Help with English

Discussion in 'Linguistics' started by Saint, Aug 24, 2011.

  1. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    As Baldeee already explained, "unless" is correct. It's possible to build a sentence with "except," but it's rather awkward: "I will not forgive you, except if you apologize." This is correct grammar, but you will probably never hear anyone talk or write that way.
    Baldeee explained that correctly.

    We use "belong" more often in other types of statements. A very common form is, "I belong in Los Angeles. It's too cold up here in Seattle."
     
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  3. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Despite rising stridency in Chinese demands that India pull back+from the confrontation near the Sikkim-Tibet-Bhutan tri-junction

    stridency = ? strict warning ?
     
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  5. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    I go to library to borrow some books on/about/of the topic of macro economy.


    on, about or of ?
     
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  7. Dr_Toad It's green! Valued Senior Member

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    Not of. Either of the other two will do well.
     
  8. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    "Strident" refers to a spoken sound that is harsh, shrill, or annoying in some other way. A strident warning would be a warning that implies that if the warning is ignored, or not taken seriously, the next step in the argument might be physical violence.
    "On" is correct, although "about" is also just fine.

    We usually say "on a topic," rather than "about a topic."
     
  9. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    Would it not be more accurate to say that "a book about X" is equivalent to "a book on the topic of X"?

    "A book about the topic of X" would thus seem to be a tautology.
     
  10. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Can a teacher say "screw up" to his students?
     
  11. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    He keeps on failing many subjects in his degree program and cannot graduate on time until his father is so upset and asks him to stop study and go to work.

    How to make this sentence better?
     
  12. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Absentism or absenteeism ?

    Why Absentism is wrong?
     
  13. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Sure, okay.
     
  14. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    In the 21st century in the USA, it probably happens ten times per hour in classrooms. "Screw up" has become a slang expression that is used almost universally. Obviously, it was originally "fuck up," but "screw" is considered to be more polite English. No teacher would say "fuck" in a classroom, and most of them would be angry at a student who said it.
    He keeps failing... there's no need to put "on" in that sentence.

    ... until his father is so upset that he asks him to stop studying and get a job.
     
  15. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Wantonly =deliberately ?
     
  16. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Yes, but for no reason. To do something wantonly is to ignore the consequences, or, in fact, to look forward to the unpleasant consequences.

    By the way, this is me, Fraggle Rocker. Something went wrong with the website and they're trying to change me back to "Fraggle Rocker."
     
  17. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    I am a trader to import goods from China into Malaysia's market.

    The prepositions are correct?
     
  18. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    commonly = generally ?
     
  19. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    respectful = we show respect to other people
    respectable = respected by people?

    Correct?
     
  20. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    The company sends you to attend training so that you can apply what you learn on/in your job.
     
  21. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    "I am a trader who imports goods from China (in)to Malaysia's market"
    I think you could get away with "into" or "in", not sure which is more correct.
    I'd probably also say "the Malaysian market" rather than "Malaysia's market".
    Yes, both mean "usually", "more often than not" etc.
    Yes.
    "to your job"
    You apply something to something.
    You apply a coat of paint to a wall.
    You apply your skills to the task in hand.
    You apply pressure to a wound.

    But you can also "apply for", such as "I will apply for a job".
    And there are odd cases where you can simply apply something, such as "to apply the brakes on your car."
     
  22. Saint Valued Senior Member

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    Can the teacher use the words like "bullshit", "idiot", "bastard" in class?
     
  23. Baldeee Valued Senior Member

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    Not in my view, no.
    Such terms are considered vulgar (although "bastard" can have a legitimate use) generally used in a derogatory manner, to put someone (or their argument) down, to make them feel small and inferior.
    A teacher should not, in my view, be looking to do any of those things.
     
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