Native vs non native English, a lot of questions!

Jolijt · Post by **Jolijt** » 02 Feb 2014, 13:01

In Holland some write the number 7 with the cross line and some without. Teachers prefer with cross line to help minimize confusion with a 1. The '1' sometimes is written like shown here but some write it without the little line at the top. I do not know anyone who writes the 1 like an inverted V, at least not in Holland.

I never knew so many ways to write 1 - 9 !!!

http://forums.officer.com/t65376/
http://ielanguages.com/blog/numbers-and ... merican-vs french/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_h ... _variation

I love American two's with the little loop...

Ant · Post by **Ant** » 02 Feb 2014, 13:16

There is another point in question on the subject of individuality, neither I or my Welsh colleague like being referred to as Brits, he is a fine fellow and a very proud Welshman, just as I consider myself English foremost, then British, then European.

Jolijt · Post by **Jolijt** » 03 Feb 2014, 05:59

What a lovely language:
words that do not look alike but sound the same:

(many thanks to the BBC!) Horse, hoarse, whores.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/weird ... 02117.html

words that look alike but sound completely different:

Though, thought, trough, thorough.

@ Ant
Yes individuality is important and so easy to overlook. I'm ashamed to say that all the persons on the two Islands to the right of the Netherlands all are 'English' to me in general. I'm going to be more observant because although I'm fine with someone mistaking me from coming from Belgium or France or Denmark... please do not think I'm from Germany. WWII still leaves some marks there even though I believe no hard feelings are left between Dutch and German people alive today.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 03 Feb 2014, 06:55

Jolijt wrote:Yes individuality is important and so easy to overlook. I'm ashamed to say that all the persons on the two Islands to the right of the Netherlands all are 'English' to me in general. I'm going to be more observant because although I'm fine with someone mistaking me from coming from Belgium or France or Denmark... please do not think I'm from Germany. WWII still leaves some marks there even though I believe no hard feelings are left between Dutch and German people alive today.

OMG I am totally and utterly dumbfounded

Jolijt · Post by **Jolijt** » 03 Feb 2014, 09:13

I know Fran... and I'm truly sorry and also a bit ashamed...

It's just that.. (and I'm hoping I'm not making it worse... but if I do.. at least know it's honest!).. the contact Holland/I has/have with people from Ireland/Scotland/Wales is very limited and they do all speak English..
The remark Ant made about individuality really hit home with me, making me realize that the wild guess Americans make, placing Kopenhagen and Amsterdam (which in an American point of view are real close together!!) in the same country, somewhere in Europe is probably more defendable than my lack of knowledge/understanding/tact in the matter of nations and their inhabitants so close to home!

I promise to clean up my act... I really do!

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 03 Feb 2014, 09:31

Jolijt wrote:I know Fran... and I'm truly sorry and also a bit ashamed...

It's just that.. (and I'm hoping I'm not making it worse... but if I do.. at least know it's honest!).. the contact Holland/I has/have with people from Ireland/Scotland/Wales is very limited and they do all speak English..
The remark Ant made about individuality really hit home with me, making me realize that the wild guess Americans make, placing Kopenhagen and Amsterdam (which in an American point of view are real close together!!) in the same country, somewhere in Europe is probably more defendable than my lack of knowledge/understanding/tact in the matter of nations and their inhabitants so close to home!

I promise to clean up my act... I really do!

@Jolijt
You have to make allowances for the US (many of them think US = The World)

Hop on a Ryanair flight and come see us & you will appreciate we are very, very different from the nextdoor island inhabitants - you could easily do a England, Wales, Scotland & Ireland round trip. (But, of course, you will probably want to stay in Ireland.) We have many Dutch people living here, not as many Danes though, we had a bit of a problem with them when they called here in big boats about 1,000 years ago & we are still a bit annoyed with them.

Jolijt · Post by **Jolijt** » 03 Feb 2014, 10:18

Fran... I promise... my first trip in Europe I will come over!

No hard feelings I hope?

Ant · Post by **Ant** » 03 Feb 2014, 12:14

Certainly no hard feelings my end, I know people do make assumptions, I remember many moons ago unintentionally upsetting a Belgian fellow with an assumption along the same lines and he gave me an ear bashing on Wallonia and the French speaking Belgians and the Dutch Flemish Belgians. I lost the will to live after five minutes, it was too confusing, needless to say....lesson learnt.
I'm sure when you make a visit to any of the British Isles or Ireland, you will find aspects of all of them that you like, as you know every Country has good and bad parts.
As for your country, the only place I have been is Eindhoven and that was many years ago.