tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post6753392515810681225..comments2021-08-29T11:09:51.580-03:00Comments on Cambridge Candidates' Corner: What is advanced English?Chris Duponthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-12133985201880205202009-05-16T12:02:00.000-03:002009-05-16T12:02:00.000-03:00In my humble opinion, I would be proficient if I´m...In my humble opinion, I would be proficient if I´m capable of express, in any means of communication, my thoughts and feelings and of course, understand precisely what a poet, a writer, a newscaster or the guy on the corner wants to tell me.<br />In my understanding, no exam can, and never will be able to, certify that you´re a 100% proficient.<br />One of my teachers correctly pointed out that knowing a language is not knowing grammar or vocab. A ´corpus´ inside your head will<br />not make you a native speaker: you need to follow the flow, If you know what I mean. <br />Someone once said that if you give a typewriter to a million monkeys and give them enough time, they will, some day, come up with a masterpice. I couldn´t agree with that - it´s just not words and grammar, it goes far beyond that.<br /><br />I Love the blog and the comments, congrats.<br />Helio.heliohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16435852208334590368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-77270636638003674572009-05-12T15:14:00.000-03:002009-05-12T15:14:00.000-03:00@Nelson
Hi Nelson,
When I was a teenager (a hundre...@Nelson<br />Hi Nelson,<br />When I was a teenager (a hundred years ago) I turned to my English teacher (great, great teacher)and said, "I don't want to study literature and all those big words. All I want is to be able to speak simple everyday English naturally." His answer haunted me for years, "You want the hardest thing of all, Chris."<br /><br />Go figure...<br /><br />Chris DupontChris Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-62079354385987343532009-05-12T10:29:00.000-03:002009-05-12T10:29:00.000-03:00Last but not least, here I am. =)
Great topic for...Last but not least, here I am. =)<br /><br />Great topic for a kick off. I do agree with what Alba has said. Being advanced does not mean knowing endless grammar rules by heart. If only I could give it a definition, "say what you mean, in the widest range of real -life situations as possible" would be it. <br /><br />An advanced speaker has to be able to communicate effectively in elevator small talk as well as before an academic audience. Not an easy task at all, is it ?Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13674814317169536703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-35861571660605165052009-05-11T22:35:00.000-03:002009-05-11T22:35:00.000-03:00@João,
I am glad Cultura is teaching you English;...@João,<br /><br />I am glad Cultura is teaching you English; you´re right about English being able to open doors for you to get a nice job in the future. I liked to hear that you´re having fun and it´s easyDanuzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142023403320215725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-62638012160039826032009-05-11T16:48:00.000-03:002009-05-11T16:48:00.000-03:00I think that english nowadays it is obligatory to ...I think that english nowadays it is obligatory to put someone in a big company,or being sucessfully in your job.<br />Thanks Cultura for learn me english so funny and easly.<br /><br />please correct if I made a mistake.<br /><br />see yaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03658303367634689201noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-70949727625578006262009-05-11T14:44:00.000-03:002009-05-11T14:44:00.000-03:00@Alba
I'm a firm believer in exposing myself to En...@Alba<br />I'm a firm believer in exposing myself to English. Actually, I'm surrounded by English both at home and at Cultura Inglesa. Newsweek magazine, cable TV, books, DVD's in English, you name it. It's become a way of life...Chris Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-68549305511853306702009-05-07T18:35:00.000-03:002009-05-07T18:35:00.000-03:00I'm 100% with you!! It's not a matter of keeping t...I'm 100% with you!! It's not a matter of keeping the "knowledge" on your mind... It has to be "running in your veins",so that it comes naturally when the occasion requires. I think we need to learn by experience, to be exposed as much as we can, and...practice all the time! As a student I've always been afraid of taking risks with the language, I've always been very shy and eager to do things right, but now I realise that one has to take some chances in order to improve - not only as a mere student, but as a person trying to learn how to live in this world.Albahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06492890437762350995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-33078562829930631712009-05-07T14:17:00.000-03:002009-05-07T14:17:00.000-03:00@Alba
Too right you are. Grammar IS important but ...@Alba<br />Too right you are. Grammar IS important but there's a lot more to speaking fluent Englsh than a set of rules. I'm convinced that "lexis" is the buzz word.<br />What do you think?Chris Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-63488258795824061442009-05-06T11:49:00.000-03:002009-05-06T11:49:00.000-03:00After all, it's not only language, it's also about...After all, it's not only language, it's also about social conventions and culture itself, isn't it? That's why knowing grammar rules isn't enough to speak fluently another language.Albahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06492890437762350995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-41751893398572917402009-05-06T11:44:00.000-03:002009-05-06T11:44:00.000-03:00This comment has been removed by the author.Albahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06492890437762350995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-10731318510414267422009-05-06T00:41:00.000-03:002009-05-06T00:41:00.000-03:00If only we could translate things straight into En...If only we could translate things straight into English. But then again that´s what collocation is all about. In Portuguese does anybody say I went to Maracanã and saw the "Flu-Fla"? Of course not. We all say "Fla-Flu". Why is that? Just because it is. It´s the right collocation. The first one sounds so wrong, doesn´t it?Danuzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13142023403320215725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-3024110310739543922009-05-05T22:57:00.000-03:002009-05-05T22:57:00.000-03:00Dear bloggers,
Soooooooooo true! On the same no...Dear bloggers, <br /><br />Soooooooooo true! On the same note, we say that someone passed away because s/he had a massive heart attack but what do we say in Portuguese?! Um infarto fulminante... we can't say *a fulminating heart attack* in English nor "um ataque massivo" in Portuguese withoug calling attention to ourselves and our discourse, right?! As I said before, a very interesting subject!Daniela Meyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05115334225327506995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-1485932452927032802009-05-05T14:03:00.000-03:002009-05-05T14:03:00.000-03:00@Alba
A very interesting, perceptive comment. As a...@Alba<br />A very interesting, perceptive comment. As a follow-up, I'd like to draw your attention to how accurate a measure of one's level of <br />English, Cambridge exams are.<br />As a simple experiment, pose a simple question (for instance, "Why are you studying English?") to KET, PET, FCE, CAE and CPE candidates and compare the accuracy and precision in the different answers.Chris Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-77089469215406643222009-04-30T19:16:00.000-03:002009-04-30T19:16:00.000-03:00I think being "advanced" involves having control o...I think being "advanced" involves having control of the language in such a way one can express his or her ideas and feelings as accurately as possible. The language is the human attempt to turn abstract things - such as thoughts and feelings - into images, messages that can touch other people. Being "advanced" means to get closer to the "right colours to paint the picture intended."Albahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00387442509276904764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-4511996883709567262009-04-30T17:39:00.000-03:002009-04-30T17:39:00.000-03:00@larissa_gontijo:
You hit the nail on the head! Id...@larissa_gontijo:<br />You hit the nail on the head! Idioms and phrasal verbs are a huge part of what advanced English is all about.<br />Keep your comments coming.<br /><br />Chris DupontChris Duponthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119793263418973054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-82304045395189754362009-04-28T20:26:00.000-03:002009-04-28T20:26:00.000-03:00well, I reckon that specifying what advanced Engli...well, I reckon that specifying what advanced English means is sth really difficult. For my part, advanced English consists of being able to use idiomatic expressions fluently in a conversation. It is also crucial to come up with phrasal verbs and also high-level vocab to be able to sound like a native.<br />Larissa-CPE PREPlarissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18108211307828123673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6017262458898073461.post-34613168113346986442009-04-28T13:35:00.000-03:002009-04-28T13:35:00.000-03:00That is really true!
AndressaThat is really true!<br />AndressaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08976921972688649064noreply@blogger.com