Rate my avatar!

[foothead]

Does anyone else around here use themselves as an avatar?
(or should I say their own pics)

People tend to do that off and on here. Right now would be one of those "off" periods. It's always just a few users at a time though, never the majority.

Note: I used "them" to cover "her" and "him", and "their" to cover "her" and "his"

Despite what some middle school grammar teachers tell you, them/they/their is considered acceptable as a singular gender neutral pronoun. No need to point it out, as it's pretty widely used.

 

[BK_123]

People tend to do that off and on here. Right now would be one of those "off" periods. It's always just a few users at a time though, never the majority.

You had a really nice photo of you up awhile back Foothead

 

[Smart_Guy]

So far just you and berry120...

Whew thanks! I had no idea where you were going with that until I read your note.


I kid, I kid. But seriously I think berry120 is a bot.

Glad things were clear with my note

So, guess I'm the only one with my true self as an avatar at the moment. Say, you look cool on your avatar. Just skidding... I mean kidding

Note: I omitted "I'm" but I mean that I am the one glad and guessing above.
Ok ok, this is getting old I know. Sorry

People tend to do that off and on here. Right now would be one of those "off" periods. It's always just a few users at a time though, never the majority.

Despite what some middle school grammar teachers tell you, them/they/their is considered acceptable as a singular gender neutral pronoun. No need to point it out, as it's pretty widely used.

So it happens from time to time. Good to know that. I personally believe that showing one's real self is friendly.

I see people from time to time use "him/her" (the full part between the quotes) and similar instead. Native English users. So I thought it was not know to all. Being a foreigner with EFL, it is good no know that. You see, I learned English with personal efforts here in a country with the worst English inventory at all. Thanks to video games and subtitled cartoon, and practice was, and still mostly is, with non-native English speakers.

Note: EFL = English as Foreign Language

 

[TheCrow]

Glad things were clear with my note

So, guess I'm the only one with my true self as an avatar at the moment. Say, you look cool on your avatar. Just skidding... I mean kidding

Note: I omitted "I'm" but I mean that I am the one glad and guessing above.
Ok ok, this is getting old I know. Sorry



So it happens from time to time. Good to know that. I personally believe that showing one's real self is friendly.

I see people from time to time use "him/her" (the full part between the quotes) and similar instead. Native English users. So I thought it was not know to all. Being a foreigner with EFL, it is good no know that. You see, I learned English with personal efforts here in a country with the worst English inventory at all. Thanks to video games and subtitled cartoon, and practice was, and still mostly is, with non-native English speakers.

Note: EFL = English as Foreign Language

You are so not alone. I didn't do to well in English through out middle and high school. Guess I'm one of those people that had fall thru the cracks when it comes to english class.

 

[foothead]

I see people from time to time use "him/her" (the full part between the quotes) and similar instead. Native English users. So I thought it was not know to all. Being a foreigner with EFL, it is good no know that. You see, I learned English with personal efforts here in a country with the worst English inventory at all. Thanks to video games and subtitled cartoon, and practice was, and still mostly is, with non-native English speakers.

Note: EFL = English as Foreign Language

Yeah, for some reason it was arbitrarily decided that "they" was incorrect, and should be replaced with "him/her." This is what gets taught in most schools. In normal usage, either one is correct. People may have a preference as to which they use, but any English speaker should be able to tell what you mean from context.

I'm aware that English is your second language, which is why I wrote that before. Just trying to help. Your English is very good, by the way. You're actually better at grammar than a lot of native English speakers. For some reason, education on grammar is getting progressively worse here in the US. I have a friend who can't spell or form sentences beyond a fifth grade level, but was still able to graduate from a private high school without problems.

 

[Smart_Guy]

You are so not alone. I didn't do to well in English through out middle and high school. Guess I'm one of those people that had fall thru the cracks when it comes to English class.

If I get it right, you are Canadian, which means a native English speaker. Maybe you didn't do well in formal English at school, but English-for-life (if I get the expression right) is probably ay okay for you. Actually I'm jealous of Canadians, you have French as a second language. That's just way cool compadre. Wait, that was Spanish

Here we only have Arabic as a main language. An extremely difficult language I know, but having it alone is not good.

Yeah, for some reason it was arbitrarily decided that "they" was incorrect, and should be replaced with "him/her." This is what gets taught in most schools. In normal usage, either one is correct. People may have a preference as to which they use, but any English speaker should be able to tell what you mean from context.

I'm aware that English is your second language, which is why I wrote that before. Just trying to help. Your English is very good, by the way. You're actually better at grammar than a lot of native English speakers. For some reason, education on grammar is getting progressively worse here in the US. I have a friend who can't spell or form sentences beyond a fifth grade level, but was still able to graduate from a private high school without problems.

I appreciate the explanation. Thanks man.

I just hope native Speakers don't think something else like "stoopid forener" or something like that when they hear me speak the Language

I actually practice American English accent (New York dialect). Speaking of different American dialects, that episode of Ultimate Spider-man when he went to Boston was really funny.

I know you were trying to help. I appreciate it and more of it if you don't mind. Sorry if my words failed me and made me sound like a bad guy. A second language in sequence, but it is officially a foreign language not second. More pitiful . Learning/acquiring EFL is much harder than ESL.

I had some spelling mistakes in my previous post btw. It is probably the reason I mistakenly sounded ungrateful.

 

[foothead]

If I get it right, you are Canadian, which means a native English speaker. Maybe you didn't do well in formal English at school, but English-for-life (if I get the expression right) is probably ay okay for you. Actually I'm jealous of Canadians, you have French as a second language. That's just way cool compadre. Wait, that was Spanish

Some places in Canada still have French as the main language, with English taught as a second one.

I appreciate the explanation. Thanks man.

Not a man, but I appreciate the sentiment. Haha.

I just hope native Speakers don't think something else like "stoopid forener" or something like that when they hear me speak the Language

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in the US, especially the south, who tend to hate foreigners for some reason. Most would appreciate that you're trying though.

I actually practice American English accent (New York dialect). Speaking of different American dialects, that episode of Ultimate Spider-man when he went to Boston was really funny.

Boston probably has the most extreme accent in the US. If you like strange accents, try some of the English-speaking African countries. Here's an example (Nigeria.)

The Dead Parrot Sketch - Nigerian Scammer Style! - YouTube

The context behind this one was pretty great. Basically, someone received a scam email, and managed to turn it around, claiming he was giving out some sort of grant to aspiring filmmakers. The catch was that they had to produce a video based on a provided script to prove they were legitimate. Then he provided the script for a classic Monty Python sketch, and had them make the above video. If you've never seen the original, it's here.

I know you were trying to help. I appreciate it and more of it if you don't mind. Sorry if my words failed me and made me sound like a bad guy. A second language in sequence, but it is officially a foreign language not second. More pitiful . Learning/acquiring EFL is much harder than ESL.

I had some spelling mistakes in my previous post btw. It is probably the reason I mistakenly sounded ungrateful.

You didn't really come off as ungrateful. I was just trying to make conversation, I guess.

 

[Smart_Guy]

Not a man, but I appreciate the sentiment. Haha.

Sorry, I'm confused.

A lady?

Or maybe you mean something else?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in the US, especially the south, who tend to hate foreigners for some reason. Most would appreciate that you're trying though.

It is quit understandable; mixing identities, jobs taken and such, but foreigners do help the country they are in at least. Every country has this problem. Even here, although our teachings strictly forbid that.

Boston probably has the most extreme accent in the US. If you really want something difficult though, try some of the English-speaking African countries. Here's an example (Nigeria.)

More extreme than the Southern dialect? Which sounds cool to me btw. The reporter in Courage the Courteously Dog sounds really cool.

I'll check the video when I get back home. Youtube is blocked here in the office.

You didn't really come off as ungrateful. I was just trying to make conversation, I guess.

Good to know that. I feel better now.

 

[foothead]

Sorry, I'm confused.

A lady?

Yes

It is quit understandable; mixing identities, jobs taken and such, but foreigners do help the country they are in at least. Every country has this problem. Even here, although our teachings strictly forbid that.

Eh, it's usually xenophobia more than for practical reasons, though they do come up with things to justify it. I think it mostly stems from the fact that American culture in general is fairly nationalistic, (not extreme like some countries, but more so than most western nations) and people here have a tendency to lump everyone together into groups. In a way, it's self-perpetuating, since people's opinions of these groups tend to be heavily shaped by media, but that media tends to use stereotypes as the basis for their characters, only modifying them as is required for the story. It's getting better though, especially with the younger generation.

More extreme than the Southern dialect? Which sounds cool to me btw. The reporter in Courage the Courteously Dog sounds really cool.

I'd say yes, but that may just be because the southern accent is more heavily represented in media, so I've become more accustomed to it.

 

[Smart_Guy]

Yes

Please forgive my unintended ignorance and rudeness Ma'am.

Eh, it's usually xenophobia more than for practical reasons, though they do come up with things to justify it. I think it mostly stems from the fact that American culture in general is fairly nationalistic, (not extreme like some countries, but more so than most) and have a tendency to place everyone in groups.

This is informative, specially for someone never been to the States before.

I'd say yes, but that may just be because the southern accent is more heavily represented in media, so I've become more accustomed to it.

having this conversation, I have nothing but respect to all accents and dialects and their people by default.

I have a distinctive dialect that belongs to a minority here in Saudi Arabia.