June 18, 2009

Triple T's: Tips, Techniques and Terms #1

First of all, let me put it this way. I'm neither an expert at English nor a linguist. People around me persuade me to become a teacher of English but I find I suck at teaching English academically. I just insatiably love to learn English and share my proper knowledge of the English language with other people. The Englilsh education in my country is terrible. Teachers insanely teach grammar which is definitely not the first priority in learning the language. Ok, calm down, O'Mama!

Well, as I said in the header, I'm here to help, share and change and I hope we'll learn together!

Let's start with some Acronyms and abbreviations we should know as "food for thought."

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

Computer-Accelerated Instruction (CAI)

Technology-Enhanced Language Learning (TELL)

Computer-Assisted Language Instruction (CALI)

Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL)

Business English (BE)

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

English for Academic Purposes (EAP)

English as a Foreign Language (EFL)

English as an International Language (EIL)

English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)

English Language Learner (ELL)

English Language Teaching (ELT)

English as a Second Language (ESL)

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

English for Special Purposes (ESP) or English for Specific Purposes

English for Science and Technology (EST)

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Teaching Young Learners English (TYLE; "Young Learners" can mean under 18, or much
younger.)

Business Language Testing Services (BULATS)

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)

Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA)

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

London Tests of English by Pearson Language Tests (LTE)

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC)

University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES)

First Certificate in English (FCE)

Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)

Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

Test of Spoken English (TSE)

Test of Written English (TWE)

Received Pronunciation (RP) also called the Queen's (or King's) English and BBC English

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

American English (AmE, AE, AmEng, USEng, en-US)

British English, or UK English (BrE, BE, en-GB)

Standard English (S.E.)

Standard Spoken American English (SSAE)

General American English (GAE or GenAm)

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Cambridge Guide to English Usage (CGEL)

Oxford English Dictionary (OED)

Oxford University Press (OUP)

drunk driving (AmE)
drink driving (BrE)

A lingua franca is a language systematically used to communicate between persons not sharing a mother tongue, in particular when it is a third language, distinct from both persons' mother tongues.

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established".

de facto
adjective [before noun], adverb FORMAL; existing in fact, although not necessarily intended, legal or accepted:
- The city is rapidly becoming the de facto centre of the financial world.
- He's her de facto husband though they're not actually married.
- English is de facto the common language of much of the world today.
- If it is on British soil then it is de facto British.

de facto
noun [C] AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH; a person with whom someone lives as a wife or a husband, although they are not married:
- They've invited Joanne and her de facto for lunch on Sunday.
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Are you a 'de facto'? :P
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