The english language improvement thread

[Silent26]

Besides from wrong spelling, some people used inappropriate words to shorten their post. For example instead of using "You" they used "U". Understandable but inappropriate in English words. Also, I noticed some people didn't know how to use present tense and past tense and didn't even capitalised "I" for example "Hi im Silent26" which supposedly to be "Hi I'm Silent26". Hehe. English is not my first language but I always do my best when speaking english properly. English is my favorite subject since when I'm just a kid and I always used to be top 1 in my English subjects Though, there are still lot of things to learn and I'm still not that too good in English.

Edited. To avoid wrong spellings. I think we can use "Spelling Auto Correction" feature in our device's keyboards. What do you think OP?

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[tiar4dewie]

Google translate is helpful but sometimes gives different meaning and sometimes makes me laugh to myself. must swap the language back to the right sentence.
The obstacles are mostly passive-speaking English, difficulty remembering vocabulary.

[Cobalt9317]

I do find every comments very helpful and will be willing enough to improve myself more. Maybe that will be up to my own determination regarding my own flaws. Appreciate efforts and suggestions, I will be opened for more knowledge that I could get here in you thread. I will be visiting this thread more often now and will expand my vocabulary too to avoid using words redundantly from now on.

Just sometimes mere knowledge is not enough to explain what you really mean, wisdom played a role in this.

I'll give an example.

*Knowledge
Thought is responsible for every action we do in our life especially if we construct a constructive opinion in this community.
What is your name? you would think for a mili sec and remember your name it was 'thought'

*Wisdom
Emotion is more powerful than thought it is responsible in every decision in our life ultimately it is the main criteria why we like someone/something.

To put a summary about the idea
Jet Cash can talk to us while doing daily routine in life and I admit you need to put a lot of thought if you think about it, but Jet Cash have been doing it for a very long time, so generally speaking if your upbringing doesn't involve English language exposure it would take a lot of time if you just thought about English language all the time.

Maybe O.P can explain a better way how he handle things in his way.

[Jet Cash]

I trnslated this text in Russian, and then translated it back. This is what I got with Google

I reran it, and it looks as if they don't like the use of double quotes. This seems to be a matter of personal preference, and subject to regional variatons. What is important is that the starting and ending quotation marks match, and that quotes within quotes use different pairs.

I repeated this, and it looks like they do not like the use of double quotes. This, apparently, refers to personal preferences and is subject to regional variations. It is important that the initial and final quotes match, and the quotes in quotes use different pairs.

I don't really like the changes, but Google managed a better job than I expected.

Indonesian wasn't quite as good

I reran it, and it seems like they do not like to use double quotes. This seems to be a matter of personal preference, and is subject to regional variata. The important thing is the start and end quotation marks match, and quotes in quotation marks use different pairs.

German also showed some variation.

I repeat, and it looks like they do not like the use of quotes. This seems to be a matter of personal preference and subject to regional differences. It is important that the start and end quotation marks match, and that the quotation marks in quotes use different pairs.

I really don't like the way they have all changed "it looks as if" to "it looks like".

[uelque]

What I understand about google translation is it acts only as a guide to a better understanding. Though sometimes, it doesn't give an intelligible translation, we should not ignore the fact that it gives ideas about the certain language we aren't aware of. That is why if you notice translation campaigns, google translate is strongly prohibited to translate text needed to be translated (as always written in bounties). Not because of the reason "effortless" but the reason "accurate"!

And if google translate can do the job of a translator accurately, then translation campaigns would not exist.

[Silent26]

What I understand about google translation is it acts only as a guide to a better understanding. Though sometimes, it doesn't give an intelligible translation, we should not ignore the fact that it gives ideas about the certain language we aren't aware of. That is why if you notice translation campaigns, google translate is strongly prohibited to translate text needed to be translated (as always written in bounties). Not because of the reason "effortless" but the reason "accurate"!

And if google translate can do the job of a translator accurately, then translation campaigns would not exist.

Yeah, Google Translate is not 100% accurate, sometimes it gives wrong sentences and wrong grammars. Making a constructive English with our own words is much better than using Google translator. We can use Translators but for translating words only or if it's really necessary. Because translating a sentence in a translator didn't give 100% accurate result, except if we construct the result of translator to make it more constructive.

Is it better to study English without depending to any translators, reading dictionaries and English books should do the trick.

[coinlocket$]

Saving this 3D on my list, my main problem with English are verbs, execially when the "ing" is involved!
Like keep playing, keeping play, keeping playing it's a nightmare.
Basically I watch TV series in English with Italian sub, this is the only moment when I can speak/ear English.

[cryptothief]

Good idea. I see the attempts made by some obviously knowledgeable posters and sometimes they can be difficult to understand; one of the problems with the written word as opposed to talking face to face when it is easier to determine what someone is trying to say. If I could speak/write any other language half as well as many non-native English speakers, I would be very happy.

Some tips I would suggest for those trying to improve. This will not help people who will still only post one line, non-informative posts, but hopefully point those who are looking to improve in the right direction. This post is not in any way intended to be condescending, just to (hopefully) improve the overall standards of posting in a second language.

1. Don't try and explain something in English that you can't already explain clearly in your own language.
2. If you are using technical phrases, look them up on a few language translation sites to check that they give the same answer.
3. If you are using google translate, check it backwards, i.e. put in your English language sentence and see if it makes sense when translated to your native language.
4. Don't run before you can walk. Longer posts can be more difficult to follow in general, and even worse, people will stop reading after the first sentence if they struggle to understand what you are trying to say.
5. Read lots, anywhere and everywhere, but especially on topics here which you are interested in or feel you can contribute. That way you will learn from the phrases used (without copy pasting) and quickly pick up how to format sentences and longer paragraphs in your chosen subject matter.
6. Don't post for the sake of it. If you are interested in a thread, but don't feel you can contribute just yet, put it on your watchlist and keep track that way.
7. If you are not confident posting on a thread, try practising elsewhere using a subject matter you are comfortable with. Writing about anything in English will improve your overall understanding of the way phrasing and sentence structure works. It won't be long before you improve.

Hope some of these pointers will help. All the best.

On another note, I am trying to learn Tagalog. Wish me luck.

[gawer33]

We have a lot of potentially valuable members who are receiving negative comments because English isn't their first language. I thought that, rather than calling them names and penalizing them, it would be better if we could provide some advice to help them improve their English posting. I've started this thread to see if I, and some other members who have English as their first language, can provide this help.

This thread is self-moderating, and I will have to make a few rules to ensure that it remains useful.

- All posts must be about Bitcoin, Bitcoin price movements, and its place in the world economy.
- Posts about altcoins, bounties and other topics so beloved of the sig spammers will be deleted.
- Please don't give advice about the structure and content of a post if English isn't your first language.
- This thread is text only, so no fancy formatting or embedded graphics, please.

Obviously, your command of English isn't a barrier to posting in this thread, but please do the best you can to help us to understand the content of your post.

So let's go for it - post a comment, or ask a question

-fixed by Grammarly

I'm using "Grammarly for Firefox" as an addon not only it does correct spelling but some grammar like tenses, prepositions, and others. hope this will help someone who had bad English like me.

if you see I edited this reply thanks to Grammarly

[Rkoshay]

You're vs. your.

Lots of words in English are homonyms

 (hom·o·nym)
ˈhäməˌnim,ˈhōməˌnim/
noun
noun: homonym; plural noun: homonyms

    each of two or more words having the same spelling but different meanings and origins (e.g., pole1 and pole2); a homograph.
        each of two words having the same pronunciation but different meanings, origins, or spelling (e.g., to, too, and two); a homophone.

I'm sure this can drive someone crazy who is trying to learn English.  Some words will have several or more meanings.

For this short message I'll go over the difference between your and you're.  When someone uses the word 'your' they are denoting ownership.  For example, 'That donut is not my donut, it is your donut, or it's (a contraction of it and is) your donut.  One could also say, 'That's not my donut, it's yours.'

When one sees you're they're (they are) seeing  a contraction of the words you and are.  For example, 'You're going to get your nose punched if you eat my donut.'  Misspelling these two words is very common, even with native speakers but is pretty easy to remember.  All one has to do is keep in mind if you're (you are) addressing someone's item or something that belongs to them use your, and if you are using the shortened way of saying 'you are' then one uses the apostraphe (') to show that the word has been made into a contraction.

Hope that helps, it's funny how hard it is to try to explain something that is such a part of one, it reminds me of when I took my first computer class and the teacher couldn't (contraction of could and not) explain things as basically as he needed to, he'd (contraction of he and had)  been immersed in the subject so long that what seemed absolutely basic to him wasn't basic at all.

[Jet Cash]

Actually "to" and "too" are not really homophones. It is bad enunciation that makes them so, as "too" should be slightly longer when spoken. Correct enunciation of the word "colour" will include the "u", although it may be difficult to detect.

The word "donut" is an unfortunate Americanism, and such diminution makes it harder to realise the origin and meaning of words. A "doughnut" is a small cake made by frying a lump of sweetened dough.

[t4syarosmala]

Soory, I'm not someone who mastered English well. And I need to learn more.
But I was curious, Maybe the answer could be different from every region or country.
Are there some specific vocabulary that differentiates when we are confronted in different situations? Such as when speaking in an official situation such as this forum and when speaking in a relaxed time.
And please correct me also the compilation of this word.  . Thanks

[mustafizur8400]

Soory, I'm not someone who mastered English well. And I need to learn more.
But I was curious, Maybe the answer could be different from every region or country.
Are there some specific vocabulary that differentiates when we are confronted in different situations? Such as when speaking in an official situation such as this forum and when speaking in a relaxed time.
And please correct me also the compilation of this word.  . Thanks

This is a good thread Sir jet Cash, I'm pretty sure that many users out there (including me) will learn here some of the tips on effective English speaking/writing.

Though English is not my mother tongue, I can confidently say that I'm not too bad but not also too good in this, maybe just between the middle. Honestly, English language serves as a form of communication barrier for me before simply because that's a foreign language — a language that I'm not well familiar with. But with my eagerness to learn, I study hard and push myself to adapt. Here are some of my tips for improving your English communication skills.

1. Be a bookworm. Always read any kind of literature using English language whether it is  a simple pamplet or a novel because it will develop your vocabulary.

2. Watch English movies frequently. Doing this will improve your comprehension skills and will enhance the way you pronounce by mimicking the dialogue of the actor/actress.

3. Always write. Don't push yourself to write a series of paragraphs at first, just start in simple thoughts and try to express it in a sentence. Then if you think you become better, try now constructing paragraphs or short stories. Doing these will enhance your technical writing skills, grammar and even your style of writing.

I hope my tips help you a lot.

I think the first initiative to learn English is to understand and memorise the structure of sentences with tense. Then learn  at least 200 action wards used in our daily life. I hope you will be able to use thousands of sentences with this .

[Jet Cash]

I think that the Internet has changed communications a lot. We have also had a run of Unicorn politicians who have been sucking money away from the middle classes, and many of the richer families who were not part of the elite. We used to have quite a complex social structure in England. For example, you could insult someone by asking them if they were reading for a PhD - the implication being that they were not suitable for Oxford or Cambridge, where it is called a D Phil. I think a lot of that has changed, and quite a few people seem to feel guilt about their backgrounds. The removal of grammar schools also polarised education in England, and disadvantaged many of the poorer people. It also reduced the number of engineering and science students.

You really have to have been brought up in England to understand all of the subtle nuances that form a part of social interaction here. You don't need that for fluid communication in the forum, but sometimes comments seem to slip into posts, and may not make sense to some readers.

btw. The Unicorn is a rather nasty creature that was created by man to lead free spirited wild horses into captivity. It isn't some fairy my little pony spraying magic dust over everything.

[PageDown]

I think if you see posts does that not have a good grammar. Just ignore it rather than insult it. And as for those who say that they should just be helped. I think they have to find their own way to learn english better. Like reading english books while having a dictionary and watching english movies with their language subtitles. Ain't that helpful?

[Rkoshay]

Actually "to" and "too" are not really homophones. It is bad enunciation that makes them so, as "too" should be slightly longer when spoken. Correct enunciation of the word "colour" will include the "u", although it may be difficult to detect.

The word "donut" is an unfortunate Americanism, and such diminution makes it harder to realise the origin and meaning of words. A "doughnut" is a small cake made by frying a lump of sweetened dough.

While that may be true in Great Britian I can assure you that here in the states to, too, and two all sound identical when used in conversation.

Regarding the above mentioned words, two of course is the pronunciation of the letter 2.  Too is used to indicate an excess such as 'I had too much to eat last night' or 'I was driving too fast and almost crashed!'

To is a bit more difficult to easily outline so I'll go to the dictionary for some help with its definition.

to
to͞o,tə/
preposition
preposition: to

    1.
    expressing motion in the direction of (a particular location).
    "walking down to the mall"
        expressing location, typically in relation to a specified point of reference.
        "forty miles to the south of the site"
        expressing a point reached at the end of a range or after a period of time.
        "a drop in profits from $105 million to around $75 million"
        (in telling the time) before (the hour specified).
        "it's five to ten"
        approaching or reaching (a particular condition).
        "Christopher's expression changed from amazement to joy"
        expressing the result of a process or action.
        "smashed to smithereens"
    2.
    identifying the person or thing affected.
    "you were terribly unkind to her"
        identifying the recipient or intended recipient of something.
        "he wrote a heart-rending letter to the parents"
    3.
    identifying a particular relationship between one person and another.
    "he is married to Jan's cousin"
        in various phrases indicating how something is related to something else (often followed by a noun without a determiner).
        "made to order"
        indicating a rate of return on something, e.g., the distance traveled in exchange for fuel used, or an exchange rate that can be obtained in one currency for another.
        "it only does ten miles to the gallon"
        Mathematics
        indicating the power (exponent) to which a number is raised.
        "ten to the minus thirty-three"
    4.
    indicating that two things are attached.
    "he had left his bike chained to a fence"
    5.
    concerning or likely to concern (something, especially something abstract).
    "a threat to world peace"
    6.
    governing a phrase expressing someone's reaction to something.
    "to her astonishment, he smiled"
    7.
    used to introduce the second element in a comparison.
    "it's nothing to what it once was"

infinitive marker
to: to

    1.
    used with the base form of a verb to indicate that the verb is in the infinitive, in particular.
        expressing purpose or intention.
        "I set out to buy food"
        expressing an outcome, result, or consequence.
        "he was left to die"
        expressing a cause.
        "I'm sorry to hear that"
        indicating a desired or advisable action.
        "I'd love to go to France this summer"
        indicating a proposition that is known, believed, or reported about a specified person or thing.
        "a house that people believed to be haunted"
        forming a future tense with reference to the immediate future.
        "he was about to sing"
        after a noun, indicating its function or purpose.
        "a chair to sit on"
        after a phrase containing an ordinal number.
        "the first person to arrive"
    2.
    used without a verb following when the missing verb is clearly understood.
    "he asked her to come but she said she didn't want to"

Regarding the use of 'Americanisms' as I'm an American that is only to be expected.  Our country is famous for integrating words from the entire world and Americanizing them.  With our huge melting pot of millions of people from every conceivable part of the planet living here and becoming part of the American dream it's only natural that we absorb, digest, and I guess in your opinion, mutilate many words. So be it, we're basically the Borg of the written and spoken word.  Of course we owe our written and spoken heritage to the Anglo Saxon roots of our culture, nourished in the mother country which many of us still hold close to our hearts.

P.S.  In the United States we don't write colour, we write color and pronounce it just as it's written, that's the case with many words that in English English end in our, usually not the case here.

[Jet Cash]

I suppose that my point really is that modifications and subset restrictions around the world make the learning and spelling of English harder. The sibilant "ass" derived I assume from "arse" can cause confusion if a person thinks of an ass as a fool or donkey like animal. There are many variations of English from Ugandan to the French based Canadian, and many of them are found on the internet. It is unfortunate that English is losing some of its richness and subtlety as American becomes ubiquitous.

[kubilay96]

Just for the record,to all readers:
If your english isn't that good, but your main language is Turkish or German, I would love to help you with a translation, for free of course !
So as long as you dont have a whole whitepaper to get translated I offer you my help !

Btw, to the thread moderator: very good idea !

[SiakapKeli]

Google Translate is helpful to non-native speakers of a language, but it is not helpful to the native speakers. Please don't use Google Translate to post.

I honestly don't think it's wrong to use the help of Google Translate to post as long as that person understand basic English.  I think most non-native speakers understand when they're reading English, but they may have a hard time trying to put their thoughts in English.  So they could actually start to write in their native language, then use Google translate, and then go back and fix some of the errors.

[Rkoshay]

I think the most important thing for anyone to do who wants to get better at using English is to listen to it as much as possible, try to use it whenever possible and don't worry (too much) about making errors, just try to learn from them.  For learning how to get better at writing it, take classes and/or read as much material in English.  It's amazing how much information will go into your sub conscious by doing that, almost like osmosis in a way.

Also take advantage of all the software that is available to help, try to find someone who's better at English than you to go over what you're doing wrong.