Da Elephant, The Fridge, Da Octopus

[Patexpat]

Well as we seem to have a number of spelling and grammar experts on this board, and may be amongst them an English teacher or two, I wonder if anyone has heard of the following occurring elsewhere ...

We had a small gathering of friends at my home, two falangs and five Thais. I was wearing a T-shirt with the logo 'The Elephant King' on it .... upon which one Thai friend pointed out that it was wrong, and it should read "Da Elephant King'.

Why? because he had been taught at school that when the noun began with a vowel, then it should be addressed with 'Da', and when a consonant then 'The'. Furthermore the other 4 Thais all from different parts of Thailand and therefore different schools agreed, as they had all been taught by their (Thai) English teachers that this was so.

As it happens I gained an A grade in English when I was at school (yes alright a long time ago) but of course I was in the wrong as no way could there teachers have been incorrect. Well not until I persuaded them otherwise by beating them round the head with a stick of specially imported Yorkshire rhubarb .... however it does seem to highlight the quality of English teaching in schools AND emphasis the blind faith Thais have in their teachers.

Scary ...

...the blind faith Thais have in their teachers.

Scary ...

And even more scary Patexpat is the blind faith that farangs have in their own teachers in farangland and which isn't limited to mistakes in grammar, syntax and spelling of foreign languages.

Misstraut Allen, in welchen der Trieb, zu strafen, m├дchtig ist!

Just a thought, but could it have anything to do with pronunciation?

The fridge, ok, no problem.

The elephant, if pronounced correctly would sound more like thee elephant; like wise thee octopus

[Khor tose]

...the blind faith Thais have in their teachers.

Scary ...

And even more scary Patexpat is the blind faith that farangs have in their own teachers in farangland and which isn't limited to mistakes in grammar, syntax and spelling of foreign languages.

Misstraut Allen, in welchen der Trieb, zu strafen, m├дchtig ist!

Talk about scary, a flake like you quoting Nietzsche, even if, you do not give a citation. Did you mess up the German to prove a point? (Miss traut should be two words.)

The real quote in English with the introduction added.
But this I do counsel you my friends: "distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!"

I would love to discuss the real meaning of "Thus spake Zarathustra" with you, but that would be another subject.

[Sen Yai]

As it happens I gained an A grade in English when I was at school (yes alright a long time ago) but of course I was in the wrong as no way could there teachers have been incorrect.

Scary ...

You mean 'their' teacher, surely? :blackeye:

[Patexpat]

You mean 'their' teacher, surely - LOL must learn to think when I'm typing !!! Petard -- hoisted ...

We had the 'the, thee and da' discussions and all the Thai's were adamant is was 'DA" and spelt as such, not a pronunciation issue ...

Der teacher must'a been LMTU/Lickmycocky! :blackeye:

[MARK]

Do you think I Could get a job as an English teacher if the dragon goes bust? :idea: :study: :study: :study: :study: :study:
After all there are a lot of English teachers here that think they can run a gogo bar. :thumbleft:

Do you think I Could get a job as an English teacher if the dragon goes bust? :idea: :study: :study: :study: :study: :study:
After all there are a lot of English teachers here that think they can run a gogo bar. :thumbleft:

If I was you I would stay where you are, I have been told all the schools have been instructed to not take on any teachers unless they can prove they have a Minimum BA degree. or big trouble.

I once thought I could be a teacher but after the Teaching Course, I decided against it, it was way to difficult for me at my age, even some of the other young guys on the course just recently achieved there degrees found it complicated, the first day you had to remember all the 25 guys and girls name then repeat them, it went down hill from there, fortunately, my fortunes change for the better, so I did not have to, but its not all easy. So MARK stick to the day job or night job in your case.