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Bad English

Bad English English, baby! Video Lesson

Date: Apr 13 2007

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

When you are learning another language, it is difficult to blend what you learn in books with how people actually talk.

In every language, people stutter, insert extra words and use expressions that are not in the dictionary.

English, baby! members sometimes comment on the “bad English” of our cast members. For example, they say we shouldn’t be saying “like” so much. But “like” is very common in the spoken language. Of course, you would never use the expression in writing unless you were quoting someone.

Listen to Amanda and Kevin talk about bad English.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amanda

Amanda

Kevin

Kevin

Amanda:  So what’s interesting is I have a four year-old son…

Kevin:  OK.

Amanda:  ... and so we’re trying to teach him the language. The English language. But it’s very difficult to realize that, how we speak with all the slang and the poor construction using “like,” “um,” the pausing…

Kevin:  The colloquialisms.

Amanda:  Yes. Pausing, “um,” “Like, well”... It’s so difficult to curb that while you’re teaching a child because you don’t want to teach that or pass it on. It’s near impossible.

Kevin:  Well, it is but his English will eventually get good. But it does take sort of coaching, right?

Amanda:  Absolutely.

Kevin:  And, and good teaching, both from the parents as well as in school.

Amanda:  You don’t realize how much you do it yourself.

Kevin:  Mm hm.

Amanda:  You know which mistakes are mistakes and you just, that’s how you’ve taught yourself.

Kevin:  Yeah.

Amanda:  You’ve trained yourself incorrectly.

Kevin:  It’s very interesting.

Amanda:  And it’s so hard to rewind and go the right way even though you know what’s right.

Kevin:  I used to be an ESL teacher and a lot of students would write in essays the word gonna... g-o-n-n-a.

Amanda:  Oh no.

Kevin:  Which they didn’t realize was OK verbally but written, is, is not appropriate.

Amanda:  Right.

Kevin:  So it takes a lot of practice.

Amanda:  It does. I’m working on it…

Kevin:  It will come.

Amanda:  ... still!

 

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Discussion

Amanda is teaching her four-year-old how to talk. It is making her realize her own poor speaking habits.

Kevin has a lot of teaching experience. He assures Amanda that her son will learn how to speak properly despite her own mistakes.

Kevin also points out that his ESL students would use colloquialisms (like “gonna”) as written language.

Do you have bad habits in your native language?

Would it be hard for someone to learn the difference between the spoken and the written in your language?

 

Comments

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BENBEN

BENBEN

China

it is difficult for me to speak and write English.

09:43 AM Feb 20 2010 |

lala-_-

Saudi Arabia

 I like  lessons here at English baby.I also would like to comment on Bad English.My advice for every one here is that English basically has four skills which are integrated but two are closely related to one another.listening is related to speaking,so the more you listen ,the more you speak…and so on reading goes with writing.so determine what you want and start..thanks for English baby for helping  

04:20 PM Feb 18 2010 |

pink- rose

United Arab Emirates

I think it is aquit hard to speak with native people at the beginning of getting a sort of English Course , they have there way to explain very fast and verbally we  hear some  words and understand it incorrectly. We have to know the basics  of English Language and practice it more and more.

09:38 AM Jan 18 2010 |

aswad.alhassan

Ghana

i liked this lesson very much. it is goooooooooooood !!!!!

06:14 PM Jan 07 2010 |

shimaa ashmawy

Egypt

it so perfect but its very short

10:16 PM Jan 03 2010 |

Stefan70825

Germany

In my opinion all the 'wrong' words like um, like … belongs to a spoken language. It makes the language living. For a child it's important to see and hear the real life and not  only the written language, I mean, don't worry about your bad habits in your language (if they are not too bad). Be real and authentic with your children. Local slang is not a bad habit, it's part of our culture. It's important to be able to communicate in your native language with everyone, but don't forget your sources.

06:19 PM Dec 05 2009 |

linguis

El Salvador

The language we speak it is the result of the environment we move. As a ESL learner I have experience the same difficulties in my own language about the skills_ speak,write,read and listening_ Reading is the top, the least is speaking. I would recommed that you read good books and listening news on TV cable. They use very good english, so you learn good english.

04:53 PM Dec 04 2009 |

dianap72

United States

Yes it would be hard, becouse I think that any language is very extensive, and it is almost imposible to speak it perfectly. Every city in any country has its own words, or colloquialisms; for this reason, if we go to another city were people speak the same language, it would be dificult for us to comunicate too. Another reason is that, there are a lot of people without basic education,and off course it would be reflected in their writing, and much more, if they do this in a foreign language.

09:31 PM Dec 02 2009 |

Mr.oMaR2008

Saudi Arabia

Bad English

10:39 AM Nov 30 2009 |

melissa.x

melissa.x

China

English is difficult for me. It's far from my mother tongue. Although I've learnt English for more than 8 years, I can't speak English fluently.Every time I talk with someon I felt unconfident.

06:52 AM Nov 25 2009 |

Moon dream

Italy

actully it was afabulas ,great fantastic lesson

 

12:34 AM Nov 25 2009 |

julywidiawati

Indonesia

Yes, in Bahasa Indonesia, we have a bad habit to speak using informal language, though it would sounds strange if you use the formal one for daily speaking. The formal one is only for formal writing or speech. I think it is quite hard to learn the difference between both speaking and writing, because it's totally different.

04:31 AM Nov 24 2009 |

pandorabottle

Taiwan

As a English learner, I think English is not a easy langusge for me. Sometimes, I couldn't  understand the precise meaning from a word just because that I am not a native speaker.

Different cultures will have some effects on the learing process of language not only for English.

I think most of people as me, learning English as second language, have same problems with me, right?

03:51 AM Nov 24 2009 |

withmylove10@hotmail.com

United Arab Emirates

She is right English difficult language for other  Nationality But when we speak more we will learn.

08:19 AM Nov 22 2009 |

nurlan_91

nurlan_91

Azerbaijan

She right english difficult language but I learn

08:10 PM Nov 19 2009 |

roufaa

Tunisia

live.fr

11:57 AM Nov 17 2009 |

roufaa

Tunisia

@

11:56 AM Nov 17 2009 |

roufaa

Tunisia

rouf-aa

11:56 AM Nov 17 2009 |

roufaa

Tunisia

I want same bady to speake withe me englishe please in my msn

11:56 AM Nov 17 2009 |

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