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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2010His English is proficient
Hello: 1. "His English is proficient." Is this use (i.e. about a skill, not about a person) validated by the OED, or it can be said only as: 2. "He's proficient in/at English?" -- Thanks. Marius Hancu > Hello: > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Thanks. > Marius Hancu I think it would be a bit more natural to say "He's proficient in English". It doesn't seem quite right to attribute the skill to the language rather than the speaker.  SignatureCheryl >> Hello: >> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > English". It doesn't seem quite right to attribute the skill to the > language rather than the speaker. I agree, but it's not surprising that the adjective is transferred from the speaker to the language. The reverse has happened with "fluent". SignatureJames >>> Hello: >>> [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > I agree, but it's not surprising that the adjective is transferred from > the speaker to the language. The reverse has happened with "fluent". Yes. I think it's possible to say that "His English is proficient". My preference for the other version is slight. SignatureCheryl >>>> Hello: >>>> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >Yes. I think it's possible to say that "His English is proficient". My >preference for the other version is slight. How do you feel about "His English is poor" (or "good")? I would understand "English" in that sort of construction to mean "his English speaking or writing". SignaturePeter Duncanson, UK (in alt.usage.english) >>>>> Hello: >>>>> [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > I would understand "English" in that sort of construction to mean "his > English speaking or writing". Those are fine to my ear. I'm not saying you can't say "His English is proficient", just that I have a slight preference for "He is proficient in English", possibly because to me 'proficient' refers more easily to the speaker than the language. SignatureCheryl > I think it would be a bit more natural to say "He's proficient in > English". Is the preposition "at" possible here; "He's proficient at English"? >> I think it would be a bit more natural to say "He's proficient in >> English". > > Is the preposition "at" possible here; "He's proficient at English"? I don't think do. You can be proficient at other things, like sports, but you are proficient in languages. SignatureCheryl In our last episode, <a954dbdc-339e-4e2c-9143-77ef8316f5bc@r24g2000yqd.googlegroups.com>, the lovely and talented Marius Hancu broadcast on alt.usage.english: > Hello: > 1. "His English is proficient." Any native speaker who knows what "proficient" means will understand this sentence. Few will find it odd or remarkable. Many might utter it in an appropriate situation. > Is this use (i.e. about a skill, not about a person) validated by the > OED, or it can be said only as: Yes, I see your point here, now that you make it. However, this kind of shift is very common in English. I am not sure I would have noticed it, and many would have judged it correct or acceptable. > 2. "He's proficient in/at English?" I prefer "in," especially when the spoken language is considered. SignatureLars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> Warbama's Afghaninam day: 58 1401.8 hours since Warbama declared Viet Nam II. Warbama: An LBJ for the Twenty-First century. No hope. No change. > > 1. "His English is proficient." > > Any native speaker who knows what "proficient" means will understand this > sentence. Few will find it odd or remarkable. Many might utter it in an > appropriate situation. Well, the stats at Google Books are: 27 on "English is proficient" http://books.google.com/books?q=%22English+is+proficient%22&btnG=Search+Books (which covers all of the "her/his/their/our/your English is proficient") 1,101 on "proficient in English" http://books.google.com/books?q=%22proficient+in+English%22&btnG=Search+Books I have no doubts 1 would be understood, however I wouldn't use it, esp as the dictionaries I have make all reference to persons, not to skills, in their examples. > > Is this use (i.e. about a skill, not about a person) validated by the > > OED, or it can be said only as: [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I prefer "in," especially when the spoken language is considered. Google Books shows both, with a 5 to 1 ratio in favor of "in." My question about the OED showing it about skills and not persons remains active:-) Thank you all. Marius Hancu |
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