doopek]

Yes we should talk about it. I would say that the nontopicness is not natural, I think that some people are behind it, they, for some unknown reason, want this thread to have no topic.

I will start with the pleasant stuff - correcting one mistake 'Behind' has only a literal meaning in this context and cannot be used as the polish 'być za czymś - popierać'. Here it has only a physical meaning and I cannot imagine standing behind a topic xD

Why is it unnatural? Does every single one of your conversations have a clear-cut topic?

As far as i am concerned, i am inclined to disagree with you due to the fact that behind has methaporical meaning as well.

However, in wormer's sentence behind meaning is not crystlal clear for me. To may way of thinking it means 'not involved or 'not engaged', but if i am wrong please correct me. To the best of my knowladge the word behind can be used to decribe in more methaporical way. Generally speaking, you can use behind to say that somethig is behind the reasons. For instance: the better understanding of the unemployment and the reasons behind it allows people to decrease unhappiness feeling in the society. I do hope that my remarks turn out to be useful. All in all, do not hesitate to correct me owing to the fact that it seems to be of major importance to keep language skills in appropriate shape.

[Qbuś]

There's something strange in the words you used... Who you gonna call? Wordbusters... Erm... I mean the dictionary I admit to my mistake - I relied to much on my (faulty as it came out) knowledge when I should have consulted the allmighty dictionary Shame on me. I hope this will enlighten us all:

behind

n infml siedzenie n, pupa f infml

adv

1. (to the rear, following) [follow] z tyłu; [trail] w tyle; [glance] do tyłu, w tył; to be far behind być daleko w tyle or z tyłu; I was attacked from behind zaatakowano mnie od tyłu; keep an eye on the car behind obserwuj samochód za nami

2. (in race, competition) w tyle; England were two goals behind Anglia przegrywała dwiema bramkami; they came from behind to win 3-2 odrobili straty i wygrali 3:2; the Republicans are behind in the polls republikanie zajmują niską pozycję w sondażach

3. (in arrears) to be behind with sth zalegać z czymś [payments]; mieć zaległości w czymś [work]; we're six months behind with the rent zalegamy z czynszem za sześć miesięcy; to be behind in one's research opóźniać się z badaniami

4. (in time) New York is five hours behind w Nowym Jorku jest pięć godzin wcześniej

prep

1. (at rear of, at other side of) za (kimś/czymś); behind Adam/our car za Adamem/naszym samochodem; the mountains behind the town góry za miastem; behind the desk/the counter za biurkiem/ladą; to work behind the bar być barmanem/barmanką; he crossed the line ten seconds behind the winner przekroczył linię mety w dziesięć sekund za zwycięzcą; she ran out from behind a tree wybiegła zza drzewa; behind sb's back za plecami kogoś also fig

2. (less advanced than) za (kimś/czymś); she's well behind the rest of the class jest daleko w tyle za resztą klasy; we're ten years behind the Japanese in microelectronics w mikroelektronice jesteśmy dziesięć lat w tyle w stosunku do Japończyków

3. (responsible for) to be behind sth stać za czymś; I know who's behind all this wiem, kto za tym wszystkim stoi

4. (hidden) to be behind sth kryć się za czymś; the reality behind the facade rzeczywistość ukryta za fasadą; the real story behind the news prawdziwe fakty, których nie ujawniono

5. (motivating) the motives behind your decision motywy twojej decyzji; who is behind this proposal? kto wystąpił z tą propozycją?; what's behind this sudden change of plan? co się kryje za tą nagłą zmianą planu?; the idea behind it is to mobilize the community chodzi o to, żeby zmobilizować społeczeństwo

6. (in support of) za (kimś/czymś); to be (solidly) behind sb stać za kimś (murem); I'm behind you all the way popieram cię w całej rozciągłości

7. (in past) za (sobą); he has three years' experience behind him ma za sobą trzyletnie doświadczenie; all that is behind me now mam to już wszystko za sobą; I've put all that behind me now zostawiłem już to wszystko za sobą;

(Źródło: Wielki Słownik PWN-OXFORD)

As we can see behind has plenty of non-literal meanings. And although I think that behind in the support meaning is used rather rarely and mainly with respect to people, it is not wrong. So I apologise for my earlier mistake.

[[Ekspert] j3drz3j]

Hmm I thought that it may be nice to learn english by watching something hilarious, and here I have funny review from Screw Attack http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31945.html I can do nothing more than reccomend it Just check. If you want something really awesome you should watch Monthy Pyton in original, masterpiece in each possible way.

[Rankin]

If you want something really awesome you should watch Monthy Pyton in original, masterpiece in each possible way.

It's a shame that the Circus series degrade in quality after around Season Two. But still and none-the-less... Arthur "Two Shacks" Jackson. Interesting people. The immortal parrot sketch and the equally great lumberjack song. Inspector Tiger ("take the pill, tiger") and other great sketches... Yeah, and Cleese is made of pure unadulterated awesomeness.

[edit]

Oh yeah, and Biggles. How could I forget about Biggles? D:

[Gość Dark Knight]

Cleese..isn't it that guy in a bank commercial ? "My aunt's from Pcin!" ? Hehe, nice guy. I know him from "James Bond" movies.

[Rankin]

Yup, that's him alright, although I was completely surprised to see him in one of the Bond movies that was recently on the telly.

[Mikael Grizzly]

On the topic of Monty Python... Army Protection Racket has to be one of the most hilarious shorts the group has ever created, and reading comments on YouTube that accompany it only adds to the overall hilarity. In short, several pro-War Americans make idiots of themselves. As usual

[Rankin]

Another good, if extreme, way to polish your language skills would be to watch Zero Punctuation. The vids are quite hilarious (the Witcher!) and well done. A word of warning though: Yahtzee most of the time speaks very fast, making it difficult to catch on.

[WNxGin]

Yahtzee's lost his freshness quick enough though. Look at his later reviews. For instance FEAR Perseus Mandate, you'll notice that the general level of humour seems to be heading downhill at a quite an impressive, not in a postive way, rate. It was fun while it lasted. And there's only so much of pommy sense of humour one can take before it gets old.

[Rankin]

Yahtzee's lost his freshness quick enough though. Look at his later reviews. For instance FEAR Perseus Mandate, you'll notice that the general level of humour seems to be heading downhill at a quite an impressive, not in a postive way, rate. It was fun while it lasted. And there's only so much of pommy sense of humour one can take before it gets old.

He simply has his ups and downs, like everyone does (well, maybe except EGM ). The quality began to rise back up around The Witcher and yesterday's Brawl was okay IM(ns)HO...