tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post7292059323342661005..comments2023-09-06T08:23:46.896-07:00Comments on oreneta aground (but missinaibi's afloat!): All over the map.orenetahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-66670408932214542262009-04-18T14:29:00.000-07:002009-04-18T14:29:00.000-07:00She, in a way I am finding it more fun teaching he...She, in a way I am finding it more fun teaching her, it is a kind of investigative work rather than the predictable build that we normally do. It is also fun because she is SO keen to learn. <br /><br />JG, at the moment I am warmer, thank you. Teaching English as a non-grammarian is interesting. I can teach at the very highest levels, though I need a grammar reference for some of it, there is a level where they are studying for a very particular exam that I have trouble with. They ask me brutal questions like why the second conditional in the passive voice acts a certain way and I look at them BLANKLY. I don't even know if you can use second conditional in passive voice. They need to be able to trot out the rules and I can't. I can mark everything without a problem though.<br /><br />Teachermommy, honestly, I am not particularily brilliant either, though I would like to get good enough to sell a bit. The reality is that, like anything, the vast majority of artists aren't Picassos or Mirós and that's OK. I really enjoy it, a like the act of painting, and with practice, like anything, I am improving. The reality is that to be great, there has to be skill, but also a bloody-minded ruthless determination to do nothing else. I am not prepared to do that. I am happily married and intend to stay that way. I have two kids, and would never consider not parenting them as best I can. I want to have a life that is balanced. <br /><br />I suppose what I am really saying is go ahead and paint. Go for it. So what if it isn't brilliant. If you enjoy it, set too. You will improve and you will have disasters. Lots of painters regularly had bonfires of their work they didn't like. Heck, DaVinci repainted and repainted ENDLESSLY. Go for it.<br /><br />Diane, they keep telling me that it is Spain, and it is normal. Tiresome, but normal. I would ADORE getting together with you again! That would be fabulous!<br /><br />ElP, I have that problem with subjunctives. I can understand when people are saying them, I just can't seem to remember to use them and I remain unsure when I should use them. Tough all around. I was told by a speaker of one of the Chinese languages that they don't conjugate verbs at all, rather put a time reference into the sentence. I am not sure of that as a fact, but it was an interesting thought and could certainly make things easier.<br /><br />My goodness, what long replies I am writing.orenetahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616103982088424715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-58719881693857931222009-04-17T12:09:00.000-07:002009-04-17T12:09:00.000-07:00most slavic languages, like Czech, Slovak, Russian...most slavic languages, like Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, and maybe some others, have only three tenses: Present, Past, Future. The very idea of present perfect, continuity of an action, are alien to them. Either something is done, or not. It's not "in the process of having been done, somewhere in the past, over some indefinite length of time". Yet, they can understand when people use it. Its use wouldn't come to them naturally, however...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-4830525234780582542009-04-17T04:36:00.000-07:002009-04-17T04:36:00.000-07:00I am beginning to wonder whether I brought the rai...I am beginning to wonder whether I brought the rainy cold weather with me when I moved here. I mean, really, where's the beautiful Spanish spring I was promised?<br /><br />I back in town and hope we can meet up again soon!Diane Mandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00059365308496711788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-46220073236758633432009-04-16T19:50:00.000-07:002009-04-16T19:50:00.000-07:00See, now I KNEW I liked you. You have any idea ho...See, now I KNEW I liked you. You have any idea how much it tickled my English teacher soul (as a first language, supposedly, though you wouldn't know it with some of my kiddos--teens these days, I tell ya) to see you talking verb conjugation and using the word "autodidact?"<br /><br />I love you. It's official.<br /><br />But I am SO jealous that you can paint. The artist genes on both sides of my family decided to show up just enough in me to make me want to be good, without being strong enough to actually BE good.<br /><br />Grr. Maybe this can be a nice love-hate relationship.Teacher Mommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11215145025563985398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-15344727935170273272009-04-16T17:54:00.000-07:002009-04-16T17:54:00.000-07:00As a native speaker, I'm there: I can DO all the g...As a native speaker, I'm there: I can DO all the grammar stuff, but I have trouble articulating why, beyond "It just sounds right" and "It just looks right." <br /><br />Sounds like you had a good day of cooking and painting. Hope you are warmer by now.J.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02806805528636359436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8311151968716514867.post-32358207153706981092009-04-16T14:54:00.000-07:002009-04-16T14:54:00.000-07:00Teaching English as a second (or third) language i...Teaching English as a second (or third) language is a tough job. I see those kinds of gaps in my ELL students all the time. It's hard to grapple with. I agree that we don't need to know the why, we just need to know how to use it correctly and effectively. :-)<br /><br />Your cooking experiments sound yummy. I wish I had the inclination to experiment with making food (or cooking at all!)<br /><br />Restful sleep to you!contemporary themeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04810901901438064698noreply@blogger.com