Spring Chickens, Good Vibes, Bosa Nova punk and David Lynch
Dear Ana Paula,
Thank-you so much for your recommendations regarding Brazilian musicians. I’m particularly intrigued by the strange object playing artist Vander Lee so I’ll be sure to check him/her out (male or female?). I’ve made a note of them all and will see if I can get hold of any of their stuff. I also like the sound of Ana Carolina (a good vibe is everything!). Perhaps I’ll get a radio show out of this! I was surprised to hear that Bosa Nova is only 50 years old (it’s also a spring chicken!). For some reason, I thought it was older. I’ve never really been into it although a couple of years ago an interesting Bosa Nova band from France came on the scene. They were called Nouvelle Vague which as you might know is a reference to a type of French Cinema movement. Their thing was to do cover versions of English punk songs in a Bosa Nova style! Quite a strange but very successful mix!!!
As regards watching movies, I love it! Nowadays, what with little Nehir around, we haven’t been able to go to the cinema much but we do watch DVDs at home. What is this “seventh art”? Is it a film or is it a term for “film” that I haven’t come across before? (How wonderful this blogging is, I’m learning so much!!!). Personally I’m into art house cinema. I like independent film makers, my favourite being the great David Lynch. I love the way he tells stories through a series of emotional and psychological states. I’m deeply moved and intrigued by his visual imagery and sound and the emotions, memories and ideas they stir within me! How about you? What type of films are you into and why?
Thanks for posting the pictures of Mogi Das Cruzes. It’s certainly in a beautiful setting nestled in at the foot of those mountains and surrounded by forest. Sounds like you have the best of both worlds a well connected city life close and well connected to nature (like Istanbul!).
Regarding your question about which preposition to use with Skype, I think you should use “on”. How do I know? Well just from “noticing” how other people use it. Also, because I know that people usually use “on” when they talk about internet communication software/sights in general (on MSN, on Yahoo, etc) and we say that we talk “on” the telephone don’t we. There is no “rule” regarding this type of use of preposition especially with such a modern word like “Skype”. People could have started using “through” but somehow they didn’t. Actually language did not emerge from any kind of “set of rules” in the first place, people started using similar words and phrases and patterns began to emerge. So my advice to all of you in matters like this is: The key to becoming a really fluent and accurate speaker of any language is to listen and read as much as you can. Then, while you read and listen, consciously start noticing language use, make a note and then try to use the language you picked up on. This is after all close to the way you acquired your native language! As you are such an advanced English speaker (at least writer!) you have probably already realized that native speakers use chunks of language all the time and that some words are used together and others not (like “on the internet” not “at the internet” with no rhyme or reason so your best hope is to notice this and try to store it somewhere (in your head preferably but a notebook is helpful! There are some very good dictionaries around like the Collins Cobuild Dictionary that will give you information about things like which preposition is used with which noun or verb but always sticking your nose in a dictionary can be a bit boring!
Todays Task!
Noticing language use:
Look at how I have used prepositions in today’s blog.
Which nouns or verbs are they used together with?
Are the prepositions part of any useful phrases or “chunks” or even whole sentences that you can use yourselves?
Make a list of at least 5 chunks I used with prepositions.
Some more pics of my ladies!
Comments
Hi teacher, it is strange how some expressions are very used in a language or in a country and are not known in others. Here it is very common to hear talk about the seventh art, when they are commenting about cinema in general. I couldn´t post for some days but I see that you also haven´t written every day. Perhaps in the week end I can do some of your homework.
Hi Simon, Though I know watching movies and listening songs help us to learn the language in certain way, I couldn’t watch English cinema and listen songs. I will try. In the end of the blog you mentioned reading and listening help us very much to learn the language in many ways. Many teachers here stressed this point again and again to the readers to follow. I do reading some time and then give a break for long time. I must regularize this habit to acquire the language. I must fix the time to read, it may be few pages but I should follow how the words, prepositions and verbs are used. have a nice weekend.
Hi Simon, I've read your blog three times in order to do the hw, phew. This time the homework is really tuff :(. Im very weak in prepositions. But i've tried hope you will pointout our mistakes in oyur next blog or atleast post the correct answers. So, lets startoff: 1- Verbs: Intrigue (Intrigued by), make (made a not of), get (get hold of), surround (surrounded by), pick (picked up on), stick (sticking your nose), try (try to store). Now nouns: surprise (surprsed to), couple (couple of), speaker (speaker of).nestle (nestled in at the foot) 2- intrigued by the strange object, get hold of any of their stuff., sticking your nose in a dictionary , speaker of any language, nestled in at the foot . Now i've done my hw. Do you mean opera from art house cinema. I've never been to any opera in my life. Do u like opera?. I've seen once in a movie and the man was describing a story through singing. It looks quite diffciult to understand the theme of the drama. Thats all for now. Mahjabeen
Hi Simon, I wonder if it's possible to become fluent speaker without going to where English is spoken.And not only for holiday but for longer period of time, communicate only in English. That would be the fastest way and the most efficiant. I don't like easy challenges, so I'm going to stay in Poland and try to do what seems to be impossible. Mission impossible ! :-)( That's example of films which I don't like) The list of prepositions which I like from your blog. I'm particularly intrugued by ... ... if I can get hold of any of their stuff. Interesting Bosa Nova band from France came on the stage. ... a term that I haven't came across before. Language didn't emerge from any kind of set of rules in the first place. That's all for this time Bye.
Hi Simon, Thank you for your tips regarding prepositions. I also noticed that when people speak about internet they use "on". However I have some doubts with telephone communications.When you want to communicate somenone to someone else you say"I'll get you through to her/him" is it right? But when you say that you have talked "to" the phone with someone, is it right to use the preposition "to" or "on" as you told us? I'm at the office right now, I'll try to do the homework at home. Best Wishes, Cris
Hi Simon! It was a pleasure to read all the article word after word twice at least. It has shown very precisely the weakness in my learning. Lots of fun at your radio show and a happy weekend to everyone!
Hi Simon, it's so nice communicating with you again. I have to say that this picture of your daughter is really beautiful. She's really a great treasure of yours, isn't she? I love to watch movies too. You said these days you have to watch DVDs. I have the same problem, for different reasons. It's just that we don't have movie theaters near where I live. The nearest one is 50 km away, and it's not a good one. It's good to watch DVDs, but I miss the big screen. It's a whole different experience that involves not only watching the film but also leaving home, meeting people, bying popcorn etc. Now the exercise: 5 useful chunks: I'll be sure to / if I can get a hold of / thank you so much for / I've made a note of / I've never really been into it Well, that's it for now Simon, See you more later. Bye bye.
Hi Simon! I like to solve your tasks. Prepositions are not easy to get acquainted with. But no pain, no gain you know. The equivalent phrase in Russian sounds like “without efforts you’ll never get the fish from waters” By the way, the particular thought strikes my mind from time to time: to what extend is Russian language complicated for learners from abroad? I really pity them. Well, as for using prepositions, or I’d better say chunks, in your the last blog: so much for, intrigued by, I’ll be sure to check, For some reason, came on the scene, set of rules, the language you picked up on. That’s all for now. Many thanks.
Hi, how are you?. I've picked up on your entry whales -(a little question, here whales have rhyme and reason??)- of names or verbs with prepositions (in fact I'm becoming addict at this site). My 5 chuncks are: 1-. sticking your nose in 2.-it’s also a spring chicken 3-. with no rhyme or reason 4-.setting nestled in 5-. ideas they stir within me See you.
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