More humor as it appears in school

[charisstoma]

Okay when the International students are doing country reports and have to answer the question of what language is spoken by the people of the country they are studying, confusion is understandable. Still when a student whose native language is Spanish (from south of the border) looks at you and asks what language is spoken in Spain... It's kind of cute actually when you throw the question back at them and they get it with a smile that says 'doh' head slap.

When a native English speaker comes up to ask if his current favorite fiction series has anymore books out past the 7th and it's explained that yes there are more but they are published first in Australia and we have to wait for them to be published in the U.S. You do not expect that student to then make the mental jump that the reason it takes so long for the more recent books to be published here is that they need to be translated. *head desk*
Last I heard the language that is predominantly used in Australia is English then again hmmm at his age I was still having mind burps that confused Australia and Austria. Going to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Amusing though.

Comments

[rykaine.livejournal.com]

Then again, even the Harry Potter books underwent some translation before they were published stateside. Certain jargon, word spellings, and expressions were changed/altered from the UK publications to be "more accessible" to American kids. Or something.

I mean, I doubt that's the angle your Native English speakers was coming from, but he's still not totally off track. ^^;;

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

That thought did occur to me. *grins*
I know that the Spanish in Mexico and other places south of the border have differences from the Castilian Spanish of Spain.
There are even some places in the States where it's difficult to understand some of the terms. Amusingly, if you were raised in the frozen northern midwest you push buttons not mash them. Mashing is reserved for potatoes. *smiles*

[rykaine.livejournal.com]

Potatoes is all mashing should be reserved for. It drives me batty when people ask if they're supposed to "mash yes".

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*LAUGHING* Well one could mash turnips and then there's bananas for banana bread...
It was a friend from Florida who introduced me to mashing buttons. My Mom has a cute anecdote about a conversation she had with a Texan which I'll spare you but it started with The idea that the 3 Magi were Firemen cause they came from a fire (pronounced far).

[rykaine.livejournal.com]

Well, if one likes turnips, I suppose one might mash them as well, yes. I don't know that I've ever actually mashed the bananas that I use for banana bread. I just toss'em in there and hope for the best.

lmso, That's rockstar.

[angelabenedetti.livejournal.com]

Where do people mash buttons? [blinkblink] I mean, I've seen it used occasionally, like in something meant to be humorous where a character was getting frustrated and was mashing buttons, as in banging on them really hard because the doohickey wasn't doing what they wanted it to do. But in what area of the country do people "mash" buttons all the time? o_O That's a regionalism I've never run into before.

Angie

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

My button mashing friend was from Florida but today I was told that it's also from another area in the South, think he was talking Louisianna. Same person introduced me to 'stump' as in to spill or knock something over. Think it was stump *looks worried*

[heartsdesire456.livejournal.com]

An entire 9th grade class argued with their Literature teacher that the Preamble was written in England... while they were also studying American Government the same semester... And then upon hearing 'Why would the AMERICAN CONSTITUTION have been written in Europe?' one says 'We said England, not Europe' ... and like... half the class of 14/15 year old kids agreed.

And seventeen year old's arguing that Africa is a country and the 'little things are states'...

Nothing surprises me about your post, lol.

It's terribly sad, but not shocking.

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

Please tell me that I didn't miss the part about the Preamble being written on a paper napkin by Ben Franklin during a night out in a pub with friends.

[heartsdesire456.livejournal.com]

No, one of the best was "Why does this map not show the difference between Canada and North America, but it does show the difference with South America?" and upon saying '... huh?!?' they go 'Well, why show two of the continents and not the third in that chunk of land?'

... seriously.... Canada is a continent now? And we're a continent, not a country? Strange... i missed that memo... *facepalm*

NO! i forgot, even better "What's the main component of a carbon based lifeform, like animals and plants?" (meant to be a joke)

"OXYGEN!!!" *confident 'i know one finally!' reaction*

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*laughs* That is similar to 'who's buried in Grant's tomb?'.

I am well aware of the continent problem. We explain that often to some of the students. They are little and do not know.

[heartsdesire456.livejournal.com]

Oh, this kid was like... 17? 16? idk... if it was a little kid i'd understand, but my 6 year old sister knows more about the world map than half of the highschool students and a ton of highschool GRADUATES!

I mean, my dad's argument is 'not everybody NEEDS to know where everything is on a map' which i guess works to a degree... but not knowing Canada is a country? ... thats just sad.

(... but what do i now, i'm a geek... i love Geography... i feel dumb that i cant name all the capitals of the US states and world countries anymore... i remember most but some escape me now. Though when we did it in US history in 11th grade (wow, it seems so long ago!) i was the only person in the class that could put the right states names in the blank map... in 11th grade US HISTORY only one kid knew all the states?! I can see mixing up the little states, but most of these kids didn't know Montana from Minnisota!)

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*grins at you* It's your advanced old age catching up with you that you don't remember these things. Has nothing to do with the fact that the world is changing quickly. *shakes head*

Looked up Malaysia today.. It is made up of hereditory kingdoms and have an elected monarch,the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, chosen from among the rulers of those kingdoms. The one ring/king who rules them all.

[tygati.livejournal.com]

*snort* After having spent a full day in the company of three Australians, I can assure you that, whatever they claim they speak over there, it isn't English. >.>

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*laughs* It's English, just not as she is spoken hereabouts. Some of the meanings have been changed to protect the.. um.. can't think of anything.

[tygati.livejournal.com]

It's insane, that's what it is! I kept having to ask them to repeat themselves soooo many times. I have an easier time understanding people who speak English as a second language!

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

My Librarian tells of hearing an education class for ESL adults. The lady was having the students repeat back the name of objects she said. She held up a pencil and pronounced it pin-cel which the Asian ladies faithfully repeated back to her.

I know that they give language credit for sign language classes. Think it would work for Australian?

[alice_montrose]

You have to understand, Australian English is based on British English, so obviously it has to be translated into American English.

/end sarcasm

Is it not the most rational argument, though? *shakes head*

[charisstoma.livejournal.com]

*grins* Middle School (ages 10 to 13) don't always have their heads sorted.
Was talking to a sub teacher today who introduced me to the regional verb of (forgive me if I get this wrong) stump, meaning to fall over or capsize if you're in a boat. You stump over your drink if your hand hits the glass and it spills the contents out.