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Discussion Groups / British English / February 2004I'm looking for a native speaker
Hi, As I'm applying for an university I was to hand in a recommendation of a prof. Now I was to write the concept but I'm not sure whether it is good. Is there anyone willing to have a look at this short letter? Maybe you have something German to correct... Bye Nina > As I'm applying for an university "*A* university". > I was to hand in a recommendation of a > prof. Now I was to write the concept but I'm not sure whether it is good. > Is there anyone willing to have a look at this short letter? Too many "I was to"! Bye, FB This is why I need someone to correct the letter > > As I'm applying for an university > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Bye, FB > This is why I need someone to correct the letter Sorry, just a bit of fun. I, for one, can't help you, since I'm not a native speaker myself. Bye, FB > This is why I need someone to correct the letter > > > > > As I'm applying for an university > > > > "*A* university". So how does the rule on "u" and "a" or "an" work (or all the vowels for that matter)? Why is it a university, but an umbilical cord? I'm lost :-( Ewan >So how does the rule on "u" and "a" or "an" work (or all the vowels for >that matter)? > >Why is it a university, but an umbilical cord? Because of the pronunciation, not the spelling. University is pronounced Yooniversity (i.e. a consonant-sound rather than a vowel-sound), which means that "a university" is easy to say. By contrast, "a umbilical cord" is almost impossible to say, which is why the "n" is added to the indefinite article. Similarly, the pronunciation of "the" changes subtly, depending on whether it is followed by a vowel or a consonant. "The pear" and "the apple" would be pronounced rather like "th'pear" and "thee apple" (although the vowel-sound in the latter is nowhere near as long as when "Thee" is used as the second person singular. I fear that this may confuse rather than assist, but the intention is to help!  SignatureMolly Mockford I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be! (My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) <snip> > I fear that this may confuse rather than assist, but the intention is to > help! <wicked mode> Have you considered putting your name forward for Control? <g> <\wicked mode> ><wicked mode> > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > ><\wicked mode> There is one appropriate reply to that, but this is not the group in which to use it - someone would be sure to shout "language"! SignatureMolly Mockford I think I've been too long on my own, but the little green goblin that lives under the sink says I'm OK - and he's never wrong, so I must be! (My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.) > >Why is it a university, but an umbilical cord? > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > I fear that this may confuse rather than assist, but the intention is to > help! < < Crystal clear! Signature"I don't need time. What I need is a deadline." - Duke Ellington websites: http://www.erp.oissel.onac.org/anglais/ - http://perso.wanadoo.fr/patrick.lecordier/ > Hi, > As I'm applying for an university I was to hand in a recommendation > of a prof. Now I was to write the concept but I'm not sure whether it > is good. Is there anyone willing to have a look at this short letter? > Maybe you have something German to correct... > Bye Nina Post the letter here (you can leave out names). You will get more answers this way. m. Which language do you mean? If it is the English language it would be more correct to say As I am applying for a position at a university, I need to send in a recommendation for a certain professor. > Hi, > As I'm applying for an university I was to hand in a recommendation of a > prof. Now I was to write the concept but I'm not sure whether it is good. > Is there anyone willing to have a look at this short letter? > Maybe you have something German to correct... > Bye Nina |
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