Daisy's Blog

I was in Berlin last Sommer. It was great but, as you say, a lot of things are false. You know, young-people culture, a mentality that can be reasumed with the phrase "we are the world": grate things to say, without doubts. But it is not the way world goes on and without money of USA Berlin would have been death after the wall fall. Tha suburb culture seems to me something unreal; the truth is that Berlin is a West city that wants to criticize the West, but doesn't rinunciate to the advantages. I really don't like hipocrisism. And I saw a lot of it, there.
RCE

CORRECTION BY CRYSTAL JONES
I went to Berlin last summer. It was wonderful but, as you say, a lot of things are not really good. You know, young people's behaviour, their mentality that can be expressed with the sentence "we are the world." Great things to say, without doubt, but it is not the way the world functions, and without American money Berlin would have been dead after the fall of the wall. Suburban culture seems to me to be rather unreal; the truth of the matter is that Berlin is a Western city that criticizes the West, but doesn't give up any of its advantages. I really don't like hypocrisy, and I saw a lot of it there.

Dear Crystal,
a month ago I discovered the English gratis web site, and I think that is fantastic!!! Every days I visit the web and I think that is very useful in particular the comparison between English and Italian texts because in this way I can understand my errors, which are typical in an Italian speaker. I need to improve my English grammar in particular, because in may I have a very important exam and I hope to pass it.I have a request, could be possible to have exercises about listening comprehension?
Thanks in advance!!!
Vanessa
RCE

CORREZIONE E RISPOSTA DI CRYSTAL JONES
======================================
Dear Crystal,
A month ago I discovered the English Gratis website, and I think it's fantastic!!! Every day I visit your website and I think it's very useful, especially the comparison between English and Italian texts because, in this way, I can understand my mistakes, which are typical of an Italian speaking person. I need to improve my English grammar, because I have a very important exam in May and hope to pass it. I have a request, would it be possible to have exercises in listening comprehension? Thanks in advance!!!

Dear Vanessa, At the moment we haven't got any listening exercises on our website but we welcome your suggestion and we'll think about it. Regards.

Αγαπητε Crystal,
Πριν απο μερικους μηνες ελαβα ενα ενημερωτικο δελτιο απο την αγγλικη ομαδα Gratis λεγοντας οτι θα περιλαμβανουν ενα φορουμ για την ιστοσελιδα σας.

RISPOSTA DI CRYSTAL JONES
Dear Artimen, thank you for your comment. Would you be so kind as to write to me in English or Italian to let me know what you are saying.
Thanking you...

Dear Crystal
A couple of months ago I received a post by english gratis team saying that it you woul include in your site a forum section.I think it would be very useful for everyone who maybe have some doubts about english grammar.Like me...I have two questions for you.The first It is
correct to say"a reservation in name of"( a nome di).The second :it is right to translate "Magari fossi nato inglese "I wish I were English.I wish it only when I have to write something in good English. Thanks in advance

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Dear Crystal,
A couple of months ago I received a newsletter from the English Gratis team saying that you would include a forum on your website. I think it would be very useful for everyone who might have some doubts about English grammar, like me. I have two questions to ask you. The first is: is it correct to say "a reservation in name of (a nome di)?"
The second is: is it right to translate "Magari fossi nato inglese" with "I wish I were English." I wish I were English when I have to write something in good English! Thanks in advance.

Dear Gaetano, you should say "a reservation in THE name of..." and "If only I were English". English Gratis is going to launch the forum soon. Stay tuned!

Hi Crystal, translation is amazing, but sometimes when I translate a song for instance, it is very difficult unsìderstand not the words, but the meaning of the singer. I believe that an enlish singer used particular terms to explain maybe a feeling a state of the soul that for foreign people is quite impossible to mean! that is, writers use metephor or idioms which are very english and for me is very very hard. now I would know if there is a part of you site or in other site where I can find this particular "way to say", like "due piccioni con una fava" or hidden meanings of words that I know just one or two meanings, the most common!
Thanks.Daniela rce

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Hi Crystal, translating is an amazing job, but sometimes when I translate a song, for instance, I find it difficult to understand not so much the individual words, but the meaning of the text as a whole. I think that an English lyricist must use special words to explain a feeling or a state of the mind, and that is very difficult for foreigners to understand! I mean, lyricists use metaphors or idioms which are exclusively English and this is very difficult for me to understand.
I would like to know if there is a part of your site or other sites where I can find English idioms, like "due piccioni con una fava" or full meanings of words of which I only know one or two meanings, the most common ones! Thanks.
Daniela

Dear Daniela, there are many sites dealing with English idioms and you can find them by entering 'English idioms' into your Google box. You could also try www.onelook.com which offers plenty of explanations for whichever word you want to look up. However, I think you could be better served by consulting a dictionary like Longman's Dictionary Of Contemporary English, which gives for each word a list of all the relevant idioms with examples of practical usage.

Dear Crystal, could I Know which is the plural of the word ROOF?Is it Roofs?
Many Thanks

Crystal Jones answers:
Dear Daniela, The plural is roofs.

It is most interesting reading about Berlin before and after the wall's fall. this is a story invented or have you been there really? RCE

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

It is very interesting reading about Berlin before and after the fall of the Wall. Is this a fictional story or have you really been there?

Dear Ale, I have been there twice and it's all true!

I believe the response to your question regarding the word 'UPSOT' to be incorrect.
In regards to the word 'UPSOT', I do not believe it to be a fictitious or humorous past participle of "upset" coined to rhyme with "lot".
If it was a fictitious word made up to rhyme with 'LOT' then why is it used in other 19th century poems.

http://www.bartleby.com/248/1132.html

http://www.bartleby.com/248/728.html

Many seem to believe that 'UPSOT' means: turned over, however that doesn't fit contextually with the above poems and doesn't follow the origin of the word 'SOT' that the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as: "a habitual drunkard".
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/sot
Thus, following the origin of the word, 'DRUNK or INTOXICATED' DOES fit contextually in Jingle Bells and every other reference I have been able to find utilizing the word 'UPSOT'.

Many people in 'Sleigh' or 'Carriage-Rides' also accompany the evening with wine or champagne.

In essence, after their sleigh got stuck in a drifting bank, they went out and got drunk..

Should anyone have any further insight or information to prove this wrong, I would gladly appreciate an email. dscottvanmeter@gmail.com

Crystal Jones answers

Dear Scott, you are making a very interesting point but the fact remains that the word upsot is not documented in any dictionary I know (or you know, for that matter). If 'sot' means drunk or intoxicated that doesn't mean to say that 'upsot' must have the same meaning. 'Set' and 'upset' do not have the same meaning, 'market' and 'upmarket' do not have the same meaning etc.

Dear Crystal, I was one of the more than a hundred readers who took part to the translation competition and want to testify that it has been a great experience. The way you and your husband propose studing English is unique and amusing. Learning having fun! What is best of this? Congratulation!Rce

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Dear Crystal, I was one of the more than a hundred readers who took part in the translation competition and want to testify that it has been a great experience. The way you and your husband propose studying English is unique and entertaining. You learn having fun! What is better than this? Congratulations!

Dear Giusi, Thank you for your comment. We are continuing the competition next Monday as we have been to Berlin for the PopKomm music trade fair. Best wishes. Keep studying! Regards.

Dear daisy,
I try to speak, or rather, to write in english. I'm trying to improve my english reading english book (written in english, in this moment "as the romans do" of alan epstein) because I hope in this way I don't bore with the only grammar book.
I have a big problem with english (in reality not only one :-) ), I can't understand the english spoken by english people, neither the bbc. )I don't have the opportunity to speak with english people so i thought to see english film with the subtitles in english. Do you think it's enough? Do you Know if bbcworld or bbc prime have the subtitles for its programmes? thank you very much....Alberto

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Dear Daisy,
I will try to speak or rather write in English. I'm trying to improve my English, reading a book written in English, "As The Romans Do" by Alan Epstein, because I hope I won't become bored only studying grammar.
I have a big problem with English (to be honest, not just one :-), I can't understand either the English spoken by English people, or the BBC. I don't have any opportunity of speaking to English people so I thought I'd see some English films with English subtitles. Do you think it's enough? Do you know if BBC World or BBC Prime have subtitled programmes? Thank you very much. Alberto

Dear Alberto,
as far as I know, BBC World and BBC Prime do not have subtitled programmes but if you are lucky (i.e. you live in the right region of Italy) you could have a satellite dish installed pointing to Astra 2D and watch 9 BBC channels, all with subtitles, which would help you enormously. Have a look at the end of the homepage of our www.englishgratis.com website and you'll find more relevant information. The best of luck with your studies!

Just a last thing, for distraction i’ve forgotten to write RCE on my comment, please can do you correct my written( the first i’ve send and this) miss Crystal?
(oh i’m sorry if before i’ve called you Daisy, only after i’ve read all, hehe)
Thank you very much!!
RCE

Hello Daisy
Just now i’ve find your blog,this come in handy for my study !!
Unfortunately i don’t have many occasion to improve my English or study it, so i’ve thinking to keep some simple books, reading this i could learn better,the problem is that at the moment i’ve only books for people with a good knowledge of English language( and isn’t my case), so what books i can buy? Can do you let me some name ? (I can order it by mail,so there isn’t a problem if this books aren’t sold here in Italy)
Well... By now i’ll continue to read your blog and , if i can, i would like to write you still ( even if i don’t disturb).
Thank you and good summer days !
Corinna

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Hello Daisy,
I’ve just found your blog. It will come in handy for my study!!
Unfortunately I don’t have many occasions to improve my English or study it, so I’ve been thinking of getting some simple books to read. Reading these I could learn English better, the problem is that at the moment I’ve only got books for people with a good knowledge of English (and that isn’t my case), so what books could I buy? Can you let me know the titles of some please? (I can get them by mail order, so there isn’t a problem if these books aren’t sold here in Italy).
Well... For the time being I’ll continue reading your blog and, if I may, I would like to write to you again (I hope I won’t disturb you).
Thank you and have a nice summer!
Corinna

Dear Corinna,

have you ever tried looking in shopping malls (centri commerciali) or big bookstores like Feltrinelli, Mondadori, Giunti? They sell easy versions of classics, fairy stories etc. I would advise you to buy something that you really like. If you order children's books from the UK or America, they won't be necessarily easier for you to understand because they are written for English speaking children, whose English is much more advanced than yours. Let me know how you get on.

hi daisy how are you??
it's the first time that i write here..i would have an advise..i'm 16 and between two weeks i'll leave to england in canterbury to an educational holiday andi will stay near a family and i will attend a school..
what advises me to prepareme at best???
thank you for you answer
RCE

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Hi Daisy, how are you? This is the first time I have ever written to you. I would like some advice. I'm 16 and in two weeks' time I am going on holiday to England (Canterbury) to study English and I'll stay with a family and go to school. What advice me can you give me to make the most of my stay? Thank you in advance for you answer.

Dear Francesca, I think you'd better take your umbrella with you as it's particularly rainy this summer :-) Try to always listen to how people express themselves so that your English will become proper English and not Italian-translated English. You could also watch TV programmes on the BBC with English subtitles, this would benefit your English enormously. Don't worry about not understanding everything and think you are obliged to speak perfect English immediately. Try to mix with English-speaking people and not Italians, Spaniards etc. as they won't be speaking English perfectly! Be prepared to make mistakes, it's normal! And last but not least, have a very good time! Best wishes.

I was wondering if I could have a biography on Crystal Jones Im doing a paper on her and i cant find anything

Hi Crystal,
Women's stories are very similar, I have read that in Italy in the 19th century didn't exist a female universe. Women didn't live very well their life, because to be women meant to be considered persons without social merit.
In fact women were illiterate and often worked in the countryside. Of course, married women were young women, their husbands took possession their life and also their property. Women worked hard all the time and when their husbands came back home were drunk and beat up their wifes. Instead of unmarried women left their house and worked by rich families.
The first women's association started about 1900 and offered a refuge for the poor young women where could eat and drink calmly.
In the period of the first world war began to change something for women, they could vote or manage their own property and practise their activeties.
Recently women continue suffering, some of them haven't rights and live a bad life. All woman's stories are very sad.
Thanks in advance. rce

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Hi Crystal,
Women's stories are very similar, I have read that in 19th century Italy a female universe didn't exist. Women didn't live very happy lives, because being a woman meant to be considered a person without any social merit.
In fact women were illiterate and often worked in the countryside. Of course, when women got married, their husbands took possession of their lives and property. Women worked hard all the time and when their husbands came back home they were often drunk and beat them up. Instead, unmarried women left their homes and worked for rich families.
The first women's association was set up in about 1900 and offered a refuge for poor young women where they could have their meals safely.
In the period after the first world war something began to change for women, they could vote and manage their own property and do their jobs.
Nowadays women still continue to suffer, some of them haven't got any rights at all and lead unhappy lives. Some women's stories are really very sad.
Thanks in advance.

Dear Crystal I wish you and your husband a very happy Easter!Kisses and a warm hug! Giusi

Risposta di Crystal Jones

Wishing you a Happy Easter and a pleasant Easter Monday!

Very interesting. From a male's point of view i almost say: "ohh, what a paradise!! to have such a control on the women!".
No,of course i'm joking, dear Crystal, i'm very surprised to hear about these things and i think the right situation is to have the same rights for the men and for the women. We have made giant's steps from those times.
Ciao Alberto
RCE

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Very interesting. From a male point of view I almost want to say: "Oh, what a paradise it was to have such control over women!" No, of course, I'm joking, dear Crystal. I'm very surprised to hear about these things and I think it's only fair for men and women to have the same rights. We have made giant steps from those times.
Ciao Alberto

Dear Alberto, I agree we've made giant steps but we've still got to make a lot more! Happy Easter!

Hi Crystal,
I would like to wish you a good Easter and happy Easter Monday.
I'll be very happy writing to you soon.
Bye Carla.

Risposta di Crystal Jones

Dear Carla, A very Happy Easter to you too and look forward to your future comments!

Hi Crystal,
I didn't know this man called" Olaudah Equiano" and I've been reading his famous book but I haven't finished yet, because it's a very long. These stories are very interesting for everyone, because you can imagine like people had lived their own life.
African's people had suffered a lot of for to have freedom and this condition of slavery continue nowdays. Today there's another sort of slavery for instance children's slavery where they are recruit in the armed forces. This's a big problem. I don't know why there are these problems in this world, where we have the ability to go up into space, we have the ability to built satellites and we have not the abilty to rescue their life!!!
However, I would like to continue writing to you and I am very happy now. I have skype and I would like to join in at the lessson, but I have read that it starts in the morning. I can't follow it because I haven't many free time, and I am very sad for this thing.
For now I'll continue writing to you. Thanks in advance...rce

Correzione di Crystal Jones

Hi Crystal,
I didn't know about Olaudah Equiano before and I've been reading his famous book but I haven't finished it yet, because it's very long. This sort of story is very interesting for everyone, because you can understand how people lived their lives.
African people suffered a lot to have their freedom but slavery continues even today. Now there is another sort of slavery, for instance, children's slavery where they are recruited into the army. This is a big problem. I don't know why these problems exist in the world, we have the ability to go up into space, we have the ability to build satellites but not to save children's lives!!!
However, I would like to continue writing to you as I am very happy about it. I have skype and would like to join in the lessons, but I have read that they take place in the morning. I can't take part in them because I haven't got much free time, and I am very sad about this.
For now I'll continue writing to you. Thanks in advance.

Dear Crystal, it was a great pleasure talking with you this afternoon. I was so excited that even I didn't remember your name! I wanted tell you a lot of things speaking in English but nothing came out of my mouth. I hope, for the next time, I will do better. I wish you a very nice weekend. Talk to you soon. Good night! rce

Correzione e risposta di Crystal Jones

Dear Crystal, it was a great pleasure talking to you this afternoon. I was so excited that I couldn't even remember your name! I wanted to tell you a lot of things in English but not a word came out of my mouth. I hope that next time I will do better. I wish you a very nice weekend. Talk to you soon. Good night! rce

Dear Giusy, You must let us know when you are passing through Milan!