English 2014

True.
But I believe the "thinking" of Vietnamese parents who send their kids to school with "only native teacher" is quite a bit narrow minded.
I know a lot of foreigners here who aren't native English speakers but perfectly speaks English (including me).  Just learn with a foreigner or a Vietnamese who lived abroad for a long time to practice English:)

Missmae - Actually I was stating my view in response to a person who wanted to help Vietnamese learn English when it was obvious he didn't have a good grasp of English himself, sort of the blind leading the blind. I have good friends who are Vietnamese English teachers and they often ask me to help them with pronunciation and sometimes attend their classes. We communicate well and we always have good conversations which could be interpreted as fluency but fluency is much more than superficial conversation. The best Vietnamese English speakers are those who have spent time in America or have a great deal of interaction with native speakers. Your English is good but could use a bit of work here and there. The really good speakers of any language are those knowing multiple synonyms, tons of slang and a plethora of idioms.

I do believe wrote:

Missmae - Actually I was stating my view in response to a person who wanted to help Vietnamese learn English when it was obvious he didn't have a good grasp of English himself, sort of the blind leading the blind. I have good friends who are Vietnamese English teachers and they often ask me to help them with pronunciation and sometimes attend their classes. We communicate well and we always have good conversations which could be interpreted as fluency but fluency is much more than superficial conversation. The best Vietnamese English speakers are those who have spent time in America or have a great deal of interaction with native speakers. Your English is good but could use a bit of work here and there. The really good speakers of any language are those knowing multiple synonyms, tons of slang and a plethora of idioms.

Ahh sorry I missed the topic. Yeah I know some Locals speaking imperfect English since well they never learned to speak proper English. My writing and grammar is actually very decent. I speak English better than I write hahahaha cause I type faster than I could think (always have to edit).I spend my whole youth in America, Canada and England and graduated in English and Spanish:)

If Local English teacher (like my auntie) wants to teach speaking they should have spend time abroad. It's the only way to learn it.

But there are some exceptions. My cousins teacher speaks such a great American English. Its really really good.

However I got your point but I think nowadays Vietnamese realised this. That's why the Teaching English sector is so demanded:)

Why would you put a Native English Speaker from England in last position? Wouldn't that be wrong as I see it the list you gave should just be reversed - England, Australia, Canada, and America. This is because Native English Speakers are from England.
Sorry to upset the apple cart, but everything else is Australian English, Canadian English, and American English.
Now that is straight forward.

In general terms, Australian English and England English are much the same. In general terms American English and Canadian English are much the same. It could be said that the English invented English even though English is made up of several languages. The problem with Aussie and England English is they have not changed to keep up with the times and have odd vocabulary. American English is constantly evolving and is spoken by about 400,000,000 people in two countries in North America.  With the North American continent being the largest economic as well as physical Englsih speaking block, it would be only sensible to speak their English if you are learning English. Perhaps because both England and Australia are islands their languages deviate from the current norm, not improving to the world English norm of American English. In Vietnam most students and companies want to learn American English for social and corporate reasons. To be frank, any country that drives on the left side of the road must do some serious self evaluation.

@I DO BELIEVE , May i ask what relevance as to which side of the road one drives on ,has to do with the English language .Additionally , having lived in the US for 7 years , apart from spelling of particular words and the ODD different meaning such as [ Fanny] , i really can see no difference whatsoever which would encourage the Viets to want to learn "American English " as opposed to "Australian English "
Sure , Australia has much slang , but in the classroom , slang is not taught

Another yank telling us that the USA is superior.

I am glad WE ALL respectfully still call it ENGLiSH. American English is the DECENDANT of English spoken by Paddy... (Irish! those blokes who are the subject of many English jokes)
Americans have also invented new words mainly because they didn't know the CORRECT word or grammar.
There is a world of difference bewtween learnT and learnED!
(knelT, spelT, who, which where and that)
Two wrongs don't make a right!

@coilinoscapee , well said . It is little wonder that our American friends ,have that worldwide reputation

colinoscapee wrote:

Another yank telling us that the USA is superior.

@coilinoscapee , well said . It is little wonder that our American friends ,have that worldwide reputation

Really laughing at this, the guys from Canada....

Its only one bloke, so why is it guys. Yank,Canadian same same as Australian and New Zealand.



England and America are two countries separated by a common language.

George Bernard Shaw

Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)

Hey , dont put Kiwis in the same category as Aussies , what an insult . Ha Ha ha

colinoscapee wrote:

Yank,Canadian same same as Australian and New Zealand.

Reminds me the time I got shouted at because "you guys started the world war II", for which I answered it was the Japanese (not to mention it was so long time ago). The reply I got was "you chinks all look the same"  .

@Anatta , unfortunately to the ill informed and less travelled , you do !

Wow! Hellno - you have put an astounding amount of incorrect information and words into a short note: When I meet you on Sunday, be patient and I will help you with your English and try to give you a different slant. Of course you can tell me where to go as many have already.

Happy8888 - In my classroom I teach slang and idioms. Without slang you CAN'T be fluent in English. I was just joking about driving on the left; every time I go to Aussie or the UK it takes a couple of days of frustration to get used to driving on the opposite side of the road.  My ex-wife (now a friend) was from Birmingham in England and I spent a few years there; previously I spent 2 years in Australia as well as time in South Africa and Rhodesia. Of course being born and raised five minutes from the US border and cutting my drinking teeth in the US, I have experience in all the English speaking world's cultures. When I advertise my services, I tell my clients that I will teach English English or American English (sometimes I teach Strine) as I am tri-lingual. In fact I love all the aforementioned countries, but Vietnam has my heart.

@Budman - you are so astute - you must be an over the hill guy. Wilde and Shaw are both credited as saying, "Youth is wasted on the young"

hELLnoi wrote:

There is a world of difference bewtween learnT and learnED!
Two wrongs don't make a right!

If I remember correctly both ways are correct.

Budman1 wrote:

colinoscapee wrote:

Another yank telling us that the USA is superior.

@coilinoscapee , well said . It is little wonder that our American friends ,have that worldwide reputation

Really laughing at this, the guys from Canada....

Took me a minute but I got it! 

That is not really true. It is true that the Americans use the word "learned" over "learnt" and vice versa for the Brits, but both are original English (as in as in Brit English and not American English) words. I am of course assuming that you mean "learned" as one of the tenses of the verb "to learn" and not as the independent word "learned i.e. lear-ned" which means knowledgeable (e.g. learned friend or learned professor).

If you are talking about tenses, "Learned" is the past tense of "Learn", while "Learnt" is the past participle of the same word i.e. "Learn". More often than not (and increasingly so), they can be used interchangeably.  Strictly speaking though, there are situations in which the past tense is grammartically appropriate and those in which the past participle is correct.  For example, it is more correct to say "I have learnt my lesson" and not "I have learned my lesson". This is an example of a situation in which the past participle (learnt) has followed the present perfect tense (have). If you just want to use the past tense in this situation, it is better to say "I learned my lesson" (though you may also say "I learnt my lesson"wink. Confusing I know, but don't even get me started on the issues that this complicated language throws up.

http://www.nairaland.com/172787/what-di … nt-learned

Odd Vocabulary please give me a break. You speak American, and expect the rest of the world to do the same. It's not a matter of changing, and keeping up with 'Americans' if you wish to talk the way you do I don't care, but please don't tell me I'm not a native speaker, and put me in last place . When you talk about 'Native English Speakers' they come from the Country of Origin ENGLAND. As you come from America that makes you a 'Native American Speaker', or are they the Indians, so what doe's that make you then?????
Oh by the way I am from Manchester England ( Native ).

These are alternative forms of the past tense and past participle of the verb learn. ‘Learnt' is more common in British English, and ‘learned' in American English. There are a number of verbs of this type (burn, dream, kneel, lean, leap, spell, spill, spoil etc.). They are all irregular verbs, and this is a part of their irregularity.

bluecheer wrote:

Odd Vocabulary please give me a break. You speak American, and expect the rest of the world to do the same.

Actually he speaks Canadian, eh! Seriously though, for the vast majority of english learners the type of english they learn whether it be American, Australian, British, Canadian, or New Zealand is irrelevant.

Do you know what 'parmyd' you both sound the same eh!

bluecheer wrote:

Do you know what 'parmyd' you both sound the same eh!

I am sure we all look alike too!

really?
two eyes, a nose and a mouth!
WoW!

Parmyd wrote:

bluecheer wrote:

Do you know what 'parmyd' you both sound the same eh!

I am sure we all look alike too!

Sound the same is not 'looking the same'. If you listen to the words you can hear the difference.
Maybe you need some Lessons I can help you with that.

Such rates of failure is appalling ---such statistics should be the biggest reason and provide impetus for all serious learners to take heed and spend little more money for authentic English teachers ---and native speakers

I totally disagree Bruv...Go on say "Aluminium".

American English just pulls away from Natural English. almost, the point is a set of rules like anything I suppose. Would one want to sound like George Bush?

But anyway, if you like a Brit over there teaching fashionable uses of English, I be well happy too.




"Re: English 2014

In general terms, Australian English and England English are much the same. In general terms American English and Canadian English are much the same. It could be said that the English invented English even though English is made up of several languages. The problem with Aussie and England English is they have not changed to keep up with the times and have odd vocabulary. American English is constantly evolving and is spoken by about 400,000,000 people in two countries in North America.  With the North American continent being the largest economic as well as physical Englsih speaking block, it would be only sensible to speak their English if you are learning English. Perhaps because both England and Australia are islands their languages deviate from the current norm, not improving to the world English norm of American English. In Vietnam most students and companies want to learn American English for social and corporate reasons. To be frank, any country that drives on the left side of the road must do some serious self evaluation."

I'm a yankee doodle dandy !! ha ha.

Lets all tork Ermeriken and spell badly-Then we will be good and nice.
I actually interviewed a wannabee teacher once who told me he had come to Vietnam to "learn the slopes Ermeriken". His application did not proceed past that point, and I believe he got a job with an "also-ran" mill.

In Singapore you see "irrespective" on instructional street signs.  I don't think one American in forty knows that word.  I dare refudiation.

"Learn the slopes Ermerican."  *shudder*

I do believe wrote:

To be frank, any country that drives on the left side of the road must do some serious self evaluation.

This whole thread has me cracking up how it derailed.

To get back to the original topic, that statistic seems accurate. I was attending a party out in the Vung Tau country and met an "English teacher", poor girl had no conversational English. I think that's what Viets truly lack.

I would recommend finding a native speaker who has excellent grammar and who is enthusiastic about teaching English.  All three qualities are important.

Bloody sheep shagger .

Mr high & mighty no it all yank. Did you just work this out?

CanThoCurmudgeon wrote:

In Singapore you see "irrespective" on instructional street signs.  I don't think one American in forty knows that word.  I dare refudiation.

"Learn the slopes Ermerican."  *shudder*

Chris, yes we all know it is you, we typical use the words disregard or regardless in American English. There are plenty of english words that are commonly used in one English speaking country and not another. That doesn't make any particular country's English anymore or anyless correct than the others.Nor for that matter does it make them any less intelligent.  For the vast majority of English learners in Vietnam the type of English they learn really doesn't matter unless they have a particluar need to learn a specific one.

ross07 wrote:

Mr high & mighty no it all yank. Did you just work this out?

If you are going to insult someone's country at least get it correct. He is from Canada.