Simplex English

02/06/2016

Use this tool to randomly generate a menu for your new Brooklyn bar!

10/12/2015

Nothing more to add...

09/12/2015

'Hello world' is just the beginning...

The ability to learn and creatively use language is among the most impressively complex cognitive processes, and continues to set humans apart from even the most advanced machines. However, a team of scientists has now created an artificial system of neurons that is capable of learning words, phrase…

08/12/2015

Lesson of the day: Listening / Pronunciation (the schwa)
Accent training

Human postcards #30
Clock Maker

A1: How many times does he say ‘er’ (hesitation)?

A2: Which words does he emphasise? Are they all at the end of the sentence?

B1: Turn on the subtitles in English, what is missing/ different from the subtitles?

B2: Fill in the missing words-
…I started out restoring the ________ collection
I repaired ________ restored _________ 500 clocks
And now the museum’s _______ _________ 1600 clocks ________ everything ________ happily ticking away

Patience, you can’t rush things.
As soon ______ you wanna rush things you make it worse ________ ________ takes _______ longer, you end up doing damage, breaking things if you ___________ rush it

Just take your time.
Cause it is all about time

C1: How have things changed since he arrived? Do you agree with his advice? Why / why not?

Human Postcards

Take 60 seconds to meet Wolfgang, an Austrian clockmaker. With passion and patience he has brought an old clock-museum back to life, one clock at a time. Now the…

25/11/2015

"The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick"

Good Luck.

19/11/2015

I feel safer already...

18/11/2015

So, why do we have so many languages?

Researchers have conducted an extensive study of the relationship between the sound structures of a worldwide sample of human languages and climatic and ecological factors. The results show a correlation between ecological factors and the ratio of sonorant segments to obstruent segments in the exami…

17/11/2015

Listening for decoding: 'Prisencolinensinainciusol'

One of the hottest, rocking, 'false English' videos around. Get listening and... what did he say?

A2/B1
-Give a possible transcription (see link below).
-Learners note points of stress in phrases while listening.

B1/B2
-In groups, chose 30 seconds and attempt a direct transcription.
-Pay particular attention to word boundaries, potential recurring 'chunks' and important (stressed) 'words'.

-In a class: Divide song among class (headphones) to get complete transcript.
-Compare with others and refine, compare with subtitled version (see link below)

'Subtitled' version: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xizlim_prisencolinensinainciusol-by-adriano-celentano-with-english-subtitles_music

Adriano Celentano Prisencolinensinainciusol

12/11/2015

11/11/2015

Better minds, better health, better relationships, better jobs AND s*xier?

Is there anything a second language can't do?

The research is in: multilinguals are s*xier.

11/11/2015

Never confuse s*x and tea. We're British after all.

Consent - it's as simple as tea! Find out more about the campaign by visiting www.consentiseverything.com Add a twibbon to your profile ...

10/11/2015

Lexis Lesson - Blends / Morphology

(Teachers- Make a selection first depending on your learners)

A2-B1:
1.Learners presented with 'new' words with the definitions, and try to imagine how the word as been constructed.
2. Learners debate the words they think should be kept in regular use (and why)

B1/B2+:
Learners are presented with selected words as 'new' untested words that might be added to the dictionary (without definitions):

1. How is the word constructed ? Which words are being combined?
2. What do you think the new word means?
3. Can you think of any other possible explanations? (Groups find common 'best' definition and share with the class)
4. Learners debate the words they would most like to keep (and why).

When languages evolve, it's important that scholars and dictionaries keep up. The internet has spawned a new crop of words for stuff, and while you may not like all of them, some of them are really clever combos that seem like they might actually be useful!