Text 17683, 53 rader
Skriven 2005-12-03 22:46:00 av FRANK SCHEIDT (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av WARD DOSSCHE
Ärende: Did US *Lose* WWII?
===========================
-=> Quoting Ward Dossche to Frank Scheidt <=-

 >> I think what surprised me most was where he said the US had *not*
 >> won WWII, i.e., that we had *lost* it ... wotta guy!!!
 
 > WD> Now just try ... "The Americans have not won WW2, the Allies did".
 
 > Are those his exact words?????   Or has a bit of "editing" taken
 > place?  The way anyone would have read what he *did* say was that
 > the Americans *lost* WWII.  If we *lost* it, then Germany must
 > have won it ... [sigh] ...
 WD> 
 WD> You must remember several of us write in a language which is not our
 WD> native tongue. Being able to write the language grammatically
 WD> flawlessly does not necessarily mean the representation of the line of
 WD> thinking of a native English speaker has been kept intact.

I *realize* that and consider it a major accomplishment on your 
part, since, in general the English most of you use is very good.  
I speak only English but that has proven to be adequate 
consider my way of living.  Furthermore, *knowing* Europeans 
(aside from Britons) do not have English as a first language, 
I've avoided criticizing the wording or spelling.  

(One time I made the mistake of trying to help one of your 
"group" and received nothing but grief as a result.  The guy 
took the attitude that I was harassing him or something 
while I was simply trying to help him express himself 
better ... [sigh] ...)
 
 WD> Quite often, and I suffer from the same problem, these are thoughts
 WD> translated into another language. The intention may be there to say
 WD> something, but it not always comes out the way it was intended to be.
 WD> Do not crucify us for that. 

When the English used is flawed I *try* to understand what was 
meant.  However, when the English is flawless I have to believe 
that what was said was what was *meant*!  Your (generic) English 
is *far* superior to my German which is the only language I know 
*anything* about, since I used to read German chemical literature 
extensively.

 WD> We could always invite you into out own conferences in French or
 WD> German or Spanish and see how well you would be able to make sense in a
 WD> language in which you are not a native speaker.

That would provide some comic relief for you ... heh heh heh ...

... "I enjoy making bicycle wheels," Tom spoke up.

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