Although it may look very easy for you, I have a question to ask you. While we were reading a text in English in which appeared the number 999, the emergency number in UK, isn´t it? Then, a student wanted to know how you say that number. I said that you can say nine-nine-nine or double nine- nine but I told them I wasn´t sure adding that I´d ask you. Is it said that way or not? Is there another way to say it?
I've long believed that the twin achilles heels of the I.T. revolution are 1) wires and 2) the need to say "www.". We're solving the former, but the latter is now an international crisis.
Including the dot, that's ten syllables we have to utter. Add up all those ten syllables repeated over a year, and it must amount to about, well, the same time it took me to, erm, write this message.
Something must be done.
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Yes, well down here the convention has always been to say "double yew double yew double yew" ... but I've noticed a biggish backlash against it now, with people trying things like "all the dubyas" or "three dubyas" or (rarely) "triple double yew", but I think it creates even more confusion and isn't very satisfactory really.
It IS a crisis, I agree. Sometimes I don't sleep at night for worrying about it
The consolation is that, like the letter "o", you can't mistake "w" for anything else. Which is why radio operators like to have the letters "o" and "w" in their callsigns. Somewhat useless trivia, that. I think I need a beer.
And thanks Antonio, yes I am better now... haven't had any pain to speak of for nearly a week, so I might be taking my first tentative runs again soon. Yea!
My pupils were very glad when I gave them the solution to the 999 question. We talked about how fast communication is through the internet. I also told them that some of you will be coming to Almería half marathon and they were very glad. They told me that it´d be great if you could come to class and meet you.
Andy, perhaps it it is some consolation to know that in Spanish we need 14 syllables to say WWW. We say Uve doble,uve doble, uve doble punto and whatever it follows although you can also hear "triple uve doble punto ....".
It´s a wonderful piece of news that you´re feeling better and you can go on training.
I'd be very happy to take time out of my schedule to meet your teenage students.
In the circumstances, I'm sure you'll agree that some sort of reimbursement is appropriate to cover the inconvenience. I've had a word with my accountant, and he says that about 500 euros per day is the going rate for someone like me.
Ask them if they prefer me to pay cash or cheque.
Andy
El Gordo
Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
Thank you very much for offering to come to my school, Andy. It would be great for them to meet a native speaker and talk to them about your coutry, trips, interests and so on. It would be just one hour. Anyway, I don´t think we can afford such an amount of money but I´ll ask the head teacher.
Well, Andy, thank you very much but the pleasure will be for us. Anyway, I don´t want you to change your plans to come. If it suits you, it´ll be wonderful. I´m sure they´ll learn more English with you in just one hour than with me in several years.
