Comments on: Real English Conversations: Cultural differences (part 1 of 3) http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/ Free English lessons podcasts - English vocabulary, slang, idioms and everyday conversation.Better at English uses a light, fun conversational format to help you learn English in just a few minutes a day. All episodes come with transcripts and vocabulary notes. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:05:17 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Lori http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-2707 Lori Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:24:21 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-2707 Emdad, thanks for the input. I am doing everything I can to streamline the process to be able to post more frequently — each episode with transcript and vocab list takes at least 8 hours of solid work to prepare. My goal is to post at least twice a week. Thanks for giving me more motivation to work harder! :-) Alma Zuri, yes you can download the podcasts from the website. At the top of each episode there is a link to the mp3 file. All you have to do is "right click" and "save as" if you're on a PC (or whatever the corresponding procedure is on a Mac). Silvia, thanks for your input. I'm not sure I quite understand your comment about "gong to the ### part to continue listening." Perhaps the 3-part series on "Cultural Differences" was confusing? If you could let me know which episode you were referring to, it would help me isolate the problem so I can be sure not to do it again. Your suggestion about the length of the podcast is good as well — thanks! Emdad, thanks for the input. I am doing everything I can to streamline the process to be able to post more frequently — each episode with transcript and vocab list takes at least 8 hours of solid work to prepare. My goal is to post at least twice a week. Thanks for giving me more motivation to work harder! :-)

Alma Zuri, yes you can download the podcasts from the website. At the top of each episode there is a link to the mp3 file. All you have to do is “right click” and “save as” if you’re on a PC (or whatever the corresponding procedure is on a Mac).

Silvia, thanks for your input. I’m not sure I quite understand your comment about “gong to the ### part to continue listening.” Perhaps the 3-part series on “Cultural Differences” was confusing? If you could let me know which episode you were referring to, it would help me isolate the problem so I can be sure not to do it again. Your suggestion about the length of the podcast is good as well — thanks!

]]> By: Lori http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-2706 Lori Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:13:56 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-2706 Hi Julio, I don't have much experience with public chats, but I did a quick Google search for free practice english chat and found this one: http://www.englishclub.com/esl-chat/index.htm I signed up for a test account (it was kind of a pain, with two e-mail confirmation steps), and tried out the chat room. It was very active, and the people seemed to be friendly. Maybe you could give it a try? If any listeners/readers out there can recommend good free chat rooms for practicing English, do post a follow up comment and let everyone know! Good luck, Julio Lori Hi Julio,

I don’t have much experience with public chats, but I did a quick Google search for
free practice english chat
and found this one:
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-chat/index.htm
I signed up for a test account (it was kind of a pain, with two e-mail confirmation steps), and tried out the chat room. It was very active, and the people seemed to be friendly. Maybe you could give it a try? If any listeners/readers out there can recommend good free chat rooms for practicing English, do post a follow up comment and let everyone know!

Good luck, Julio
Lori

]]> By: Julio fuentes http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-2700 Julio fuentes Mon, 26 Feb 2007 21:04:13 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-2700 thank you, so much... I love these classes about conversations, I am from Bogota (Colombia). I`d like to improve my english and comunicate with other people who dont speak spanish. If you may help me, i`d like to know a website where i can find a chat in english. Julio Fuentes.... (057)0318252916 Bogota, Colombia thank you, so much…
I love these classes about conversations, I am from Bogota (Colombia). I`d like to improve my english and comunicate with other people who dont speak spanish.
If you may help me, i`d like to know a website where i can find a chat in english.

Julio Fuentes….
(057)0318252916 Bogota, Colombia

]]> By: Inglês On-line » Better @ English blog: dicas de inglês para alunos (e professores) http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-1336 Inglês On-line » Better @ English blog: dicas de inglês para alunos (e professores) Thu, 08 Feb 2007 02:56:08 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-1336 [...] Criado pela professora americana Lori L, o blog Better @ English tenta ensinar o inglês de todo dia, mais próximo da realidade da língua do que a maioria dos livros de inglês. Apesar de ser atualizado apenas algumas vezes por mês, cada artigo é super bem escrito e explicado (dê uma olhada em Cultural Differences Part 1, por exemplo.) No tópico listening, todas as lições acompanham áudio e o transcript em PDF para quem quiser salvar o texto no computador. Além de falar bastante de gíria e idioms, Lori também disponibiliza um sistema onde você pode tirar dúvidas gravando e enviando a sua pergunta com o seu computador mesmo (tem que ter microfone - é só clicar em record a question, no topo à direita.) Você também pode mandar a dúvida por e-mail, ou até pela hotline ligando para o número na tela. Mais uma dica: as lições aqui são mais apropriadas para alunos do intermediário ou avançado. [...] [...] Criado pela professora americana Lori L, o blog Better @ English tenta ensinar o inglês de todo dia, mais próximo da realidade da língua do que a maioria dos livros de inglês. Apesar de ser atualizado apenas algumas vezes por mês, cada artigo é super bem escrito e explicado (dê uma olhada em Cultural Differences Part 1, por exemplo.) No tópico listening, todas as lições acompanham áudio e o transcript em PDF para quem quiser salvar o texto no computador. Além de falar bastante de gíria e idioms, Lori também disponibiliza um sistema onde você pode tirar dúvidas gravando e enviando a sua pergunta com o seu computador mesmo (tem que ter microfone – é só clicar em record a question, no topo à direita.) Você também pode mandar a dúvida por e-mail, ou até pela hotline ligando para o número na tela. Mais uma dica: as lições aqui são mais apropriadas para alunos do intermediário ou avançado. [...]

]]> By: Silvia http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-725 Silvia Sat, 20 Jan 2007 21:13:24 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-725 Hi Lori, well I've being listening some of hte conversations in your page and I think they are good, but you are missing the presentation of the web site. I mean the type of organization of the conversations, and some of them are interrupted, and at the end you say something like go to the ### part to continue listening, and it isn't so easy to figure out where is the next part. In addition, there could be a label to inform listenerns about the total time of each conversation. Anything else by the moments, good job. Colombia. Hi Lori, well I’ve being listening some of hte conversations in your page and I think they are good, but you are missing the presentation of the web site. I mean the type of organization of the conversations, and some of them are interrupted, and at the end you say something like go to the ### part to continue listening, and it isn’t so easy to figure out where is the next part.

In addition, there could be a label to inform listenerns about the total time of each conversation.

Anything else by the moments, good job.

Colombia.

]]> By: Alma Zuri Aguirre Ojeda http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-481 Alma Zuri Aguirre Ojeda Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:44:07 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-481 Hello. I am mexican, not native speaker but I am an English teacher. I live in Italy because I've married my italian husband... Getting a job as an English teacher is hard since I am not native speaker... Listening to your voice in the concersations helps me very much to reinforce my accent. I would like to know if I can download free English conversation from this website. Thank you Zuri Hello. I am mexican, not native speaker but I am an English teacher. I live in Italy because I’ve married my italian husband… Getting a job as an English teacher is hard since I am not native speaker… Listening to your voice in the concersations helps me very much to reinforce my accent.
I would like to know if I can download free English conversation from this website.
Thank you
Zuri

]]> By: Sami-ul-Haq http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Sami-ul-Haq Sat, 06 Jan 2007 15:28:19 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-455 Dear Sir, I would like to request that I have in Listening Please give me help. Yours Sincerly Sami-ul-Haq Dear Sir,
I would like to request that I have in Listening Please give me help.

Yours Sincerly
Sami-ul-Haq

]]> By: Inglês On-line | Better English blog: dicas para alunos (e professores) http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-430 Inglês On-line | Better English blog: dicas para alunos (e professores) Mon, 01 Jan 2007 20:10:14 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-430 [...] Criado pela professora americana Lori Linstruth, o blog Better English tenta ensinar o inglês de todo dia, mais próximo da realidade da língua do que a maioria dos livros de inglês. Apesar de ser atualizado apenas algumas vezes por mês, cada artigo é super bem escrito e explicado (dê uma olhada em Cultural Differences Part 1, por exemplo.) No tópico listening, todas as lições acompanham áudio e o transcript em PDF para quem quiser salvar o texto no computador. Além de falar bastante de gíria e idioms, Lori também disponibiliza um sistema onde você pode tirar dúvidas gravando e enviando a sua pergunta com o seu computador mesmo (tem que ter microfone - é só clicar em record a question, no topo à direita.) Você também pode mandar a dúvida por e-mail, ou até pela hotline ligando para o número na tela. Mais uma dica: as lições aqui são mais apropriadas para alunos do intermediário ou avançado. [...] [...] Criado pela professora americana Lori Linstruth, o blog Better English tenta ensinar o inglês de todo dia, mais próximo da realidade da língua do que a maioria dos livros de inglês. Apesar de ser atualizado apenas algumas vezes por mês, cada artigo é super bem escrito e explicado (dê uma olhada em Cultural Differences Part 1, por exemplo.) No tópico listening, todas as lições acompanham áudio e o transcript em PDF para quem quiser salvar o texto no computador. Além de falar bastante de gíria e idioms, Lori também disponibiliza um sistema onde você pode tirar dúvidas gravando e enviando a sua pergunta com o seu computador mesmo (tem que ter microfone – é só clicar em record a question, no topo à direita.) Você também pode mandar a dúvida por e-mail, ou até pela hotline ligando para o número na tela. Mais uma dica: as lições aqui são mais apropriadas para alunos do intermediário ou avançado. [...]

]]> By: Emdad http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-375 Emdad Sat, 23 Dec 2006 16:11:35 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-375 Hi lori,thanx a lot for such nice podcasts (perhaps i should rather say, nice "approach"). Among so many elt podcasts i went thru, urs is the most attractive and SMARTEST. but if u make me wait for so long, i really don't appreciate it. (don't mind dear, we look forward to it). Thanx again. Good luck. Emdad, Australia. Hi lori,thanx a lot for such nice podcasts (perhaps i should rather say, nice “approach”). Among so many elt podcasts i went thru, urs is the most attractive and SMARTEST. but if u make me wait for so long, i really don’t appreciate it. (don’t mind dear, we look forward to it). Thanx again. Good luck.
Emdad, Australia.

]]> By: Lori http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-373 Lori Sat, 23 Dec 2006 00:28:24 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-373 Hi Sereina, and thanks for your nice comment! Yes, our conversations are completely unscripted and unrehearsed, but sometimes we've decided our basic topic before I press "record." Sometimes we start with one topic and end up digressing, and the digressions turn out better than the original topic! As for your grammar question, I think the tendency in BrE would be "I've just discovered." But in AmE you could say both, with "I just discovered" probably being more likely in informal contexts. Hope this answers your question! Hi Sereina, and thanks for your nice comment! Yes, our conversations are completely unscripted and unrehearsed, but sometimes we’ve decided our basic topic before I press “record.” Sometimes we start with one topic and end up digressing, and the digressions turn out better than the original topic!

As for your grammar question, I think the tendency in BrE would be “I’ve just discovered.” But in AmE you could say both, with “I just discovered” probably being more likely in informal contexts. Hope this answers your question!

]]> By: sereina http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-371 sereina Fri, 22 Dec 2006 21:45:29 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-371 Lori, this is great! I've just discovered this podcast and I love it. It's very uselful! Do you and Michael speak completely free without manuscript? It's impressing how spontaneous you talk! Thank you so much, Sereina, Art Student Berne, Switzerland ps: Would you say: I've just discovered this podcast OR I just discovered ... ? Lori, this is great! I’ve just discovered this podcast and I love it. It’s very uselful!
Do you and Michael speak completely free without manuscript? It’s impressing how spontaneous you talk!
Thank you so much,

Sereina, Art Student
Berne, Switzerland

ps: Would you say: I’ve just discovered this podcast OR I just discovered … ?

]]> By: Lori http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-359 Lori Thu, 21 Dec 2006 15:48:32 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-359 Thanks for the kind words, Matteo :-) Kristof, I've noticed the same thing. As you know, I'll be spending some time in England in the near future; I'll be paying attention to the English I hear around me for sure. Recording these podcasts has sure taught me a lot about my own verbal tics — I'm on a quest to vastly reduce instances of <em>you know</em> and <em>like</em>. Claire, thanks for your comment. Based on most of the feedback I've received so far, listeners seem get the most benefit from the conversational podcasts. And there are already a lot of other English Learning podcasts that do a lot of "explaining" about the meaning and usage of words and phrases. It's tough: on the one hand, I figure if learners can understand the explanation, then they probably don't have trouble understanding the word or phrases being explained. :-| But if people do like the 2-minute English format here, I can certainly do more of them! They are a good deal less time consuming than the conversational podcasts... Juan, thanks! Yes, when you live here you get used to EVERYTHING (except the expensive alcohol, perhaps). In fact, I have to stay on my toes just to keep my English from turning into Swenglish. L2 influence is insidious and scary! After so many years in Sweden, grammatical structures that seemed completely WRONG to me when I first came here now seem perfectly normal. As for Kiwis, I don't personally know any, I'm on the lookout for potential conversational partners that provide a wide variety of regional dialects :-) Thanks for the kind words, Matteo :-)

Kristof, I’ve noticed the same thing. As you know, I’ll be spending some time in England in the near future; I’ll be paying attention to the English I hear around me for sure. Recording these podcasts has sure taught me a lot about my own verbal tics — I’m on a quest to vastly reduce instances of you know and like.

Claire, thanks for your comment. Based on most of the feedback I’ve received so far, listeners seem get the most benefit from the conversational podcasts. And there are already a lot of other English Learning podcasts that do a lot of “explaining” about the meaning and usage of words and phrases. It’s tough: on the one hand, I figure if learners can understand the explanation, then they probably don’t have trouble understanding the word or phrases being explained. :-| But if people do like the 2-minute English format here, I can certainly do more of them! They are a good deal less time consuming than the conversational podcasts…

Juan, thanks! Yes, when you live here you get used to EVERYTHING (except the expensive alcohol, perhaps). In fact, I have to stay on my toes just to keep my English from turning into Swenglish. L2 influence is insidious and scary! After so many years in Sweden, grammatical structures that seemed completely WRONG to me when I first came here now seem perfectly normal. As for Kiwis, I don’t personally know any, I’m on the lookout for potential conversational partners that provide a wide variety of regional dialects :-)

]]> By: Juan http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-358 Juan Wed, 20 Dec 2006 23:30:16 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-358 Hey, funniest podcast so far! And now I'm really intrigued by the "sweedish gasp". Do you get used to it? And speaking about accents, I find it extremely hard to understand the Australian and New Zealand accent. Seriously, I can't get a word of it. So if you have any kiwi friends, I'd like to hear them here at B@E. cheers! Juan Hey, funniest podcast so far! And now I’m really intrigued by the “sweedish gasp”. Do you get used to it?

And speaking about accents, I find it extremely hard to understand the Australian and New Zealand accent. Seriously, I can’t get a word of it. So if you have any kiwi friends, I’d like to hear them here at B@E.

cheers!
Juan

]]> By: Claire http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-356 Claire Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:47:14 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-356 Great podcast on a very interesting topic! BTW maybe you have already answered this kind of question, but I just have to ask - Will you continue 2 minute english or are you so focused on real english conversations that you don´t have enough time to do both? Thank you for your answer in advance (sorry if I am bugging you:) Great podcast on a very interesting topic! BTW maybe you have already answered this kind of question, but I just have to ask – Will you continue 2 minute english or are you so focused on real english conversations that you don´t have enough time to do both? Thank you for your answer in advance (sorry if I am bugging you:)

]]> By: Kristof http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Kristof Wed, 20 Dec 2006 10:00:20 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-353 It occurs to me that a lot of British English speakers will actually have a tendency to actually "word-stutter" when looking for words. In Belgium, I ran across quite a few native British English speakers and they tended to word-stutter instead of "you know-ing" or "uh". e.g. Well, you'd think that that that that guy would have a very ... very ..., well, plausible explanation for for for the circumstances. This is a very interesting line of podcasts! Thank you! It occurs to me that a lot of British English speakers will actually have a tendency to actually “word-stutter” when looking for words. In Belgium, I ran across quite a few native British English speakers and they tended to word-stutter instead of “you know-ing” or “uh”.

e.g. Well, you’d think that that that that guy would have a very … very …, well, plausible explanation for for for the circumstances.

This is a very interesting line of podcasts! Thank you!

]]> By: Matteo http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/comment-page-1/#comment-352 Matteo Wed, 20 Dec 2006 08:10:47 +0000 http://www.betteratenglish.com/real-english-conversations-cultural-differences-part-1-of-3/#comment-352 Oh my, oh my! I'm in the Podcast! =) Thank you Lori, I love this series. It's so interesting, I can't wait for the other two episodes of the trilogy... I just wish it was a NINE-ology or something! Cheers Matteo Tuscany, Italy Oh my, oh my! I’m in the Podcast! =)

Thank you Lori, I love this series. It’s so interesting, I can’t wait for the other two episodes of the trilogy… I just wish it was a NINE-ology or something!

Cheers

Matteo
Tuscany, Italy

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