English Practice, feel free to try your "skills"

Lozen

26th August 2006, 10:39

QUOTE(mianna @ Aug 24 2006, 05:46)

no, I don't like "always suspect". a bad impression doesn't mean always "suspect", is just a bad impression

you can't see his character from the window

so, I like more your first choice.

Yes, right, of course, you can't judge a person by the way he looks. I was thinking that the speaker is being ironic here. Maybe he is saying that for some people, just because he is young, long-haired and smiling, he is automatically up to no good. Maybe he looks kind of hippyish and he thinks some people (for example, old ladies) will judge him to be a dubious character.

Lozen

26th August 2006, 11:00

QUOTE(krossfire @ Aug 24 2006, 07:15)

Could this be adressed as a general question ? Proper "English exposure" is tehnically impossible, unless you establish contact with native speakers.

You've just established contact with a native speaker.

Moi.

QUOTE

Most DVD and SVCD movies can be watched without subtitles. If your question pointed to the availablity of untranslated English movies on regular tv channels, I think TCM might be the answer you seek.

errr... I'm not looking for untranslated movies or TV shows; I can get them here.

But thanks anyway

I was just wondering if you had regular exposure to English through undubbed movies/shows. Most Romanians I've met speak (or write) excellent English, so I was wondering what accounted for this. Anyway, if you can understand movies and TV shows in English easily, you're probably quite advanced. I've tried doing this with French and it's hard.

QUOTE(Fr3ak @ Aug 24 2006, 02:26)

You've heard wrong. Nowadays, almost every foreign channel is either subtitled or dubbed. On cable...because I don't know how this works on satellite, but I think that on satellite you get the original signal, without editing,

Oops, I meant "undubbed" not "unsubtitled." My sentence should have been:

I heard that you can watch English language TV/movies without dubbing in Romania.

Sorry for the confusion.

Fr3ak

26th August 2006, 13:16

QUOTE(Lozen @ Aug 26 2006, 12:00)

Oops, I meant "undubbed" not "unsubtitled." My sentence should have been:

I heard that you can watch English language TV/movies without dubbing in Romania.

Sorry for the confusion.

yeah...that's right. If I think hard, I cannot remember any romanian channel that dubs movies.

krossfire

26th August 2006, 15:10

QUOTE(Fr3ak @ Aug 26 2006, 14:16)

yeah...that's right. If I think hard, I cannot remember any romanian channel that dubs movies.

Actually, Cartoon Network dubs toons here (they broadcast through a regional satellite), thus destroying the first chance of the little ones to immerse into the magical world of English.

Fr3ak

26th August 2006, 15:15

QUOTE(krossfire @ Aug 26 2006, 16:10)

Actually, Cartoon Network dubs toons here (they broadcast through a regional satellite), thus destroying the first chance of the little ones to immerse into the magical world of English.

I was talking of Romanian channels

(please read again

)

krossfire

26th August 2006, 15:18

Yes...but Romanian channels are generally too lame to be taken into consideration

gtk

26th August 2006, 17:48

QUOTE(Lozen @ Aug 26 2006, 12:00)

Oops, I meant "undubbed" not "unsubtitled." My sentence should have been:

I heard that you can watch English language TV/movies without dubbing in Romania.

Sorry for the confusion.

There are no dubbed movies/tv shows in Romania, except for animated cartoons or shows for children. Almost everything is either subtitled or untranslated.

Lozen

27th August 2006, 16:52

I have a question. When you hear "alune prăjite" do you think of a specific kind of nut or just nuts in general?

Does this kind of nut come to mind?

These are "hazelnuts" and I know that in Europe it's very popular, so I was wondering if "alune" is just an all-purpose word for all kinds of nuts or if you use it to specifically to designate "hazelnuts."

Mulţumesc

P.S.

How do you make those small image boxes that I've seen on some posts? I would prefer to post those instead of a huge picture like the above

Fr3ak

27th August 2006, 18:51

QUOTE(Lozen @ Aug 27 2006, 17:52)

I have a question. When you hear "alune prăjite" do you think of a specific kind of nut or just nuts in general?

Does this kind of nut come to mind?

These are "hazelnuts" and I know that in Europe it's very popular, so I was wondering if "alune" is just an all-purpose word for all kinds of nuts or if you use it to specifically to designate "hazelnuts."

Mulţumesc

in general many people say alune and refer at any of them. e.g.: ciocolată cu alune = either hazel nut chocolate or peanut chocolate.

however , the correct forms are „alune” for hazel nuts and „arahide” for peanuts.

QUOTE(Lozen @ Aug 27 2006, 17:52)

P.S.

How do you make those small image boxes that I've seen on some posts? I would prefer to post those instead of a huge picture like the above

Those are attachments. Like this:
Click pentru a vizualiza ataşamentul

krossfire

27th August 2006, 19:10

Man, you took the words right out of my mouth...

About the hazelnuts...they remind me of one of the most nauseating songs I've ever heard (and yet, it had something that made me listen to it again) : The Darkness - Hazel Eyes. (although hazel means "caprui", the word itself brought a flash-back).

Fr3ak

27th August 2006, 20:13

QUOTE(Fr3ak @ Aug 27 2006, 19:51)

in general many people say alune and refer at any of them. e.g.: ciocolată cu alune = either hazel nut chocolate or peanut chocolate.

I think it's my bad...

Lozen

28th August 2006, 15:45

QUOTE(Lozen @ Aug 27 2006, 08:52)

... so I was wondering if "alune" is just an all-purpose word for all kinds of nuts or if you use it ~~to specifically to designate~~ "hazelnuts."

It should be: ...if you use it to specifically designate hazelnuts.

Sorry, that was a typo. I would hate for you guys to duplicate my mistakes

----

Yes, it should be "refer to"

Lozen

3rd September 2006, 15:33

If I wanted to say "Here's something interesting, yesterday I read that..," would I say it like this:

1. Iată ceva interesant, ieri am citit că...

2. Ceva interesant, ieri am citit că...

3*. Iată ceva de interesant, ieri am citit că...

4*. Ceva de interesant, ieri am citit că...

5. None of the above. Instead, I would say __________

----------------

Which of these would be correct? Which would be the most natural? Thanks!

* I thought of "ceva de interesant" because in French they say "quelque chose d'intéressant" and I thought maybe Romanian would follow the same pattern.

Fr3ak

3rd September 2006, 18:16

QUOTE(Lozen @ Sep 3 2006, 16:33)

If I wanted to say "Here's something interesting, yesterday I read that..," would I say it like this:

1. Iată ceva interesant, ieri am citit că...

2. Ceva interesant, ieri am citit că...

3*. Iată ceva de interesant, ieri am citit că...

4*. Ceva de interesant, ieri am citit că...

5. None of the above. Instead, I would say __________

----------------

Which of these would be correct? Which would be the most natural? Thanks!
* I thought of "ceva de interesant" because in French they say "quelque chose d'intéressant" and I thought maybe Romanian would follow the same pattern.

„Ceva de interesant” is not correct, in any way. So that is excluded. No1. is correct, no2. is grammaticaly correct, but it doesn't sound good and it is translated: "Something interesting, yesterday, I read that...". So, no.1 fits perfect for your phrase.

Lozen

5th September 2006, 14:29

Thanks Freak

I have another question. How would you express intention in the past?

For example:

I was going to go to the party, but I've changed my mind.

I was going to take the train, but I think I'll take a plane instead.

Would it be:

Intenţionam să merg la petrece, dar am schimbat minte.

Intenţionam să merg cu tren, dar cred că o să merg cu avion.

If you can think of more natural and *native* ways to express these thoughts, please suggest them. Muţumesc anticipat!

gtk

5th September 2006, 16:26

Intenţionam să merg la petrece, dar m-am răzgândit.

Intenţionam să merg cu un tren, dar cred că o să merg cu un avion.

eventual se pot inlocui "un avion", "un tren" cu "avionul" respectiv "trenul"...

Lozen

5th September 2006, 17:12

ah ok, got it! Thanks gtk!

gtk

5th September 2006, 19:14

You're welcome!

Fr3ak

6th September 2006, 22:26

QUOTE(Lozen @ Sep 5 2006, 15:29)

Thanks Freak

I have another question. How would you express intention in the past?

For example:

I was going to go to the party, but I've changed my mind.

I was going to take the train, but I think I'll take a plane instead.

Would it be:

Intenţionam să merg la petrece, dar am schimbat minte.

Intenţionam să merg cu tren, dar cred că o să merg cu avion.

If you can think of more natural and *native* ways to express these thoughts, please suggest them. Muţumesc anticipat!

You use the „intention verbs”* at a tense called „Imperfect” (L'imparfait).

* a dori, a intenţiona, a vrea etc.

Bebeluska

7th September 2006, 12:00

cum zic "firma de constructii" in engleza?

RPD PLS

Lozen

7th September 2006, 12:17

QUOTE(Bebeluska @ Sep 7 2006, 04:00)

cum zic "firma de constructii" in engleza?

RPD PLS

"Construction company"? (This is what we usually call it in the US)

This is a company that builds things like houses or office buildings.

RPD PLS = rapid please??

Fr3ak

7th September 2006, 12:19

QUOTE(Lozen @ Sep 7 2006, 13:17)

"Construction company"? (This is what we usually call it in the US)

This is a company that builds things like houses or office buildings.

RPD PLS = rapid please??

Subscriu

@Lozen Yes it is

@Bebeluska: http://forum.softpedia.com/index.php?showtopic=67711

fracture

7th September 2006, 12:19

QUOTE(Bebeluska @ Sep 7 2006, 09:00)

cum zic "firma de constructii" in engleza?

RPD PLS

Constructions enterprise?

djclocky

7th September 2006, 12:20

QUOTE(Bebeluska @ Sep 7 2006, 13:00)

cum zic "firma de constructii" in engleza?

RPD PLS

Construction firm.

moonchild11

7th September 2006, 14:58

QUOTE(Lozen @ Sep 7 2006, 13:17)

dantura = teeth

I was reading some of the earlier thread, and while for the poem's purpose 'dantura' works nicely translated as teeth, the approximately corresponding english word (elevated, professional, etc) is dentition.

So, in summary, if you're curious:

tooth/teeth = dinte/dinti
dentition = dantura
denture = proteza (= prosthetic teeth)