Languages

What is a (foreign) language? What languages are mainly taught in Czech schools? What languages do you study? Is it important to study foreign languages? Why? Where/how can you study a foreign language?

Quiz about English 1.How many people speak English as their first language? A) 375 millionB) 550 millionC) 930 million 2. What language group does English belong to? A) CelticB) GermanicC) Romance 3. How many countries is English an official language in? A) 23B) 54C) Which language do most English words come from? A) GreekB) FrenchC) Latin 5. When did English language start? A) 43 AD (Romans)B) 449 (Anglo-Saxons) C) 8 th century (Vikings) 6. What’s the most common letter in English? A)aB) eC) o

Think up as long sentence without the letter ‘e’ as possible. e Ernest Wright was very interested in this fact and wanted to see if it was possible to communicate without using this letter at all. He wasn’t able to write very much! In the end, he wrote a 200-page novel ( words), Gatsby, without using any words containing the letter ‘e’.

What is the difference between Czech and English? What do we learn when we learn English? What is your maturita exam in English going to be like? Learning English

How long have you been learning English? Talk about your studies (how did you start, what textbooks have you used, talk about your English classes, teachers,…) What do you find most difficult when you learn English? What’s the best way to remember new vocabulary? (What’s your method?)

Explain these words: Native speaker Pronunciation Mother tongue Accuracy/fluency Bilingual Plural Strong accent Gerund Grammar Proverb Spelling

Which languages have enriched English? What languages do these words come from? pyjamas robot house coffee and hotel parliament temperature language guitar helicopter Indian Czech German Arabic German French Latin French Spanish Greek

What are the differences between British and American English? Grammar Spelling Pronunciation Vocabulary

Watch this video (about 7 min.) British vs. American pronunciation Do you know more examples of words which are pronounced differently in British and American English?

What is ACCENT? a way of pronouncing the words of a language that shows which country, area or social class a person comes from Watch this video: (about 3,5 min.)

Transcript for the video [Iain] Where's the buttons? [Rob] Oh no, they've installed voice-recognition technology in this lift, they have no buttons. [Iain] Voice-recognition technology? In a lift? In Scotland? You ever tried voice-recognition technology? [Rob] No. [Iain] They don't do Scottish accents. [Rob] Eleven. [VOICE] Could you please repeat that? [Iain] Eleven. [Rob] Eleven. Eleven. [Iain] Eleven. [VOICE] Could you please repeat that? [Rob] EL-EV-EN. [Iain] Whose idea was this? You need to try an American accent. "E-leven. E-leven." [Rob] That sounds Irish, not American. [Iain] No it doesn't! ELEVEN. [Rob] Where in America is that - Dublin? [VOICE] I'm sorry. Could you please repeat that? [Rob] Try an English accent. "Eelevin! Eelevin!" [Iain] You from the same part of England as Dick van Dyke? [Rob] Let's hear yours then, smartass. [VOICE] Please speak slowly and clearly. [Rob] SMARTASS. [Iain] Ee-lev-en. [VOICE] I'm sorry. Could you please repeat that? [Iain] ELEVEN. If you don't understand the lingo, away back home to your own country! [Rob] Ooo, it's that talk now, is it, away back home to your own country? [Iain] Oh, don't start Mr. Bleeding Heart, how can you be racist to a lift? [VOICE] Please speak slowly and clearly. [Rob] Eleven. Eleven. Eleven. Eleven. [Iain] You're just saying it the same way! [Rob] I'm going to keep saying it until it understands Scottish, alright? [Rob] Eleven. Eleven. Eleven! Eleven! [Iain] Oh just take us anywhere, ya cow! Just open the doors! [VOICE] This is a voice-activated elevator. Please state which floor you would like to go to in a clear and calm manner. [Iain] Calm? Calm? Where's that coming from? Why is it telling people to be calm? [Rob] Because they knew they'd be selling this to Scottish people who'd be going off their nuts at it! [VOICE] You have not selected a floor. [Rob] Aye, we have! Eleven! [VOICE] If you would like to get out of the elevator without selecting a floor, simply say "Open the doors, please". [Iain] Please? Please?? Suck my wally. [Rob] Maybe we should just say "please". [Iain] I'm not begging that for nothing. [Rob] Open the doors, please. [Iain} "Please!" Pathetic. [VOICE] Please remain calm. [Rob] Oh! My! God! You wait until I get up there...just wait for it to speak... [VOICE] You have not selected a floor. [Rob] Up yours, ya cow! If you don't let us through these doors, I'm gonna come to America, I'm gonna find whatever desperate actress gave you a voice, and I'm gonna go to the electric chair for ye! [Iain] Scotland, you bastard! [Rob] Scotland! [Iain] SCOTLAND! [Rob] SCOOOOOTLAND! [Iain] FREEDOM!! [Rob] FREEDOM!! [Iain] Goin' up?