Quoting Man. Bear. Pig.:" They say English is the hardest to learn. Then I look at languages like Chinese or French, and I think.... ... [snip!] ... I think.... how is that possible. Yeah, if they say it's the hardest, then I commend those who are able to learn it, for sure."

Inflectional languages are hard for us to comprehend, like Chinese. Ma with a rising tone means mother, and Ma with a falling tone is something bad, I think prostitute? Lol I cant remember.

That being said, while inflections are hard for us to comprehend the structure and the way that english is a "borrowed" language is where problems start. We borrow from so many other languages that English really isn't English in it's true form, if that makes sense. It's a melting pot of languages with structures that change all of the time and it's confusing to non native speakers.

For example, other langauges have double negatives. In English we do not. But non native speakers can be confused when saying certain sentences or understanding our negation when it doesnt follow the form of their own language and have double negatives. Tense markers... some languages dont have the -ed ending or other tenses. To say "walked" in one language (cant recall) you use a negation instead of the -ed ending. Many languages dont have tense markers, it's just a negation or even double negation.

Most sentences of ours follow the SVO form. Which is subject, verb, object. Example "The boy (subject) threw (verb) the ball (object)." Or "Will you (subject) teach (verb) me how to paint (object)?" We have compound sentences which can confuse speakers. Such as "Will you teach me how to paint, additionally, will you please be patient if I suck greatly?" It's hard for non native speakers to understand compound sentences.

Then we use tricks. Such as the SVO "The boy threw the ball" changed into OVS "The ball was thrown by the boy." It's a mental tactic... when you use the OVS form its usually to take blame off of the subject. It takes the focus off of them. Read a newspaper, they do it a lot to take blame off of a subject. Instead of "Kesha was allegedly found smoking marijuana," the paper would probably say "Marijuana was allegedly consumed by Kesha." It is a mind game to make people take blame off of the subject. Its really hard for non native speakers to understand the other form though.

Or other forms, like "Running fast, the boy broke the race record." Which is VOS. Or "Running fast, the race record was broken by the boy." Which is VOS. Again, it's a head game. Depending on how "elite" you want your writing to be, you write a certain way to your audience. Its hard for non native speakers to understand!

The list goes on.... there are MANY things that come natural to us but its really hard for other speakers because their language is so different in structure. Like we don't have question markers at the end of our sentences, Spanish can.

I loved studying Linguistics... it bugs me because of how complicated it can get but at the same time... its SO fascinating!!!

Quoting FroggysMommy:" Oh I know! I took art classes in Houston. I believe my preschool was in Houston too. My Dad worked at ... [snip!] ... My Dad worked at IBM, I went to Creme de la Creme. I loved how much land we had in Texas... oh my lord it was ridiculous!!!"

Cypress has turned into one big subdivision, as has Magnolia and most of the West and Northwest sides. When I graduated high school, I was the second graduating class. Since then, they've added two high schools and are building a third. That's six 5-A high schools with one more in the works. It's just crazy.

Quoting Bangtail:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" The Woodlands is the rich part of town ... [snip!] ... When I was pregnant my boss would buy us lunch there a lot and it was like Christmas, thanksgiving, and sex in a to-go box."

LOL nope I sure haven't but SO and I like to try new places so we'll have to check that one out sometime. Haha. We went to this AWESOME sushi restaurant called Bonsai Fusion. It's a little hole in the wall place but my god I had the best meal of my life there.

Quoting Rafael's Mommy ♥:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" The Woodlands is the rich part of town ... [snip!] ... Yeah lol I know. I think I'm going to be living in one of the "worse" areas though, I can't afford those huge houses."

i have no idea how the schools are there, BUT, ususally the schools are good-great in wealthy areas even if you live in the dumpy part of town.
I hope it's true for your kids.

<blockquote><b>Quoting TheNuge:</b>" i have no idea how the schools are there, BUT, ususally the schools are good-great in wealthy areas even if you live in the dumpy part of town. I hope it's true for your kids."</blockquote>


Me too. It's one of the reasons I'm moving there. I don't want my son growing up in the ghetto.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" LOL nope I sure haven't but SO and I like to try new places so we'll have to check that one out sometime. ... [snip!] ... sushi restaurant called Bonsai Fusion. It's a little hole in the wall place but my god I had the best meal of my life there."</blockquote>



I love sushi. There was a place I tried over there right off of 249 in a strip mall but I don't remember what it's called. If you like Thai food and ever venture downtown, there's a restaurant called Pad Thai and its the best one I've tried so far. I think we've eaten our way around Houston!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rafael's Mommy ♥:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting TheNuge:</b>" i have no idea how the schools are there, BUT, ... [snip!] ... kids."</blockquote> Me too. It's one of the reasons I'm moving there. I don't want my son growing up in the ghetto."</blockquote>

Where in the fifth ward are y'all at?

Even in the wealthy areas the school systems in the Houston metro area aren't what they were. We live in a "wealthy" school district and I had a helluva time with my son's school. They're so quick to diagnose little boys with ADHD.

Quoting Bangtail:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" LOL nope I sure haven't but SO and I ... [snip!] ... there's a restaurant called Pad Thai and its the best one I've tried so far. I think we've eaten our way around Houston!"

That's good to know cuz SO and I were looking for a good Thai place and we went to this one but it was kind of weird lol.

Quoting TheNuge:" i have no idea how the schools are there, BUT, ususally the schools are good-great in wealthy areas even if you live in the dumpy part of town. I hope it's true for your kids."

The Woodlands has excellent schools from what I've heard.

I didn't read all of the replies but I just want to throw in my 2 cents. A lot of people come to this country kind of "all of a sudden" as refugees. Where I live in Maine there is a huge Somalian refugee population and there are many businesses dedicated to helping them mix in with society. There are schools that teach ESL. There are teachers. There are professional translators. I think that having non-English speakers is a good thing for this country for a number of reasons, but the main point I am trying to make is that it creates a LOT of jobs and small businesses. Transcribers, translators, ESL teachers, etc. Also, tourism. Although I feel that if people plan to stay here long term and interact regularly with English speakers they should make a conscious effort to learn English, there is nothing wrong with catering to them in the first few years they are here. You never know who just escaped from a war-torn country seeking a better life and just arrived here last week. There are bigger problems in the world than you not wanting to wait a 2.5 seconds on the phone to press 1 for English, and IMO as long as America wants to play hero everywhere else in the world, the citizens of this country should expect to deal with other cultures and languages.

Quoting MyMonkeysNAMEisFINGERS:" I didn't read all of the replies but I just want to throw in my 2 cents. A lot of people come to this ... [snip!] ... play hero everywhere else in the world, the citizens of this country should expect to deal with other cultures and languages. "

 

<blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" That's good to know cuz SO and I were looking for a good Thai place and we went to this one but it was kind of weird lol."</blockquote>


There used to be one on Jones that was ok, but I don't know if its still there. This place really is my favorite that I've found. I think it's on the corner of pierce and Lamar.

Quoting Bangtail:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" That's good to know cuz SO and I were ... [snip!] ... know if its still there. This place really is my favorite that I've found. I think it's on the corner of pierce and Lamar."

Jones isn't far from me at all. Yeah SO uses his gps and just goes to whatever location it gives us. There have been many times when it gave us a place that was not what it said it was lol.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Tarynosaurus Rex:</b>" Jones isn't far from me at all. Yeah SO uses his gps and just goes to whatever location it gives us. There have been many times when it gave us a place that was not what it said it was lol."</blockquote>


Yeah, restaurants come and go around here a lot. One day it's Mediterranean and the next it's a bar.