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English board?

  • 21-03-2003 10:48pm
    #1
    Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭


    Sorry if this has been asked and vehemently abused before :) , but why is there no English board?

    There's boards for all the other major languages, and english is one of the most difficult to use.
    Post edited by Shield on


Comments

  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    Could be interesting. What sorts of discussions do you think would/should live there?


  • Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    Well, I believe there's quite a few things that could fall under this category.

    Two examples,

    Help on writing - in particular essay writing, it can be quite difficult to judge your own work before submitting it, for leaving cert and college students it should allow them to gauge their ability and improve upon it.

    Debating/MUN - for debating it's nice to have a few illustrious quotes etc to throw at an audience.
    MUN requires quite a bit of formal language, this could be broken down for people to get them more interested, when I first tried MUN the formality scared me away.


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    Moving this to feedback/suggestions ...

    This sounds to lean a bit more towards literary english than I would have expected from your request that it be under languages. And there is already a literature board ...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,838 ✭✭✭DapperGent


    It would certainly be nice for people who don't have english as a first language to have somewhere to ask about grammer etc and especially Irish colloquialisms and idiom.

    "I'm so hungry I could eat a heifer between two bread vans." and so forth.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 832 ✭✭✭Sloth


    I think the board could turn into pedantic spelling corrections like the fact that grammar is spelt with an a not an e. In other words, I'm all for it.


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  • Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    ecksor, I would have to say that I believe there is quite a big gap between Literature, and what I'm suggesting.

    Those two were JUST TWO examples. As sloth points out, nitty gritty things would most likely pop out in discussions, but thats how a language is improved.

    For example, someone might be unsure as to how to word something they wish to say or write. Some of the most common mistakes in english that people make could be so easily resolved if they only had reference.

    An english board could allow people to set their perception of the language straight, give them better ideas on how to articulate themselves and improve their vocabulary.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Originally posted by Cultellus
    Debating/MUN - for debating it's nice to have a few illustrious quotes etc to throw at an audience.
    MUN requires quite a bit of formal language, this could be broken down for people to get them more interested, when I first tried MUN the formality scared me away.

    So what's MUN then?

    Incidentally (and very OT), I adjudicated at an Irish debating IV about three weeks ago - drove me nuts when one team attributed a Niccolo Machievelli quote (which he didn't say anyway, yup, you know the one to which I refer) to Thomas Aquinas and every other team in the debate ran with it. Suggest you come up with your own self-made quotes as adjudicators generally couldn't give a crap whose catchy phrases you remember.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,838 ✭✭✭DapperGent


    Originally posted by sceptre
    (which he didn't say anyway, yup, you know the one to which I refer)
    I don't know which one you refer to.

    Plus you've piqued my curiosity.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Originally posted by DapperGent
    I don't know which one you refer to.

    Plus you've piqued my curiosity.
    the end justifies the means


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,524 ✭✭✭✭Gordon


    I think it's a great idea personally. I love the roots of English and finding out how to perfect my English.

    Although as mentioned, it is going to be the hive for pickyness and anality!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,838 ✭✭✭DapperGent


    Originally posted by sceptre
    the end justifies the means
    Doh!

    *slap*


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭Praetorian


    It does sound like a tremendous idea! It would be beneficial for anyone studying for their junior or leaving certificate, for people learning the language and possibly for people just trying to become more proficient at English.

    I would be willing to lend a hand, or at the very least contribute regularly!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 832 ✭✭✭Sloth


    I hope this forum leads to in depth cultural discussions ala Newsnight Review. I wanna be either Germaine Greer or Mark Kermode and as such want to mod it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,330 ✭✭✭✭Amz


    I think it's a great suggestion and would most definitely find a use for such a board.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,025 ✭✭✭yellum


    Nice idea. Why not have some script to create a new word of the day.

    Wheres Typedef on this matter ?


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    I used to maintain a word of the day in a past life ...


  • Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    Excellent :D , I'm happy to see that other people are along the same train of thought :).

    sceptre, MUN is Model United Nations, I think someone like PHB, SOL or Provost would be able to give it a much better explanation than I could :)

    I like the word of the day idea, I flick through the thesaurus quite frequently while essay writing, just to bring a little more depth and care into what I write.

    Prae, thats an idea I had in mind too, I believe that a board like this would have given me quite a boost at junior cert level. I was god-awful at essay writing, never could quite make a good story out of my ideas, took ages to get to where I am now, have essay writing under control.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭Praetorian


    So what do we need to do to start an English board?

    I am going to propose an English board by Email to the boards.ie hierarchy. I think the people in charge are Cloud, Devore, Ecksor and Regi. If successful, I will compile a list of web resources that I've found to be useful in the past. I’ll also post some good examples of short stories which might help others.

    The benefits of an English board have been outlined by different people above, but I’ll restate the positive points.

    Beneficial for students studying for the Junior and Leaving certificate, specifically Essay writing / prose, drama and poetry.

    Beneficial for people learning the language. It will be a place where people can “ask about grammar etc and especially Irish colloquialisms and idiom”. - As suggested by Dappergent

    It would be beneficial for anyone trying to become more proficient at English. I think we’ll all learn something!

    There could be interesting “in depth cultural discussions” – As suggested by Sloth

    “An English board could allow people to set their perception of the language straight, give them better ideas on how to articulate themselves and improve their vocabulary”. – As suggested by Cultellus

    Debating help and suggestions. – As suggested by Cultellus

    “Why not have some script to create a new word of the day”. This would be a great way to build up ones vocabulary – As suggested by Yellum


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor


    Calm down, I'll set up your english board in a minute. Under Languages you want it?

    I've already started working on the word of the day stuff btw, although the only place it is visible is in my signature for now.

    (I used to maintain a word of the day on redbrick.dcu.ie, and I'll be running it in much the same spirit).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭Praetorian


    That was quick! I had not even composed the email yet! ;)

    Languages? Yes I think so!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,025 ✭✭✭yellum


    I propose Cult and Prae for as mods


  • Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 10,501 Mod ✭✭✭✭ecksor




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,478 ✭✭✭GoneShootin


    Sloth : want to mod it.

    dear god NO


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 931 ✭✭✭ozpass


    Praetorian gets my vote for moderator. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭Praetorian


    Thanks to Ecksor for setting it up!

    Also thanks to Yellum and Ozpass! :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,524 ✭✭✭✭Gordon


    I vote sloth for mod of anarchy


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,330 ✭✭✭✭Amz


    I second yellum's vote for Praetorian and Cult as moderators!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,717 ✭✭✭Praetorian


    Thank you Amz :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,152 ✭✭✭ozt9vdujny3srf


    Judging by the quality of posting that I have seen on this Forum from time to time, it’s clear there are a lot of talented debater's on these forums.

    Anyway, it might be the only forum on boards where people actually use the language properly all of the time.

    I think if this forum were to be made, it would be worthwhile disabling smilies in the forum, so as to make people who want to use them express themselves using English, which can sometimes be a lot more challenging. (Without cheating and just using them even though they don't work)

    It would also be a great place to lose all the bad habits we all get from posting on message boards and using IRC.

    This board gets my thumbs up.


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  • Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    Thanks guys :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    Originally posted by Cultellus
    sceptre, MUN is Model United Nations, I think someone like PHB, SOL or Provost would be able to give it a much better explanation than I could :)
    Ah, should have thought of that. I was supposed to go when it was on in Vienna a few years back.

    Thumbs up on this btw (seems I forgot to give an opinion while waffling on:rolleyes: ) - Cultellus has been pretty clear on what function it would provide.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,446 ✭✭✭✭amp


    Screw that. I vote Mr Dictionary for mod.

    (Where has that rascal gone?)


  • Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    /me looks at english board and coughs...

    *something missing* :rolleyes:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,025 ✭✭✭yellum


    In the drop down menu list all the other languages have what they are in brackets could we have Bearla in the Brackets or Engrish ?

    I'd love if we had an Engrish board too.


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