Text 27582, 55 rader
Skriven 2012-04-03 11:03:18 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
  Kommentar till text 27579 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
Ärende: Re: Fidonews Vol 29 No 09 February 27, 2012 Page: 2
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Bob,
 
RB> Which has no bearning on what I wrote unless foreign languages are taught
RB> in Belgium exclusively by translating written foreign texts, with no
RB> verbal practice and no language labs. In that case, I congratulate you.
 
During my high-school days there were no language labs here. Our study of
English mainly centered on the works of Shakespeare, Byron, Keats, Shelley ...
and when I set foot on US-soil on June 27 1972 for the very first time, I
quickly realized how little real English I knew to even sustain a conversation.
I was largely helpless the first days when entering a diner and trying to get
some food, Shakespeare never had a hamburger ordered or spaghetti with
meatballs in one of his plays.
 
My English-abilities merely come forth from being subjected to a
language-environment, though having studied it at grade-school (starting at
age-10) 6 years of high-school and 2 years during my college-stint without a
back-up plan in my native language. 10 years in a classroom didn't bring me the
type of "everyday English" you would need to sustain a conversation or not
starve to death.
 
RB> Yes. This is precisely what I've heard about Japanese taught English by
RB> translating written texts, as used to be standard there.
 
"You have heard ..." ... well, I've heard that Elvis is alive.
 
Having lived in a country where language-study is a basic part of the
curriculum during several years, and I'm not talking the US highschool-level
(sorry, American friends, not bashing, merely stating a fact ... I've speeched
at US high-schools during foreign-language classes), then I'm really sorry but
I cannot accept that such a type of education exists with decent results.
 
RB> Then, of course, there's the question that some have also raised here,
RB> whether you actually were trying to talk to the person you thought you
RB> had on the line. Possibly it was someone else. You also could have had a
RB> bad phone line, even one bad only in one direction. In an uncertain
RB> situation, I wouldn't eliminate any possibility.
 
It's irrelevant. The man was listed CM so when polling the line it should be
answered by a modem or not answered at all. Any other type of reply at that
time was inacceptable.
 
FYI, after about 7 voice dial-attempts over several days at different times of
the day, I abandoned as there was 'always' a voice-reply, even during what
would be Chinese Zone Mail Hour at the location where the man lived.
 
I'm sorry, Bob, Bin Li was a place-holder for something that didn't exist but
served a certain purpose nevertheless.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/@rd

--- D'Bridge 3.59
 * Origin: Many Glacier / Protect - Preserve - Conserve (2:292/854)