[mesmark]

I was teaching an English teacher and she came to me with a few questions from the textbook. When there's a problem, it generally that some productive pattern has created a grammatically correct sentence but is semantically ill-formed.

here's one from last lesson that had me in stitches. (I took a little memo.) I'm not sure why it was so funny, but I think because I just didn't know what to do with it.

"I shall have studied English for 6 years by next March."

I couldn't stop laughing and I couldn't tell her why it sounds wrong to me.

[susan53]

Hi Mark,
Is this another US/UK difference? As long as I shall have has a weak form pronunciation - /ʌʃələv/- it sounds fine to me. In fact I'd probably say it. Of course there are other possibilities - I'll instead of I shall, and have been studying rather than have studied - but I can't see anything actually strange about it. What exactly was it that didn't seem possible?

How's Japan? Even hotter and stickier than here, I guess.

[mesmark]

Interesting. It may be a difference between American and British English (It very well could be that I'm just a little strange )

I don't think we use 'shall' in affirmative sentences in AE. Any other Americans on this?

Quote susan53

How's Japan? Even hotter and stickier than here, I guess.

It's actually been pretty cool this summer, but I'm high in the mountains of Nagano (700m above sea level.) It's generally only unbearably hot and stick for about 6 weeks - mid July through Aug. So, the heat's on the way ...

[mesmark]

The high school book also had the example sentence:
'You shall have this book.'

I told my students that it would be OK in a ESP - Royalty class

[Beatrix]

Quote mesmark

Interesting. It may be a difference between American and British English (It very well could be that I'm just a little strange )
...

I couldn't stop laughing after reading this.

Thanks, Mark.

[mesmark]

Quote Beatrix

I couldn't stop laughing after reading this.

Thanks, Mark.

[STCrowley]

I tell my students that 'shall' is outdated. Do we (English speakers in general) still use it? I've never read Jane Austin, but I feel like a Jane Austin character when I use it.

[STCrowley]

I have been informed by a 'British speaking' colleague that "On the island where we haven't murdered our English, we still properly use the word 'shall.'" So, I stand corrected.

I still say it makes me sound like something from my misconception of a Jane Austin novel!

[Beatrix]

isn't it jane Austen?

[STCrowley]

You mean she wasn't named for the city in Texas?

I guess that shows how far out of my depth I am.

My apologies to all.
-Toby

[Beatrix]

no need for an apology. it's just that a lot of people make that mistake about her name, I've noticed it.

me too, I've made it recently, that's why I paid attention to your spelling