1.- Spanish is a phonetic language, English is not.
2.- Phrasal verbs
3.- False friends
1. Spanish is a phonetic language, English is not.
Some languages are "phonetic". That means you can look at a written word and know how to pronounce it. Or you can hear a word and know how to spell it. With phonetic languages, there is a direct relationship between the spelling and the sound.
The Spanish is a phonetic language (mostly) and the English is not. This is our first, and I would say main, difficulty when studying English.
In English some words can have the same spelling but different pronunciation, for example:
I like to read [ri:d].
I have read [red] that book.
Some words have different spelling but the same pronunciation, for example:
I have read [red] that book.
My favourite colour is red [red].
This puzzles us, the Spanish-speaking folks.
In Spanish a “spelling bee contest” will not make any sense. It will be too easy.
In Spanish there are five vowels with five different sounds, in English there a five vowels with twenty different sounds. This confuses us and it is what give us, the Spanish-speaking folks the particular accent we have.
For instance, I’ve been never been able to distinguish I Can from I Can’t.
When we go to the Pharmacy we ask for
VicksVaporub (Show sign) instead of (Peter)
To further illustrate this point, we say that the spelling "ough" can be pronounced with seven different sounds. But this is the wrong way to put it. It would be better to say that the seven different sounds can be represented in writing by the same spelling. So you see that it cannot help at all to think about "ough". It's much more helpful to think about the seven sounds:
1. though (like o in go)
2. through (like oo in too)
3. cough (like off in offer)
4. rough (like uff in suffer)
5. plough (like ow in flower)
6. ought (like aw in saw)
7. borough (like a in above)
This drive us crazy
2. Phrasal verbs
A phrasal verb is a verb plus a preposition or adverb which creates a meaning different from the original verb.
This produces utter confusion in us, the students .
My favourite is
MAKE UP
It has 12 different meanings as a transitive verb
1. to form by fitting together or assembling
2. to arrange typeset matter in (as pages) for printing
3. to combine to produce (a sum or whole)
4. constitute, compose <10 chapters make up this volume>
5. to compensate for (as a deficiency or omission)
6. to do or take in order to correct an omission
7. settle, decide
8. to wrap or fasten up
9. to prepare in physical appearance for a role
10. to apply cosmetics to
11. invent, improvise
12. to set in order
And 6 as intransitive verb.
1. to become reconciled
2. to act ingratiatingly and flatteringly
3. to make advances : court
4. compensate
5. to put on costumes or makeup (as for a play)
6. to apply cosmetics
3. False friends
Like
Preservatives
Avocado
End of diversion
So, I’m about to finish up this speech, which I’ve made up with the help of the web, because I’m looking forward to the food and drinks
