Questions about English language & grammar

[istanbulgal]

Originally Posted by jandros

Spanish experts: Sí/no? This is a question of how to properly re-phrase, English <-> Spanish, "I want to go to bed"

You're way off topic, but I'll make an exception:

I want to go to sleep - Quiero ir a dormir.

The Spanish/Castillian experts however, are Xiurell & MaresLejanos!

[xiurell]

Originally Posted by istanbulgal

You're way off topic, but I'll make an exception:

I want to go to sleep - Quiero ir a dormir.

The Spanish/Castillian experts however, are Xiurell & MaresLejanos!

You're right, sounds better, or "quiero irme a dormir" to make emphasis, that's what I'm going to do right now, the "siesta"

[MaresLejanos]

Originally Posted by xiurell

You're right, sounds better, or "quiero irme a dormir" to make emphasis, that's what I'm going to do right now, the "siesta"

Siesta??? It's just midday!!!

"Me quiero ir a dormir" is the same you've written, but with different order, LOL

Have a good nap my friend

[istanbulgal]

Buenas tardes lazy people! Xiurell: isn't siesta just for summer time?! If you want to live longer, you need to sleep less.

It is morning here and I have no plans to sleep until night time!!

Just so we're not off topic, here are some good English articles so you can practice those short/long/soft/silent vowels & their 15 sounds.

My city wins! We got 33 votes versus 11 & 7 by the other countries.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/panamg...5-pan-am-games

Sleep Less!
http://www.listsergeant.com/site/ind...ong_your_life/

Have a great weekend/finde y besos a ambos!

[Orwa]

Can i explain something in spanish friends????, i believe in the whole language we should never say "I want to go to bed" cuz "Bed" is never a place we go to it..., we should say, "i want to sleep" so it will be, yo queriro sleep, aren't i am soooo nice?

And to not be off topic, Mr. J said, "I want to go "TO" bed or it should be "i want to go bed"

[MaresLejanos]

Orwie,

Welcome back my friend . Have you missed us? You better have hehehe

I'm not sure, but I think the correct grammar in this case is "I want to go to bed"/"I go to bed"/"I'm going to my bed", but probably in spoken language and to make it short some one could say "I go bed" (at least I have the impression of having heard that in some movies), but I don't think it's correct , let the teachers explain it

------------------------------------------------
Istanbulgal: congratulations for the 2015 Pan Am Games, I will travel to your city then . I'm more than sure that Canada will do a great job in the organization of that games, probably better than other countries.

[Orwa]

And can i don't miss you Ms. D?? lol, even though i didn't but as you said, i'd better have to

Actually i have been told that it can be "I want to go home" but it is wrong to say "I want to go to home", so i was just wondering

Thanks for the welcoming miss, you're tooo nice

[istanbulgal]

Originally Posted by MaresLejanos

1. but probably in spoken language and to make it short some one could say "I go bed" (at least I have the impression of having heard that in some movies), but I don't think it's correct
------------------------------------------------
2. Istanbulgal: congratulations for the 2015 Pan Am Games, I will travel to your city then . I'm more than sure that Canada will do a great job in the organization of that games, probably better than other countries.

1. NO, you should never say 'I go bed', it is incorrect grammar. I have actually never heard anyone speak that way, except 'gringos' of course.

Slang:
Hitting the sack (going to bed)
He got sacked (he got fired)..and there are many more!

I don't have time now to explain why 'going home' is correct and 'going bed' is not. I'll explain another time or perhaps Jandros can explain when he wakes up.

2. Thank you, of course Toronto will do a fav. job. And no, I cannot wait 5 years for you to come here, you must come next winter at the very latest. But sure you should come for the games too, book your holiday now, you just need your flight!

Orwie: Welcome back, this place was dead without you!

Have a nice day, I'll come back much later!

[xiurell]

"In fact, researchers have discovered that those who get around six hours a night live longer than those who get eight hours or more, or those that get four hours or less. So, stay up, watch a little late night TV, and live longer, or get up a little earlier in the morning, giving yourself a little me time, or reducing the stress of rushing to work. Either way, you’ll be getting added benefits. Think of it as health multi tasking." blah, blah, blah...

After a working week who can resist on the weekend a "1hour-siesta"...Well, I don't

[jandros]

Welcome back Orwie!!! Glad your trip was so succcessful!

Congratulations Istanbulgal for landing the Pan-Am games!!

Xiurell, if I haven't expressed this before, I have great respect for your skills and assistance in the Spanish section, and thanks for helping to stimulate this English topic ..... speaking of multi-tasking ... and the corresponding need for restful, rejuvenative siestas in all seasons

Also in tone with Istanbulgal's advice ... sleep less and live longer? ... in the USA a lot of business people take "power naps", 5 or 10 minute naps during lunch, on a bus or train or whenever the opportunity presents itself. But when I was in Italy, power naps became a major afternoon event

For myself, if I sleep more than 7 hours I'll feel sluggish all day. I think about 6 or 6-1/2 hours is "optimum".
...edit: More correctly, I should've written is the optimum (noun) or is optimal (adjective)... and I eliminated a redundant phrase at the end.

Originally Posted by MaresLejanos

Orwie,

.... I'm not sure, but I think the correct grammar in this case is "I want to go to bed"/"I go to bed"/"I'm going to my bed", but probably in spoken language and to make it short some one could say "I go bed" (at least I have the impression of having heard that in some movies), but I don't think it's correct , let the teachers explain it

And this was part of my point (my hope) for getting off-topic ... part of my own struggles to learn other languages is learning how to use typical phrases, not just words themselves, but how certain things are commonly said.

Mares, the most common way to say it in English is I'm going to bed, or (slang) I've gotta go to bed***. This is a little different, because there is no article (a/the) preceding the noun bed.

And by contrast, Istanbulgal's other example "I'm going home" ... no article, and also no preposition "to". What's up with that??? It's just the strangeness of English, but only as it corresponds to the "strangeness" of other languages that I've tried to learn

***I've got to go to bed (with emphasis, desperate for sleep!)

I'm going home, he went home, he's gonna go home now.

The 15 vowel sounds: If that seems to be an oversimplication (as English appears to have so many exceptions), I want to stress that all single-vowel sounds have a basis in Istanbulgal's "Rule of 15", and I think it should always be used as an anchor in all further learning.

[jandros]

Originally Posted by istanbulgal

...
I don't have time now to explain why 'going home' is correct and 'going bed' is not. I'll explain another time or perhaps Jandros can explain when he wakes up.

When I wake up??? What are you trying to suggest, that I sleep all morning???
j/k

Thanks for your vote of confidence, but I can't explain it either. I can't even suggest any applicable linguistic history for this incredibly common phrase, but maybe it's one of those things that came out of Old or Middle English. Maybe Shakespeare invented this particular weirdness (idiosyncrasy) of ye olde English

[jandros]

I've got it!! I think!! To explain the phrase I'm going home, first some key examples:

I'm going away.
I'm going outside/outdoors.
The elevator is going up/down.

In those examples, adverbs describe where or how something is going. And in the links below, you'll see that the word home can be used as not only a noun, but also as an adjective, a verb, and even an adverb:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...=3&search=home
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/home?view=uk

So in the phrase I'm going home, home is used as an adverb that describes where.

[jandros]

Follow-up:

In the other example "'I'm going to bed", assuming that we mean the bed, then bed is certainly a noun. However, it is theoretically possible to extend the sentence and make the word "bed" a verb: "I'm going to bed myself" ... where "to bed" becomes an infinitive verb, and "myself" is the object of the action. Maybe that can explain it ...

..... or not ..... Istanbulgal, what do you think? Does this suggest any other correlations in British or Canadian English, as I suspect there might be? Or is this some crazy-weird idea that I should've kept to myself?

[MaresLejanos]

Jandros

Thank you so much for yoru explanation, it makes sense for me

Istanbulgal

Okey my friend, I'll try to visit you in Toronto before 2015

[jandros]

You're most welcome Mares, I'm glad it made sense to someone

[TheNuttyOne]

Originally Posted by jandros

I've got it!! I think!! To explain the phrase I'm going home, first some key examples:

I'm going away.
I'm going outside/outdoors.
The elevator is going up/down.

In those examples, adverbs describe where or how something is going. And in the links below, you'll see that the word home can be used as not only a noun, but also as an adjective, a verb, and even an adverb:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...=3&search=home
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/home?view=uk

So in the phrase I'm going home, home is used as an adverb that describes where.

Also home is both a physical and an emotional place. I can say: My home is the park bench. But house/apartment is a physical place.

Ex. You are returning from a vacation on a plane and you say: I am going home. The plane isn't going to land on top of your house, nor do you live at the airport.

so maybe it's a physical vs mental/emotional concept? I am going home / I am going crazy.

[MaresLejanos]

Nutty One!!! Long time not see you here, welcome back!!!

Thanks for your "aporte" here, I don't know how to say it in English, so maybe Istanbulgal could translate this words. In any rate, thank you

[istanbulgal]

Originally Posted by jandros

I've got it!! I think!! To explain the phrase I'm going home, first some key examples:

I'm going away.
I'm going outside/outdoors.
The elevator is going up/down.

In those examples, adverbs describe where or how something is going. And in the links below, you'll see that the word home can be used as not only a noun, but also as an adjective, a verb, and even an adverb:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...=3&search=home
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/home?view=uk

So in the phrase I'm going home, home is used as an adverb that describes where.

Great explanation and links, however, the simpler answer, as you had indicated in an earlier post, is that there are always exceptions to the rule & in that case you just need to memorize them!

Preposition 'to', expressing movement, does not apply to the following words:

downtown, uptown
downstairs, upstairs
inside, outside
home

You need only remember 4 words, the rest, just remember it applies to the opposite word as well, eg. inside/outside.

1. He prefers to live downtown rather than uptown.

2. The noise is coming from downstairs, but perhaps I'm mistaken and is coming from upstairs.

3. It's cold outside, so let's go inside, shall we?

4. I will be coming home late tonight.

Such lovely songs:

Driving Home for Christmas- Chris Rea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK1od...om=PL&index=12

Home - Michael Bublé
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxz6Zkl85GA

As you could see, the preposition 'to' was not used in any of the above mentioned words, now, all you need to do is memorize them.

There are other prepositions that don't apply to these words, however, I'm going to work now!

[istanbulgal]

Originally Posted by MaresLejanos

Thanks for your "aporte" here, I don't know how to say it in English, so maybe Istanbulgal could translate this words. In any rate, thank you

aporte = contribution/input/feedback.

*****
At any rate, you are always welcome amiga.

[xiurell]

Originally Posted by jandros

Xiurell, if I haven't expressed this before, I have great respect for your skills and assistance in the Spanish section, and thanks for helping to stimulate this English topic

Thanks for your kind words I have always loved learning new languages maybe it's because I'm bilingual, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank people like you and Istanbulgal for of the help you give us

[Orwa]

Hello people, i have received a message from somebody says:

the system for some reason was so slow and that is why..................

Shouldn't it be some reasons or reason? the fact that i know is "some" mentions plural, but here it has been said "REASON", any explanAtion

Thank you, more than much in advance

I am hitting the sack, good night guys, or duh, teachers

[citlalli]

Originally Posted by Orwa

Hello people, i have received a message from somebody says:

the system for some reason was so slow and that is why..................

Shouldn't it be some reasons or reason? the fact that i know is "some" mentions plural, but here it has been said "REASON", any explanAtion

Thank you, more than much in advance

I am hitting the sack, good night guys, or duh, teachers

No, that's perfectly right. "For some reason" is an expression used to say there can be one or more explanations but they are not known for sure.

And "some" is not always followed by the plural. It's possible to say for instance "Some day we'll know the truth"; which means the same as "One day we'll know the truth", it just stresses the uncertainty about when that day will be.

Well, if it's not clear then I hope some of the teachers will come and explain it to you (I'm pretty bad at explaining sorry)

Nighty night!!

[Orwa]

Originally Posted by citlalli

No, that's perfectly right. "For some reason" is an expression used to say there can be one or more explanations but they are not known for sure.

Nighty night!!

Does that mean the one who told me this word able to speak english better than me??, hmmmmm

I am running out of thank you's, but in word, thank you so much Citlalla-lalli-lalli for this post

[xiurell]

Originally Posted by citlalli

No, that's perfectly right. "For some reason" is an expression used to say there can be one or more explanations but they are not known for sure.

And "some" is not always followed by the plural. It's possible to say for instance "Some day we'll know the truth"; which means the same as "One day we'll know the truth", it just stresses the uncertainty about when that day will be.

Well, if it's not clear then I hope some of the teachers will come and explain it to you (I'm pretty bad at explaining sorry)

Nighty night!!

So it's like an normal adjective that doesn't agree in number with the noun?

[istanbulgal]

Orwie: Very good observation & question! As Citlalli mentioned, the noun that follows 'some', may be singular or plural, depending on the context of the text. 'Some' functions as: adverb, adjective or pronoun. Consider the following examples:

Singular only:
Would you like some water?
She needs some help.
He wants some money.

Plural only:
Some apples are very sweet.
Some/certain flowers are so beautiful.
I have some very good friends.

Plural or singular:
Some of the books I am currently reading, were borrowed from the library.
I am not able to find some book I bought last week.
Some day I will visit China.
Some days I feel lazy/lethargic.

Above examples do not include the conjunction for.

For some unknown cause, the system was slow.
For some strange reason, I do not like her.

[citlalli]

Originally Posted by Orwa

Does that mean the one who told me this word able to speak english better than me??, hmmmmm

LOL Orwie I have no idea... maybe... or maybe it only means he/she learned that expression before you

[citlalli]

Originally Posted by istanbulgal

Orwie: Very good observation & question! As Citlalli mentioned, the noun that follows 'some', may be singular or plural, depending on the context of the text. 'Some' functions as: adverb, adjective or pronoun. Consider the following examples:

Singular only:
Would you like some water?
She needs some help.
He wants some money.

Plural only:
Some apples are very sweet.
Some/certain flowers are so beautiful.
I have some very good friends.

Plural or singular:
Some of the books I am currently reading, were borrowed from the library.
I am not able to find some book I bought last week.
Some day I will visit China.
Some days I feel lazy/lethargic.

Above examples do not include the conjunction for.

For some unknown cause, the system was slow.
For some strange reason, I do not like her.

Thank you dear M there you go, that's a proper explanation (unlike mine )

[citlalli]

Originally Posted by xiurell

So it's like an normal adjective that doesn't agree in number with the noun?

Sometimes it doesn't agree, you're right (I guess it depends on whether it's an an adverb, adjective or pronoun as M said):

-Some day I'll learn how to ski.
-Some days I go swimming with my friends. (Not "somes days" ).


But I think for us native speakers of spanish it's easy because it works exactly like in spanish:

-Algún día aprenderé a esquiar.
-Algunos días voy a nadar con mis amigos.


Or Orwie's sentence: "For some reason..." "Por alguna razón..."

[Orwa]

Originally Posted by istanbulgal

Orwie: Very good observation & question! As Citlalli mentioned, the noun that follows 'some', may be singular or plural, depending on the context of the text. 'Some' functions as: adverb, adjective or pronoun. Consider the following examples:

Singular only:
Would you like some water?
She needs some help.
He wants some money.

Plural only:
Some apples are very sweet.
Some/certain flowers are so beautiful.
I have some very good friends.

Plural or singular:
Some of the books I am currently reading, were borrowed from the library.
I am not able to find some book I bought last week.
Some day I will visit China.
Some days I feel lazy/lethargic.

Above examples do not include the conjunction for.

For some unknown cause, the system was slow.
For some strange reason, I do not like her.

My dear teacher, thank you tooooooooooooooooooooo much, look, how many piece of salt do you have in your home?, i thank you as many piece of salt as you have hermana

That mean "some" means "random", correct??????

@Citlalli-lalli, i believe i know english more than that person, but maybe, maybe she learned this expression faster than me

[istanbulgal]

Originally Posted by citlalli

Thank you dear M there you go, that's a proper explanation (unlike mine )

Excuses, excuses, excuses....you can explain perfectly well in just about 10 languages & that is 1 more than I can, so why so modest?!