Comments on: An embarrassing compliment http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/ Web development and Internet trends Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:41:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Robert Nyman http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2079 Robert Nyman Thu, 15 Dec 2005 12:22:19 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2079 Robert W, Ah, too bad... :-) But thanks, and jolly greetings to you too! Chris, Ha ha, well spotted. :-) I changed it in the post... Robert W,

Ah, too bad… :-)
But thanks, and jolly greetings to you too!

Chris,

Ha ha, well spotted. :-)
I changed it in the post…

]]> By: Chris http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2077 Chris Thu, 15 Dec 2005 09:39:55 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2077 Hmmmmm.... "me and another guy was walking" Looks like somebody needs to work on their own mastery of the English language ;) I find that somewhat ironic. Hmmmmm….

“me and another guy was walking”

Looks like somebody needs to work on their own mastery of the English language ;) I find that somewhat ironic.

]]> By: Robert wellock http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2072 Robert wellock Wed, 14 Dec 2005 15:32:49 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2072 You can always ask Tommy [...] Olsson how hard I am to understand on the phone but he has had a lot of practice with us foreigners. Austin, not unless somebody else pays the costs... I wonder who I'd represent anyway. Though I could be bribed to ask awkward questions if any rich benefactor funded me to get there. Anyway, "Good Season's Greetings" Young Man. :) You can always ask Tommy [...] Olsson how hard I am to understand on the phone but he has had a lot of practice with us foreigners.

Austin, not unless somebody else pays the costs… I wonder who I’d represent anyway. Though I could be bribed to ask awkward questions if any rich benefactor funded me to get there.

Anyway, “Good Season’s Greetings” Young Man. :)

]]> By: Robert Nyman http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2071 Robert Nyman Wed, 14 Dec 2005 12:22:25 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2071 Robert W, Thanks for the offer! Maybe I will, one day, although I really have some problems sometimes to understand British English... :-) Any chance you might go to a certain conference in Austin in March? Robert W,

Thanks for the offer!
Maybe I will, one day, although I really have some problems sometimes to understand British English… :-)

Any chance you might go to a certain conference in Austin in March?

]]> By: Robert wellock http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2070 Robert wellock Wed, 14 Dec 2005 11:35:49 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2070 You get that type of mispronunciation all the time around where I live. Due to the large ethnic minority and the low level of education the local townies seem to exhibit. Well, if you want to improve your understanding of spoken native English you can ring me, as long as you pay the phone bill – we can talk web standards or something. My broad accent would put your real-time thinking Swedish - English translation to the test. :) You get that type of mispronunciation all the time around where I live. Due to the large ethnic minority and the low level of education the local townies seem to exhibit.

Well, if you want to improve your understanding of spoken native English you can ring me, as long as you pay the phone bill – we can talk web standards or something.

My broad accent would put your real-time thinking Swedish - English translation to the test. :)

]]> By: Robert Nyman http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2069 Robert Nyman Wed, 14 Dec 2005 10:59:11 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2069 Justin, Yeah, that and people waving at you... Happens all the time. :-) Justin,

Yeah, that and people waving at you…
Happens all the time. :-)

]]> By: Justin Palmer http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2068 Justin Palmer Wed, 14 Dec 2005 09:20:28 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2068 What is truly embarrassing is when you see someone coming towards you with their hand out thinking they're out to shake your hand and it turns out to be the stiff behind you. ;-) What is truly embarrassing is when you see someone coming towards you with their hand out thinking they’re out to shake your hand and it turns out to be the stiff behind you. ;-)

]]> By: Robert Nyman http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2067 Robert Nyman Tue, 13 Dec 2005 21:45:22 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2067 Jules, Thanks for the anecdote! Chris, Merci! However, that is hardly true, there is <em>so</em> much I don't know when it comes to the English language; I'm very far from fluent. I think one's English language skills really get put to the test when talking, though, because then one has to find the right expression/word right instantly. Anyway, we have to meet in real life and then you can test me! :-) Jules,

Thanks for the anecdote!

Chris,

Merci! However, that is hardly true, there is so much I don’t know when it comes to the English language; I’m very far from fluent. I think one’s English language skills really get put to the test when talking, though, because then one has to find the right expression/word right instantly.

Anyway, we have to meet in real life and then you can test me! :-)

]]> By: Chris http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2064 Chris Tue, 13 Dec 2005 15:39:54 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2064 Anyway Robert, how come you write (and probably speak) English so well? I know Swedish people generally speak English well but you are really fluent, are'nt you. Time to say it all Robert ;-) Anyway Robert, how come you write (and probably speak) English so well? I know Swedish people generally speak English well but you are really fluent, are’nt you. Time to say it all Robert ;-)

]]> By: Jules http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2063 Jules Tue, 13 Dec 2005 15:03:55 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2063 Apparently, like Robert, the compliment wasn't directed at me, she said that to anyone. Apparently, like Robert, the compliment wasn’t directed at me, she said that to anyone.

]]> By: jordan http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2062 jordan Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:54:22 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2062 Jules: Did anything ever come of that, then? ;) Jules: Did anything ever come of that, then? ;)

]]> By: Jules http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2060 Jules Tue, 13 Dec 2005 14:20:12 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2005/12/13/an-embarrassing-compliment/#comment-2060 Before I start, I want to assure people that I am not teasing the Pakistani of their pronunciation but, if they have not been raised in an English country (substitute any language for English), their native pronunciations and unfamiliarity of the English language can make a person hear something different than what was spoken (not unlike your example above). In a chemistry course at university, we had a lab tutor who was Pakistani. Whenever she wanted to demonstrate something to us, she would ask us to go over to her. What she should of said was I want you to come over here but with her unfamiliarity with English (Canadian) grammar, she said I'll have you come over here. If you throw in her accent, it sounded like I love you, come over here. I remember that she was very pretty so I appreciated the compliment and went over to her right away but many of my classmates chuckled each time she said that. Before I start, I want to assure people that I am not teasing the Pakistani of their pronunciation but, if they have not been raised in an English country (substitute any language for English), their native pronunciations and unfamiliarity of the English language can make a person hear something different than what was spoken (not unlike your example above).

In a chemistry course at university, we had a lab tutor who was Pakistani. Whenever she wanted to demonstrate something to us, she would ask us to go over to her. What she should of said was I want you to come over here but with her unfamiliarity with English (Canadian) grammar, she said I’ll have you come over here. If you throw in her accent, it sounded like I love you, come over here.

I remember that she was very pretty so I appreciated the compliment and went over to her right away but many of my classmates chuckled each time she said that.

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