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Q: Most useful unknown word to Chinese learners of English?
I often notice that my students learn words like "glibness" but neglect words like "ditch" or "ladder rung."
What words do you think most need to be added to high level English language books in replacement for the random shit that usually winds up in those books?
13 years 5 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Usually (since when has this word had an 'r ' and not an 's' in it?).
Everyday words would be good! The trouble is the Chinese learn English from the top down; instead of learning easy words, they learn the more complex words. So when they say a formal word, it makes you think they must know all the minor words connected to it. That is the problem, they do a major in English in Middle school and when you or me or whoever comes here, we have to try to put the floor in the house without the wall being there.
I think the major problem is that they only learn one word to describe something, when English speakers like to use variety. For example, many people here say "beautiful," but is that what they really mean? Instead, I think they don't know the word "pretty" or they don't know that "beautiful" is not the common word. It's the same for "sexy," when a lot of people use "hot," or "clever" when we say "smart." I think their lack of verbal variety is their greatest weakness.
I like to teach them profanity. I think it's useful. 
bayuvar139:
It is good sometimes... I learned many 'bad words' before I came to China because it is always good in any language: makes people think you know and understand more than you actually do.
Njord:
It also stops a person from waving like an idiot when someone is in fact calling you names and you think they're being nice and politely smile at them because you don't understand...
I agree with the comment about variety. Many people also say "interesting" a lot, including times when it is actually closer to being offensive than complimentary i.e. "your hair is very interesting".
siyingyuan:
haha. Years ago, when I was still in ESL. I (Chinese) once invited a friend (white) over for supper. After she tasted my food, she told me it was "interesting". I thought, back then, she had a real interest in my food. 
"Do you want to hang out?" as opposed to "Do you want to play together?" errrrrrrr 
i agree with the opinion about "variety', but i think it is common problem when people learning another language. as a english learner, i always think there are so many words to describe a same thing.
i insist to watch amercian tv series to practice my english eveyday, and i think that a good way to know the common words.
by the way , there are too many special words in "the big bang theroy ", it always make me confuse. 
Jnusb416:
Haha, I don't understand why that show is so popular outside of America. I don't watch it, but I know that most of the humor is very witty, and many people learning English would not understand it. It's not my cup of tea, though.
In business English, the Chinese should learn the word "marketing" instead of the dictionary translation of xuanchuan they like to use which is "propaganda".
They probably don't even realize why foreign clients have a little chuckle when somebody introduces themselves as being a member of the company propaganda department or hands over copies of the company propaganda!
am not a native English speaker, but to my surprise, I've found that "Familiar with" is the most common (or only) word local IT professionals use in the resumes, like "Familiar with Java & C#.net, familiar with SSH framework, bla bla bla......." They dunno other words such as strong knowledge of, hands-on experience, well-versed, proficient, sound skills, good command of...., etc. I have to polish their resumes before submitting to clients.
Onomatopoeia is arguably useful and undoubtedly grievously neglected.
Tiring
I always hear people saying "its so tired" when talking about work or school. Its annoying.
bill8899:
And what exactly do you have against personification? Huh? Maybe they are personificating something!
Bwahahahaha
I was once asked if I had a "lover"... I have explained that difference a few times now (usually using students to demonstrate the difference 
)
I would suggest body parts as something they need to know. At the very least, it gives them vocab they can use on a daily basis (rather than 'plasma', which one lot of my students had to know). By 'body parts', I also mean the names of the larger/more useful/significant bones - including the humerus (which has the funny-bone at the end... get it? Humerus - funny-bone??) But, I'd teach 'jaw' instead of 'mandible'.
the whole adjective versus participle things
bored-boring
tired-tiring
interested-interesting
fun-funny
I'm good
I'm ok
I'm great
This is what I teach students when I hear that horrible "I'm fine thank you, and you!" they all do it in the same tone as if reciting it back in middle school! I try to explain that they need to say how they really feel and theres no need for the thanks you.
To respond I tell them to be more natural also and say how about you? or what about you?
I also agree with some points that Chinese could do with learning please and thank you. Back home when you pay the cashier and they give you the change you would say thank you, here I was asked once why do I say thank you - we spent money there they should say thank you, I said two reasons 1 is to be polite and 2 is to practice Chinese (I'd only been here a short time when this occurred) but to this day I still say thankyou in China.
Another thing I think Chinese girls need to learn is how to say "Sorry" to their boyfriends! But maybe that's something for girls worldwide! 
haha
I'm good
I'm ok
I'm great
This is what I teach students when I hear that horrible "I'm fine thank you, and you!" they all do it in the same tone as if reciting it back in middle school! I try to explain that they need to say how they really feel and theres no need for the thanks you.
To respond I tell them to be more natural also and say how about you? or what about you?
I also agree with some points that Chinese could do with learning please and thank you. Back home when you pay the cashier and they give you the change you would say thank you, here I was asked once why do I say thank you - we spent money there they should say thank you, I said two reasons 1 is to be polite and 2 is to practice Chinese (I'd only been here a short time when this occurred) but to this day I still say thankyou in China.
Another thing I think Chinese girls need to learn is how to say "Sorry" to their boyfriends! But maybe that's something for girls worldwide! haha
Usually (since when has this word had an 'r ' and not an 's' in it?).
The application of grammar rather than reciting the rules of that form of grammar.
e.g. So many of my students stick to the present simple, for things being done at that time, when I then go through the rules of the present continuous (progressive for N. Americans) they almost always know them but don't use it. I then point out that the Present Simple is used in very limited circumstances, (habits / routines) and they either don't believe me, ignore me, go and ask a Chinese teacher or all three.
Yeah it's funny. I think it's cause Chinese puts a lot of stock in big words as being prestigious, so they sort of go the same way in English. Or just looking up a bad translation. Until I corrected here, I used to laugh when my wife would always tell me to "delete" things instead of just stopping them, throwing them out...etc.
Example: "Delete that rice, we're not going to eat it"
At the same time, we do the same thing. She still gets on me for saying stuff that sounds hilarious to her. Once I said I would "take her to dinner" and she broke out laughing cause I used Chinese that basically said "I'm going to kidnap and feed you"
How's Korea, BTW?
