As we embark on the year 2016, it might be a good idea to go over some of the topics covered in previous posts and their relationship to the learning of the English language.
Anyone would agree that learning a new language is never easy. A language embodies not just rules that have evolved over centuries to form its grammar but it also includes certain cultural peculiarities that would be foreign to speakers of other languages.
A Vietnamese adult student of mine lamented the difficulty in learning the English language because there are rules that, on first sight, don't make sense to her. Only when the logic is explained does she appreciate these rules. As many languages as there are, there are differing logical applications of the grammars and language conventions.
(I will discuss a problematic rule that the Vietnamese student had in the next post as a further illustration of why differing logical applications are acceptable; there are no black and white here, it all depends on the perspective of the speaker or community.)
Coming back to the English language, we need to understand that even something that seems as minor as Punctuation is important in altering the meaning of a statement. Ignore the comma, and your statement changes in meaning. For instance:
Don't kill the weeds with pesticide.Don't, kill the weeds with pesticide.
Here, the two statements assume opposing stands. In the first statement, it is clear that the writer is advising against the killing of the weeds using pesticide. However, in the second statement, the killing of the weeds with pesticides is advocated instead and, presumably, alternative modes of getting rid of the weeds are deemed unacceptable.
In addition, one has to learn about the rules pertaining to Syntax so as to create intelligible sentences that get across the intention of the writer with clarity. Of course, one also has to understand logic behind the rules governing the Grammar so as to better internalise the learning of the language.
Finally, a language is boring if there is no Creative Expression, and as in any other language, the English language has produced master weavers who can expertly navigate through their thoughts and express these thoughts in artistic forms.
If you would like to find out more about the English courses that The Pear Tree Centre for Education offers, or would like to discuss possible areas in which we can help you with your English language learning so that we can adapt according to your needs, contact us at admin1@thepeartree.info - we will not only teach you the basics but gradually, guide you to achieve creativity in your use of the language as well!
