Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?

Dear mjd

I think that if you are 'the Moderator' that it is a mistake for you to Post in your own name. I also think that it is a mistake for you to get involved in discussions. I certainly think that it is a mistake for you to get involved in arguments.

I can remember getting involved with a Native Speaker of Polish about whether I should pronounce 'often' with or without a 't'.

I am a Native Speaker of English, and I thought that she was being very presumptuous in trying to correct me.

However, I then took an interest in how 'often' was 'pronounced'.

In the Topic, "trouble in the night ! poetry!", someone misspelt "extrodinary". I believe the convention is to put 'sic' after such a misspelling.

So they misspelt 'extrodinary' sic 'their spelling'.

Sic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
15 Jun 2007 ... The word sic may be used either to show that an uncommon or archaic usage is reported faithfully: for instance, quoting the U.S. ..

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sic

In trying to find out more about the word 'extraordinary', I came across the Post in another Forum that discussed both 'often' and 'extraordinary' in a very prescriptive way.

The film, "My Fair Lady" is about language and how language is taught. So, I introduced my Post with the title of the famous song from the film.

"Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?"

Which of course was sung by Professor Higgins (Rex Harrison).

Bye for now

Old man Higgins did a really good job in transforming Eliza's speech....from the guttersnipe to lady...from Kentish Town to Kensington....from "Aaw gawd aaw'moity!" to "Oh, hahw do you do!" but he forgot to instruct her well enough to control herself at all times....like the time she was at Ascot races, all dressed up to the nines among all the Lords and Ladies, the transformed perfect English Lady and willing her horse to win....."Aaaaaw....cam awn!!!...shift ya bleeding arse!"

Classic.

<<Often with [t] is spelling pronunciation, just like vehicle with [h].>>

vehicle /viːhaɪkl/

I've never yet seen a forum where the moderators didn't also participate in threads as ordinary posters, and under their own name. I don't see why mjd should have to abstain from conversation just because he also has editorial powers. That's between him and the site administrator.

If you think of the 'Moderator' as being like a ChairPerson in a Debate. The ChairPerson does not take part in the Debate, but ensures that the Debate takes place in an orderly fashion.

Otherwise, the Moderator is like a Super Powerful Person.

Also, it ceases to be a Debate and is some form of Dictatorship.

<<If you think of the 'Moderator' as being like a ChairPerson in a Debate. The ChairPerson does not take part in the Debate, but ensures that the Debate takes place in an orderly fashion.>>

The role of the moderator is slightly different from that of a chairperson in a debate. You are right - they do ensure that the debate / discussion takes place in an orderly fashion. However, in forums like this, moderators had been long-term contributors to the discussions when they actually chose or were chosen to fulfill this function. I've seen and even posted on many other forums and I can't recall any moderator having been deprived of his/her right to post and take part in discussions.

<<Otherwise, the Moderator is like a Super Powerful Person.

Also, it ceases to be a Debate and is some form of Dictatorship.>>

Only if the moderators are excessively biassed not sensible at all, which is fortunately not true in most of the cases (there are exceptions, of course, as always, but I don't wish to name names). As far as I know, mjd has always been quite a sensible moderator and is certainly not a dictator type by any stretch of the imagination.

Robin Michael why do you capitalize your nouns? Are you a German?