Englisch für alle

[heinzi]

auf Anregung von Hanswurtebrot

[hanswurtebrot]

Oh... thanks so much, Heinzi!  

Anybody here with English as native language? I've been learning since only six years because my first chosen foreign language at school was Latin. I think my English isn't too bad but I still admire people with an excellent pronunciation and a big vocabulary.

I've English as an advanced course at school, my best opportunity to try my language skills was in March and April 2004 when I spent two months in San Francisco and Los Angeles as an exchange student.

[das Glückskind]

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 26 10 2006,15:40)

Anybody here with English as native language?

I don´t think so,  John (?) Sausagebread.  '>  

My English teacher at High school was a native american (and very cute, by the way), and I think he has had a considerable influence on me and my pronounciation, because the first thing I was asked when I spoke English at university was if I had learnt English in the United States.  '>

[Marcus]

Well, maybe Vivian has learned English as native language?

[bockmouth]

Quote: 
(Marcus @ 26 10 2006,17:15)

Well, maybe Vivian has learned English as native language?

No, she has not because she was born in Belgium in the German Language District.

[bockmouth]

Quote: 
(das Glückskind @ 26 10 2006,17:07)

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 26 10 2006,15:40)

Anybody here with English as native language?

I don´t think so,  John (?) Sausagebread.  '>

Lucky Child: The English Translation for the German "Hans" is Jack.

[bockmouth]

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 26 10 2006,15:40)

I've English as an advanced course at school, my best opportunity to try my language skills was in March and April 2004 when I spent two months in San Francisco and Los Angeles as an exchange student.

My goodness, HWB, tell me a place in the world you haven't been there.  

The first time I had been in a foreign country,  I was 15 years old. 1966 in the Netherlands.

[hanswurtebrot]

Quote: 
(bockmouth @ 26 10 2006,17:32)

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 26 10 2006,15:40)

I've English as an advanced course at school, my best opportunity to try my language skills was in March and April 2004 when I spent two months in San Francisco and Los Angeles as an exchange student.

My goodness, HWB, tell me a place in the world you haven't been there.  

Australia, New Zealand, (South) Africa, Asia (except Turkey) ...

[Marcus]

Quote: 
(bockmouth @ 26 10 2006,17:32)

The first time I had been in a foreign country,  I was 15 years old. 1966 in the Netherlands.

I was nine months old. 1982 in Switzerland. ;-)

[hanswurtebrot]

My first time in a foreign country was in summer 1996 (8 years old).
I flew to Fuerteventura with my mother.

[bockmouth]

This fred is fantastic.

I have been in these European countries: The Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, close to the Czechoslowakian Border, Spain, Belgium, Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy and Austria.

If you signify the former GDR as a separate state I can add one more country.

[hanswurtebrot]

Okay, I will list the European countries I've visited:

The Netherlands (1x), Belgium (2x), Luxembourg (countless), Austria (7x), Italy (9x), Vatican (2x), France (2x), Spain (3x), Great Britain (2x), Ireland (2x), Finland (1x), Malta (2x), Bosnia-Herzegowina (1x), Czech Republic (1x) and the European part of Turkey (1x).


Non European countries:
U.S.A. (2x), Mexico (2x), Canada (1x), Ecuador (1x), Israel (1x) and the Asian part of Turkey (1x).


In 1989 I went to the GDR but I don't count this.

[bockmouth]

Blot out because I wrote stupidness first.

[Lunatic]

has anyone of you ever went to Walt Disney World in Orlando?

[Mondkalb]

Quote: 
(bockmouth @ 26 Oct. 2006,17:26)

Quote: 
(das Glückskind @ 26 10 2006,17:07)

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 26 10 2006,15:40)

Anybody here with English as native language?

I don´t think so,  John (?) Sausagebread.  '>

Lucky Child: The English Translation for the German "Hans" is Jack.

But isn't "Jack" a sort of nickname for "John"? Similar to "Dick" and "Richard". At least "Hans" is an abbreviation for names like "Johann" or "Johannes" and the english translation should be "Jonathan" and short "John". I know that it is "Juan" in Spain.

[Eisblume]

Quote: 
(Mondkalb @ 26 10 2006,22:10)

But isn't "Jack" a sort of nickname for "John"? Similar to "Dick" and "Richard". At least "Hans" is an abbreviation for names like "Johann" or "Johannes" and the english translation should be "Jonathan" and short "John". I know that it is "Juan" in Spain.

Yes, Jack is a sort of nickname for John, and Hans is an abbreviation for Johann, but the English version of Johann is John, not Jonathan.

According to Wikipedia (what did we do before they invented themselves?), Jonathan is not a variation of John, but a name in its own right. (See John here). So it should be Jack indeed.

[das Glückskind]

I thought that Jack was an abbreviation for James. At least James was Cutie-the-English-teacher's name, and he was called Jack by his colleagues.

[Ilse]

Quote: 
(Lunatic @ 26 10 2006,20:35)

has anyone of you ever went to Walt Disney World in Orlando?

No, but I am proud to say, that I've been at Graceland (Memphis/Tennesee) and I that Elvis ist really dead......

[bockmouth]

Quote: 
(Eisblume @ 27 10 2006,10:56)

According to Wikipedia (what did we do before they invented themselves

Good question, you 're perfectly right, dear Ice Flower...

[Eisblume]

Quote: 
(das Glückskind @ 27 10 2006,11:43)

I thought that Jack was an abbreviation for James. At least James was Cutie-the-English-teacher's name, and he was called Jack by his colleagues.

It seems to be rather difficult with "Jack", I never thought about James.

But: It's no wonder that your cute teacher was called Jack, because, again according to Wikipedia, James is derived from the same Hebrew name as Jacob. And it's only a small step from James/Jacob to Jack, isn't it?

[hanswurtebrot]

Nice to see that everybody thinks about my nickname...  

By the way: In English advanced course we read Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" at the moment. Not a bad book but the best English novel I've ever read was "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding last year.

Last year I've started to read Harry Potter VI but I've admitted to me that it was too difficult.  '>

[das Glückskind]

Quote: 
(Eisblume @ 27 10 2006,14:31)

But: It's no wonder that your cute teacher was called Jack, because, again according to Wikipedia, James is derived from the same Hebrew name as Jacob. And it's only a small step from James/Jacob to Jack, isn't it?

Yes, it's the logical next step, as Vivian would say.  :'>
Jake works well as an abbrev. of Jacob, too.

So, JohnJack, you don't like"Brave New World" too much? Neither did I.
I think Harry Potter is not that difficult to read, once you're "in it" and caught by its magic. Stay tuned.  '>

[Eisblume]

Your nickname: Right, we will call you Hans, that should settle it...

Harry Potter: Oh, you shouldn't give up on that, maybe you should try again now! It has been a long time since I was forced to read Brave New World, but I could imagine that it is quite difficult as well. At least I can remember that the foreword nearly was enough for me...

[Benevolo]

Quote: 
(hanswurtebrot @ 27 10 2006,14:46)

By the way: In English advanced course we read Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" at the moment. Not a bad book but the best English novel I've ever read was "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding last year.

Oh Thank goodness, Johnny Saussagebread  

You still read this dull literature at school nowadays?
I already red this almost 20 years ago!

Don't they have any idea about reading more current things?

[Benevolo]

Oh sorry Iceflower,

I didn't really notice your posting but I do agree with you!