tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post6334372502213250392..comments2024-01-04T00:29:53.260+00:00Comments on Write On!: Separated by a Common LanguageMarshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03315289632435632377noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-32953914255503339712009-01-10T19:09:00.000+00:002009-01-10T19:09:00.000+00:00I'm an American living in Vancouver, BC, and I get...I'm an American living in Vancouver, BC, and I get tripped up by how many Ls go in a word. Given that most of the people I write for are American, I also go back and forth about what people will think I misspell. Travelling or traveling? I've been living here long enough, actually, that the Canadian spellings seem more natural to me, but I end up defaulting to the American spellings because they're the larger audience.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-22577723546035427622009-01-10T08:59:00.000+00:002009-01-10T08:59:00.000+00:00Thanks, all, for the great comments and stories! I...Thanks, all, for the great comments and stories! It is amazing how so much confusion can result from speaking the same language. <BR/><BR/>I'll never forget the time a cheeky secondary student told me I was 'fit'. I had no idea what it meant at the time - I thought he was complimenting my athleticism! Ha! <BR/><BR/>A great book on English in all its regional variations is 'The Story of English' by McCrum and Cran and MacNeil.Marshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03315289632435632377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-64533400448738738692009-01-10T02:33:00.000+00:002009-01-10T02:33:00.000+00:00I enjoyed this post as I'm going through supply te...I enjoyed this post as I'm going through supply teaching at the moment myself. There is always SOMETHING that the kids don't seem to understand either with my accent (which is just as close to Canadian as they're often confused here) or something I've said, like a phrase. I told some Year 2s once to quit talking back and they just looked at me puzzled and repeated 'talking back?' Meanwhile, I'm wondering if they're just pulling my chain.<BR/><BR/>The language differences DO seem awfully silly though.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04570236291686934708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-37734382973393139412009-01-09T21:49:00.000+00:002009-01-09T21:49:00.000+00:00I'm an Aussie living in the UK so I get it too, th...I'm an Aussie living in the UK so I get it too, though to a lesser degree. The one thing I'll be happy never to hear again though is the bloody English uttering "We invented the language" every time a word is spelled or pronounced differently.Kate @ Tres Lolahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13969309340798354384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-31017770391179229592009-01-09T21:21:00.000+00:002009-01-09T21:21:00.000+00:00Hi Marsha,Thanks for commenting on my blog! Had to...Hi Marsha,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for commenting on my blog! Had to chuckle at the "bin" business as it reminded me of a story my mum (also a primary teacher) told me. One day she'd left a colleague in charge of her class while she was in a meeting and was greeted by a girl from her class, who asked, "Where ya bin?" My mum explained (in very eloquent English of course) that she had "bin" in a meeting. At which the girl held up a crumpled piece of paper, repeating, "No! Where ya BIN?!"<BR/><BR/>I think all these language thingies are fab and prescriptivists are so boring...<BR/><BR/>&... xxxAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8662623991024188236.post-78242768789060006112009-01-09T20:30:00.000+00:002009-01-09T20:30:00.000+00:00Great post. The poor kid when he thought you were ...Great post. The poor kid when he thought you were telling him to throw away his work! Glad you figured out why he was looking so sad. :)<BR/><BR/>I have been talking with an Australian editor about doing some writing for publication, and am studying up on the differences between American writing and Australian writing (which is weird since it's the same language.) It's interesting how many differences there are, even though the language is the same.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com