exchange student-europe?!?!?
well I'm an 18 year old high school senior. And I've always been interested in the whole foreign exchange student thing..and I'm just wondering where are good places for a girl like me who lives in America...(in New York actually) to go to as a foreign exchange student. I was thinking France..or the UK would be good...but how about Sweden..Finland..Denmark..Holland (Netherlands) and the such?!?!?!?
Studying Abroad - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Don't go to france, they will force you to crush grapes to make wine and will add Antifreeze to the wine. You will be forced to live in a shack and sleep on a clay floor.
2 :
If you think NY is good you'll love London, it's the best city in the world.
3 :
One of my cousins did that(she lives in Europe and came to the USA); she was also 18~senior. um, sorry, I don't remember how it went with her, but there was a company that organized the whole thing; just google it and search around, you'll find something.... good luck! hope you have fun!
4 :
As an African-American women you might very well be most comfortable in Denmark. It is a sophisticated, easy-going, safe and tolerant country which got itself out of the imperialism game long ago. You will seem a bit exotic (but they will seem a bit exotic to you) but you will seldom encounter racism, which you certainly will in France, England or, sadly, Holland. You will also have the best of both worlds in going to a country which speaks a different language but where most people speak enough English that you'll have no problems getting through the day. Have fun.
5 :
You could go with Youth For Understaning, Rotary, or AFS. They all arrange the whole thing for you. There are also scholarships available.
6 :
Malta is also an option. the Maltese know english (it's their second language) and most also know Italian. other advantages: distances are short (the majority of place can be reached in half an hour with one bus trip, if you need two bus trips to arrive at your destination, it will take less than an hour. however if you want to go to the most nothern parts of the island towards the sister island of gozo it will take you an hour at maximum from the capital city because the road is a bit long there. Malta boasts of an excellent night life. there is a small town easily accesible from all localities which is specialised in night life (has many discos, bars, cinema, restaurants, karaoke, etc) - it's the 'mecca' of entertainment for over 16 mostly. the weather is good. this year it was warmer than usually like everywhere else. however generally the weather is cool and wet in winter, hot and dry in summer. there are beaches easily accessible due to the small size of the island. cost of living is not too high, about the same as Spain. that's all i guess. try to check with travel agencies to get to know more!!! hope i helped a little!!
7 :
You need to keep the language thing in mind. If you're going to study abroad, you're going to actually have to go to school- in the language of that country. You will be expected to participate in class and do the same work as everyone else (even though it doesn't count back home.) Which languages do you speak? I studied abroad in Germany, and it was fantastic, but I'd taken several semesters of German and used the exchange as an immersion to become rapidly competent in the language. If you don't speak a second language and plan to study, you need to go somewhere where the language is English- so you're probably looking at the UK, out of the choices you've been considering. Something else to think about- if you're going to have already graduated by the time you go (although a lot of people do that), why not consider becoming an au pair in another country? There are some great programs out there and you wouldn't have to attend school in a language you don't understand. I was an au pair in Spain after high school for a family with a baby, and it was a great experience. I worked mornings only and then had the rest of the day to do whatever I wanted. I took Spanish classes and spent tons of time at the beach. The great thing about au-pairing is that you're hired to speak English to the kids, so it doesn't matter if it takes you some time to learn the language. Also, you're getting paid, instead of paying tons of money to an exchange program.
8 :
Denmark is a fantastic country and there are some excellent schools there - one for business management that is great. Being an exchange student through college is the best way. High school students should check out the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students before considering studying abroad
9 :
I went to Denmark through my college for 2 months. So check out your campus office on international study exchanges. If you get to Denmark check out the Viking ships! Plus you get credit which doesn't happen for high school exchanges.
10 :
study in UK its the best im frm london but live in da US u will love the boarding schools in London, England
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Monday, April 14, 2014
Monday, April 7, 2014
F-1 Student visa terminated?
F-1 Student visa terminated?
Hi, I am a citizen of the Netherlands and do not require a Visa to enter the US as a tourist. Right now I'm here on a F-1 student visa, but two days ago I withdrew from the university, so I have to leave the country in 15 days. How long do I have to be out of the country before I can re-enter the US as a tourist? Sincerely, Desperate for help! Is one week enough? Brother_........where do you get your information from? how sure are you?
Immigration - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
There is not set time if you have not overstayed .. but a few months would look better at the POE Remember you now have to pay for the visa waiver thru ESTA
2 :
There is no rule as written out as law. The decision of letting you enter to US on VWP is totally on discretion of Consular Officer at the airport. So you can try, but nobody can predict the result at all.
3 :
You are mistaken. Once you had a visa, such as an F-1, you are not allowed to participate at the VWP program anymore. You will always need a visa to visit again, in your case the B-2. The Alien number assigned to you (your personal data) will tag you at entry when CBP scans your machine-readable passport. If you apply for a B2 just a few weeks after coming back from the US, they will deny it. You should wait at least 90 days, preferably 6 months before applying. The B2 will then be "multiple entry" valid for 10 years.
4 :
3 months.
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Hi, I am a citizen of the Netherlands and do not require a Visa to enter the US as a tourist. Right now I'm here on a F-1 student visa, but two days ago I withdrew from the university, so I have to leave the country in 15 days. How long do I have to be out of the country before I can re-enter the US as a tourist? Sincerely, Desperate for help! Is one week enough? Brother_........where do you get your information from? how sure are you?
Immigration - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
There is not set time if you have not overstayed .. but a few months would look better at the POE Remember you now have to pay for the visa waiver thru ESTA
2 :
There is no rule as written out as law. The decision of letting you enter to US on VWP is totally on discretion of Consular Officer at the airport. So you can try, but nobody can predict the result at all.
3 :
You are mistaken. Once you had a visa, such as an F-1, you are not allowed to participate at the VWP program anymore. You will always need a visa to visit again, in your case the B-2. The Alien number assigned to you (your personal data) will tag you at entry when CBP scans your machine-readable passport. If you apply for a B2 just a few weeks after coming back from the US, they will deny it. You should wait at least 90 days, preferably 6 months before applying. The B2 will then be "multiple entry" valid for 10 years.
4 :
3 months.
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Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Job opportunities for a bachelor of science in pre med?
Job opportunities for a bachelor of science in pre med?
I am a student planning on doing a bachelor of science in pre medicine either in the Roosevelt academy or the University College Utrecht both in the Netherlands, I am planning on doing a Master later on but just in case I would like to know what my job opportunities are with a Bachelor of science ( BSc ) in pre medicine
Higher Education (University +) - 1 Answers
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1 :
Information is below./
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Friday, March 28, 2014
Job opportunities for a bachelor of science in pre med?
Job opportunities for a bachelor of science in pre med?
I am a student planning on doing a bachelor of science in pre medicine either in the Roosevelt academy or the University College Utrecht both in the Netherlands, I am planning on doing a Master later on but just in case I would like to know what my job opportunities are with a Bachelor of science ( BSc ) in pre medicine
Higher Education (University +) - 1 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Hi Kokalade: I have been doing research myself for job opportunities and had found a site that gives quite a bit of information on job opportunities after education. I don't know about whether it will be applicable to your education in the Netherlands, but it is a pretty good general resource. Good luck, Mary
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Friday, March 14, 2014
Netherlands Tourist Visa for a Bangladeshi?
Netherlands Tourist Visa for a Bangladeshi?
hey there! i was looking forward to go to netherlands (amsterdam) next yr 2012 sometime around july-august! i got friends there so i thought if visiting there!! i have bangladeshi citizenship and im a student 22 yrs who will graduate next yr december! i know that's important because u need a student occupation or id for visa! i only went to 1 country in my lifetime that is singapore and now this year ill go to thailand and kuala lumpur! so what should i do to get a tourist visa for netherlands? what documents and the amount of money should i keep in my bank account? can any1 help me please? i have no clue about western visa and i don't want to get a passport reject stamp!! please help!!
Netherlands - 2 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You're not a student. Students can spell and can come up with the idea of visiting the embassy website. http://www.netherlandsembassydhaka.org/schengen_visa.html
2 :
all the information about visa you can find on the site of the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs, http://www1.minbuza.nl/en/Services/Consular_Services/Visa/Visas_for_the_Netherlands_Schengen_Visas/Visa_requirements_according_to_nationality/Stay_shorter_than_90_days/Nationals_who_need_a_visa_for_a_stay_of_up_to_90_days or contact the Dutch embassy in Bangladesh http://www.nederlandse-ambassade.nl/bangalesh-dhaka.html
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Friday, March 7, 2014
what are the best places to visit in the netherlands (holland) ?
what are the best places to visit in the netherlands (holland) ?
what are the most visited cities in the netherlands ? i'm going to live in the netherlands for a month, that is next july, as part of student exchange and i was wondering what city shall i apply to ? there's a big chance i might not get amesterdam .. so whats my second choice? i'd love to stay in an interesting place where i can do lots of outdoors activities and adventures , i'm looking for a place with lots of landscapes and stuff .. i'm not a fan of busy cities and clubs .. these cities are my options: AMSTERDAM; GRONINGEN; LEIDEN; NIJMEGEN; ROTTERDAM; UTRECHT; i totally appreciate your help :D
Netherlands - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Well if you like nature and outdoors things, then add Maastricht to the list. The countryside there is beautiful and has a very good student scene there. The city itself has everythings whilst retaining a unique charm, but is located in a much more rural environment than Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Leiden. However Leiden and Delft are beautiful as well but less rural. Many international students also study there. These are cities close to where I live. So I would pick Maastricht and Amsterdam personally. Amsterdam because I used to live them, know it and love it, and have spent several short holidays in & around Maastricht and it is beautiful. Groningen is also a lot more rural, and a regular (hopefully she will see it) used to live there and loves it. She can give you a lot more info hopefully
2 :
I agree with the idea of Maastricht. I would try either Amsterdam or Utrecht, as these two are the more centrally located cities (transport wise anyway) and from either you can be in any part of The Netherlands under two hours by train. Yes, they are busy - but also centrally located. If you are looking for relatively quiet, Groningen fits the bill, although the landscapes there are mostly fields, and fields, and some trees. It is fairly flat. Another alternative in that area could be Leeuwarden, and there you have more water landscapes - lots of small lakes etc. I personally think Leiden is rather boring - but again within easy reach of The Hague, and the beach / dunes. I have no experience with Nijmegen. And Rotterdam is not a city or area that i would recommend to you - as most of its surroundings are industrial area, and harbors. Although - that is awesome to see too. But, in all honesty - one of the central cities i mentioned would make things very easy, if you wish to spend a day somewhere else. If you need more info, feel free to ask - you can contact me through my profile.
3 :
I lived in Groningen for six years, and you could not find a better place for a student. Simply put, it ROCKS. The nightlife is great, the city centre is compact and very easy to get around, and you cycle for 15 minutes and you're in the countryside. It's an unusual countryside there because it's so flat. It does take some getting used to, but it has its own particular beauty, and lots of forests and moorlands and nature reserves.
4 :
nijmegen is a very nice city, small but it has everything you could want it even has hills so if you like mountain biking there are plenty of trails, which is why i enjoyed my time there, it is also very close to the german border and there is a lot of history there as it is also the oldest city in holland, also there are a lot of ww2 cemetery's and monuments in the area
5 :
I studied in Holland back in 2006. We started in Utrecht as part of an orientation program, and that really is a great city. It actually dates back to the Roman Empire, and it's got bi-level canals all through the middle of the city. I was there in August, and there was a great concert on the canals in the city center. You can visit the Dom Tower, which is the main attraction in town, and there's lots of neat restaurants around there. For the rest of the time I was there (4 months), I studied at Leiden University. Leiden is another great town, with lots of cool shops on Haarlemerstraat, and of course lots of canals. Honestly, both of those towns don't have tons of stuff to do outside, but they are fun to walk around. Amsterdam is of course fun, but better for day trips, or late night pub crawls. There are tons of museums, including the Sex museum in the red light district, and I don't recommend watching a sex show. Rotterdam is another great city, and you should ride the Pannekoken Boat. (Unsure on that spelling.) It's basically a boat that rides around Rotterdam's port, and you get all you can eat pancakes. I never went to Groningen, just travelled through it on the train. didn't ever seem like much draw to go there, and out of 60 kids coming from the University of California, only 1 girl went there. If you're looking to do stuff outdoors, you should check out Terschelling, which is one of 4 islands along the very northern part of the Netherlands. Look at it on google maps. You have to take a ferry, which takes about 45 mins-1 hour, but it is a great little island, with lots of beaches, and plenty of places to ride bikes! Another place you should check out is Arnhem. Their is a museum between Arnhem and Utrecht called the National Park De Hoge Veluwe. First of all, it's got tons of great art from lots of famous Dutch artists, like Mondrian. But the best part is that the museum itself is surrounded by this huge national park. They have bikes all around that you can just grab and ride across the park, and then dump at another bike rack. Lots of fun, and not far from Utrecht, if you decide to go there. (Like 15 miles...) Anyways, I had fun in all of these places, but I guess I would recommend Utrecht since it's in the middle of everything, and there is tons of stuff to do in town.
6 :
Uhm, Coffeeshops.
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Saturday, March 1, 2014
Why are native English speakers so bad at spelling their own language?
Why are native English speakers so bad at spelling their own language?
Just check this site about British students and all the mistakes they make: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1042425/Why-ignore-bad-spelling-Lecturer-calls-amnesty-students-20-errors.html?ITO=1490 Americans are even worse. Why does that happen? What do you think about that phenomenon? Here are some comments from non-native English speakers, and I agree with them: Paula, Italy: I am a foreigner, I studied your beautiful, elegant, expressive language as a foreign language, and I don't make spelling mistakes. Most of my friends and colleagues who also studied it as a foreign language don't make any spelling mistakes either. We're not an educated elite, we studied English in very average, ordinary schools, no more than three or four hours a week. How come British "students" cannot manage? Eve, Poland: This idea is ridiculous. Besides, I don't understand how people can make such mistakes in their own language. English is my second language and I wouldn't be caught dead misspelling these words. CC7, Switzerland: I'm not a native English speaker and yet I would write all the words in this list correctly. That's called "learning", and it should also -especially- go for native speakers! Wilma, Netherlands: My Dutch students were extremely surprised when I told them that lots of English people could not distinguish between "there" and 'their" and "it's" and 'its". By the way English is my third language. Raymond, Germany: I am a language trainer in Luxembourg and to give in to the bad spellers is a capitulation which signals how little respect British people have for their own language. German, French and even Polish speakers don't suffer similar problems because they are taught to hold their language in high regard. (...) I tell my international language training participants to ask Scandinavians or Dutch people how to write if I am not there to help. Furthermore, I know one British person at the place I work whose letters are corrected by his French boss because they are full of mistakes. Anthony, Malta: I learnt the English Language at a state school in Malta fifty years ago. Thankfully great emphasis was laid on this most important of languages then and now. Spelling mistakes were anathema. How can people, born and bred in England, be unable to spell words in their own language ? How low can standards in this once Great country get ? I mean really, how did those people get accepted in the university in the first place, if they don't know how to spell? I'm shocked, just like other non-native English speakers, and don't understand how someone can be unable to spell their own language - especially university students. To Vangorn: You're wrong, it's not true that in all other languages one letter always represents one sound. French spelling seems even more irregular than English to me, in Greek you have 5 ways to write the "i" sound, etc. But those people care about their language. And if foreigners can take effort to learn English properly, so should native speakers. To Pinguino: I agree that English spelling is more difficult than Italian, but they also don't seem to care enough. There are some rules in English too, but many people don't follow them. Some of them don't know some really easy things, like apostrophes for example. To Martina: Read it again. I didn't say that Maltese people are native English speakers; quite the opposite. To Bla Bla: I didn't say that all of them are bad spellers, but I have noticed myself that many native English speakers tend to be sloppy when it comes to their language. It seems like they don't consider the language important enough and it may also be because they don't learn foreign languages. Most Europeans I have talked to could speak at least 1 foreign language or even more, and their English was pretty good. On the other hand, many Americans, Canadians, Australians and even British had problems spelling their own language correctly.
Other - Education - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because our Brains cant SpellCheck!! ^_^ And parents are becoming really lazy when it comes to teaching their kids phonics... Teachers can only do so much!
2 :
I don't know why this is, but it drives me crazy. I attribute the problem to a few main things: People do not READ anymore, so they're not used to seeing things spelled properly. The other problem is there is not enough emphasis on spelling in school. With the advent of the Internet and spell-check, people have become really lazy about it. My kids have teachers who can't spell, and the schools don't even care! I have worked in newspapers for many years. Most of the new college graduates who are taking reporting and copy-editing jobs also cannot spell (and don't know proper grammar or punctuation, either). These are people who were English/Journalism majors in college! The problem is rampant. I see misspellings in national and local advertisements every single day. If those who write and teach English for a living cannot spell, I give up. Sometimes I think I'm the only person left who cares about proper English. It's lonely.
3 :
People can't spell in English because the language makes no sense with letters vs. pronunciation. In almost all other languages, writing a certain letter ALWAYS represents a certain sound. But in English, what sounds go with which letters are so varied and mixed up and there are so many variations that it's hard to keep them all straight, not strait. Consider, for instance: Rough, cough, bough, through all end in "ough" but you say all of them differently. Then all the "c" sounds: Cat, City, Chomp, Eschew. And even words that look the same can be pronounced differently or have different meanings. Buffet to pummel, Buffet a food spread, Bow and arrow, take a bow Live long and prosper, Live at Hollywood Lead on general, Lead poisoning polish the furniture, Polish sausage The soldier decided to desert in the desert before dessert. There are just so many damn (dam?) things that don't make any sense (cents?) in English. It's so hard to stay on track (not the train track, the thought track). See? (C?)
4 :
I remember Wizard Magazine reported the same, years ago :) Even more, they were surprised how foreign readers writing to them were used to use a far more correct English language than English native speakers from home (the US). I think the reason basically is foreign people tend to learn a sort of "official English" (that's what any school or course is supposed to do); an American person lives inside an English speaking society where the daily language is "bastardized", so they get used to talk that way. Foreign students who study English outside of an English speaking country are somehow "protected" by that. As for your reply to Vangom: the difference between a phonetic and a non-phonetic language is in a phonetic language there always are very specific rules about how to spell letters or group or letters; so it's true in a phonetic language you may face the same letter spelled differently or different letters spelt the same way, but all this IS regulated by rules: for instance in Italian "c" sound is English "ch" when followed by "i" or "e" while have English "k" when followed by a, o, u or h; so there "c" sound have the same spell as "q" sound, but there's no way an Italian speaker can spell "c" the wrong way, since we can follow a rule. Now in English, for instance, can you tell me according to which rule the "oo" sound in "room" and "door" are completely different...?
5 :
I truly must agree with Vangom2's and Pinguino's answers here. Apart from the things that had already been said, I've always been wondering for what reason "ea", like in "steal" and "ee", like in "weep" sound the same. In my opinion, only the pair of two "e" letters should be regarder as the long "ee" sound and "ea" should be regarded the same way it is in the "wear" word. Moreover, the varieties of reading "a" is also surprising. Compare, for instance: 1. Bar. 2. Cat. 3. Wander. It's hard to show the difference here, in writing, but everyone who knows English knows what I'm talking about. And as to the "writing" word - could someone explain to me how come the "t" letter isn't doubled, when (according to the rule) the "e" letter is crossed out when adding "-ing" and "i", as a vowel is positionized between two consonants, because personally I don't get it? Lat but not least: Why "every day" is written separately, when "everyone" and "everybody" is written being compound? This is also the thing that makes me wonder P.S. I'm native Polish
6 :
Just to inform you about something.THE MALTESE PEOPLE'S MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH.IT IS OUR BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE-MALTESE. SO WE DON'T CARE IF WE SPELL NOT CORRECT ENGLISH SINCE IT IS NOT OUR LANGUAGE. THIS IS AN OFFENSE!! IF THEY DON'T MAKE US LEARN IT,WE WOULDN'T EVEN BOTHER LEARN IT!! ALSO WE ARE NOT ENGLISH NEITHER BRITISH OR WHATEVER.WE HAVE PURE BLOOD MALTESE.((THANKS GOD!!!))
7 :
yes, we speak maltese in malta. we are not english. our national language is maltese, we are bilingual and we speak english with foreigners but not between us. however english education is very high and i am proud of saying that we have a high quality of language education. most of us are not only bilingual but also multilingual!
8 :
Whilst I often read and highly respect your answers, I have to say that this question is a bit of a sweeping generalisation to say that all native English speakers are bad in spelling At least in my generation (30's) at University you most definitely had to be able to spell, and this was even having to submit reports on the PC Naturally with the advent of computerised documents, it is almost second nature to rely on spell-checks and grammar checks (which of course are not 100 percent fool-proof). However from my peer group at least 95 percent consistently write English correctly including "their" "there's"!! P.S. - The Daily Mail is a tabloid paper and wonderful at sensationalising information and putting things into a different context. It has been found guilty of liable more times than I can count and also have more editors than I have had hot dinners. Therefore personally I do not consider it a very reliable source of accurate info
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Just check this site about British students and all the mistakes they make: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1042425/Why-ignore-bad-spelling-Lecturer-calls-amnesty-students-20-errors.html?ITO=1490 Americans are even worse. Why does that happen? What do you think about that phenomenon? Here are some comments from non-native English speakers, and I agree with them: Paula, Italy: I am a foreigner, I studied your beautiful, elegant, expressive language as a foreign language, and I don't make spelling mistakes. Most of my friends and colleagues who also studied it as a foreign language don't make any spelling mistakes either. We're not an educated elite, we studied English in very average, ordinary schools, no more than three or four hours a week. How come British "students" cannot manage? Eve, Poland: This idea is ridiculous. Besides, I don't understand how people can make such mistakes in their own language. English is my second language and I wouldn't be caught dead misspelling these words. CC7, Switzerland: I'm not a native English speaker and yet I would write all the words in this list correctly. That's called "learning", and it should also -especially- go for native speakers! Wilma, Netherlands: My Dutch students were extremely surprised when I told them that lots of English people could not distinguish between "there" and 'their" and "it's" and 'its". By the way English is my third language. Raymond, Germany: I am a language trainer in Luxembourg and to give in to the bad spellers is a capitulation which signals how little respect British people have for their own language. German, French and even Polish speakers don't suffer similar problems because they are taught to hold their language in high regard. (...) I tell my international language training participants to ask Scandinavians or Dutch people how to write if I am not there to help. Furthermore, I know one British person at the place I work whose letters are corrected by his French boss because they are full of mistakes. Anthony, Malta: I learnt the English Language at a state school in Malta fifty years ago. Thankfully great emphasis was laid on this most important of languages then and now. Spelling mistakes were anathema. How can people, born and bred in England, be unable to spell words in their own language ? How low can standards in this once Great country get ? I mean really, how did those people get accepted in the university in the first place, if they don't know how to spell? I'm shocked, just like other non-native English speakers, and don't understand how someone can be unable to spell their own language - especially university students. To Vangorn: You're wrong, it's not true that in all other languages one letter always represents one sound. French spelling seems even more irregular than English to me, in Greek you have 5 ways to write the "i" sound, etc. But those people care about their language. And if foreigners can take effort to learn English properly, so should native speakers. To Pinguino: I agree that English spelling is more difficult than Italian, but they also don't seem to care enough. There are some rules in English too, but many people don't follow them. Some of them don't know some really easy things, like apostrophes for example. To Martina: Read it again. I didn't say that Maltese people are native English speakers; quite the opposite. To Bla Bla: I didn't say that all of them are bad spellers, but I have noticed myself that many native English speakers tend to be sloppy when it comes to their language. It seems like they don't consider the language important enough and it may also be because they don't learn foreign languages. Most Europeans I have talked to could speak at least 1 foreign language or even more, and their English was pretty good. On the other hand, many Americans, Canadians, Australians and even British had problems spelling their own language correctly.
Other - Education - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because our Brains cant SpellCheck!! ^_^ And parents are becoming really lazy when it comes to teaching their kids phonics... Teachers can only do so much!
2 :
I don't know why this is, but it drives me crazy. I attribute the problem to a few main things: People do not READ anymore, so they're not used to seeing things spelled properly. The other problem is there is not enough emphasis on spelling in school. With the advent of the Internet and spell-check, people have become really lazy about it. My kids have teachers who can't spell, and the schools don't even care! I have worked in newspapers for many years. Most of the new college graduates who are taking reporting and copy-editing jobs also cannot spell (and don't know proper grammar or punctuation, either). These are people who were English/Journalism majors in college! The problem is rampant. I see misspellings in national and local advertisements every single day. If those who write and teach English for a living cannot spell, I give up. Sometimes I think I'm the only person left who cares about proper English. It's lonely.
3 :
People can't spell in English because the language makes no sense with letters vs. pronunciation. In almost all other languages, writing a certain letter ALWAYS represents a certain sound. But in English, what sounds go with which letters are so varied and mixed up and there are so many variations that it's hard to keep them all straight, not strait. Consider, for instance: Rough, cough, bough, through all end in "ough" but you say all of them differently. Then all the "c" sounds: Cat, City, Chomp, Eschew. And even words that look the same can be pronounced differently or have different meanings. Buffet to pummel, Buffet a food spread, Bow and arrow, take a bow Live long and prosper, Live at Hollywood Lead on general, Lead poisoning polish the furniture, Polish sausage The soldier decided to desert in the desert before dessert. There are just so many damn (dam?) things that don't make any sense (cents?) in English. It's so hard to stay on track (not the train track, the thought track). See? (C?)
4 :
I remember Wizard Magazine reported the same, years ago :) Even more, they were surprised how foreign readers writing to them were used to use a far more correct English language than English native speakers from home (the US). I think the reason basically is foreign people tend to learn a sort of "official English" (that's what any school or course is supposed to do); an American person lives inside an English speaking society where the daily language is "bastardized", so they get used to talk that way. Foreign students who study English outside of an English speaking country are somehow "protected" by that. As for your reply to Vangom: the difference between a phonetic and a non-phonetic language is in a phonetic language there always are very specific rules about how to spell letters or group or letters; so it's true in a phonetic language you may face the same letter spelled differently or different letters spelt the same way, but all this IS regulated by rules: for instance in Italian "c" sound is English "ch" when followed by "i" or "e" while have English "k" when followed by a, o, u or h; so there "c" sound have the same spell as "q" sound, but there's no way an Italian speaker can spell "c" the wrong way, since we can follow a rule. Now in English, for instance, can you tell me according to which rule the "oo" sound in "room" and "door" are completely different...?
5 :
I truly must agree with Vangom2's and Pinguino's answers here. Apart from the things that had already been said, I've always been wondering for what reason "ea", like in "steal" and "ee", like in "weep" sound the same. In my opinion, only the pair of two "e" letters should be regarder as the long "ee" sound and "ea" should be regarded the same way it is in the "wear" word. Moreover, the varieties of reading "a" is also surprising. Compare, for instance: 1. Bar. 2. Cat. 3. Wander. It's hard to show the difference here, in writing, but everyone who knows English knows what I'm talking about. And as to the "writing" word - could someone explain to me how come the "t" letter isn't doubled, when (according to the rule) the "e" letter is crossed out when adding "-ing" and "i", as a vowel is positionized between two consonants, because personally I don't get it? Lat but not least: Why "every day" is written separately, when "everyone" and "everybody" is written being compound? This is also the thing that makes me wonder P.S. I'm native Polish
6 :
Just to inform you about something.THE MALTESE PEOPLE'S MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGE IS NOT ENGLISH.IT IS OUR BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE-MALTESE. SO WE DON'T CARE IF WE SPELL NOT CORRECT ENGLISH SINCE IT IS NOT OUR LANGUAGE. THIS IS AN OFFENSE!! IF THEY DON'T MAKE US LEARN IT,WE WOULDN'T EVEN BOTHER LEARN IT!! ALSO WE ARE NOT ENGLISH NEITHER BRITISH OR WHATEVER.WE HAVE PURE BLOOD MALTESE.((THANKS GOD!!!))
7 :
yes, we speak maltese in malta. we are not english. our national language is maltese, we are bilingual and we speak english with foreigners but not between us. however english education is very high and i am proud of saying that we have a high quality of language education. most of us are not only bilingual but also multilingual!
8 :
Whilst I often read and highly respect your answers, I have to say that this question is a bit of a sweeping generalisation to say that all native English speakers are bad in spelling At least in my generation (30's) at University you most definitely had to be able to spell, and this was even having to submit reports on the PC Naturally with the advent of computerised documents, it is almost second nature to rely on spell-checks and grammar checks (which of course are not 100 percent fool-proof). However from my peer group at least 95 percent consistently write English correctly including "their" "there's"!! P.S. - The Daily Mail is a tabloid paper and wonderful at sensationalising information and putting things into a different context. It has been found guilty of liable more times than I can count and also have more editors than I have had hot dinners. Therefore personally I do not consider it a very reliable source of accurate info
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