https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:05:19 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/paged/2/#post-306702 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:06:37 +0000 'Rosetta Stone' ?

It is claimed to be the 'World's best language learning software'.]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club Rahul https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/paged/2/#post-306702 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/paged/2/#post-306329 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:13:40 +0000
You Think English is Easy??

It gets better after the list of 20 examples.. :shock:

:)

Chris]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club Chris C https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/paged/2/#post-306329 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306328 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:09:20 +0000
Tone and context always do make a big difference. So do common and regional usages over what might be taught in college. EB says (quite rightly) that the 'correct form' is to say "May I use your bathroom?" but I'd say that in real life over 90% of people would probably say "Can I use the bathroom?" It's not really right, but it IS what people say. And no matter what the rules might say, usage always wins in the end. Many words in the English language now actually mean the exact opposite of what they originally meant and, to the annoyance of many academics, the meanings of many more are constantly shifting.

Good luck.... :D

Chris]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club Chris C https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306328 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306326 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:00:51 +0000
I see your point.
I think we're closing in on an Elektrablue, Kingpatzer, Kenrogers2 et.al article in "Journal of general verbal ambiguty" :lol:]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club lars https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306326 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306317 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:35:28 +0000
Said with a certain hopefulness in the tone, "Will you see me again" is going to be heard by most Americans as a pleading request. It has the sense of begging to be seen again -- the sort of phrase that might be said by an adolescent hopeless infatuated with a girl who went out on one date with him and decided he was not worth her time. The sense of begging need not be that strong, but it will be there quite easily do to the construction of the phrase.

Said with a tone of confidence, "Will you see me again" is going to be heard as a forward request for another meeting.

Tone and context will determine which way it is heard. The important thing here is that if it is used in a song going for the second meaning, you have to be careful that it is sung with confidence to get over the 'begging" sense of the phrase.]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club kingpatzer https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306317 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306295 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:17:35 +0000
First off I have to say: HI EB!!!! :D :D :D :D
Great to see you :wink:
And really nice post.

Unfortunately Lars, you want to write a song, not an English paper.
So.... I'm afraid that the answer lay somewhere in the shadow world between Gramatically Correct/Proper English,
and Broken English.

I once showed a paper that I had writen to one of my wife's friends.
This friend's mother happened to be an english teacher at the nearby college.
After she read it, she started telling me all about the grammatical errors I had made....
When she finished, I said: 'Yeah; how did it make you FEEL though????'
No response :roll:

My advice is to look to existing song lyrics to guide you.

An example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yio9zi_GPPs

Ken]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club CitiZenNoir https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306295 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306262 Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:33:30 +0000 Guitar Noise Songwriting Club lars https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306262 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306239 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:15:59 +0000 Guitar Noise Songwriting Club Elecktrablue https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306239 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306219 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:01:24 +0000 "Maybe I will post all the lyrics here - eventually." :D

Worded this way, "will" is not a asking - but saying (maybe) it is going to be done.
(English is a very difficult language. "Will" can be a question or a statement of what is to be done in the future.)

"I will talk" = "You are going to talk in the future."
"Will I talk?" = "Am I going to talk in the future?"

And we will be happy to help.
excellent - thanks a lot. Great explanation KR2 It is our pleasure. :wink:]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club KR2 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306219 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306210 Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:29:44 +0000 Good idea - I find that much easier :roll:]]> Guitar Noise Songwriting Club lars https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-noise-songwriting-club/question-about-english-language/#post-306210