Good points all. When I started first grade in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958, there were a few kids from other countries who did not speak English. They were given a special English class where the teacher gave the lesson first in English and then supplemented in the native language of the student. If any student still did not speak English by year's end, they were held back and experienced first grade again.Not many failed to learn the first year. Their native language then became their second language and the parents usually learned English from the children.These days ballots, vehicle code books, telephone greetings/menus are all given in at least one language in addition to English. Changing times but not changing needs."Ain't", always used as a contraction of "am not", was always improper grammar when I was a small weed. Now it is in Webster's as that contraction and is no longer considered improper, but only labeled as not the preferred word. It still is not proper English regardless of Webster.IMHO, there is a need for an international techspeak, if you will, where bad means not good, and gay means jolly well. Where 'shall be' is a directive and 'may be' a choice. A language that is used on technical drawings and in operational manuals that can be understood exactly the same by a Korean electrician as it would be by a Danish electrician, either one reading the same drawing or manual would install the exact, identical installation. No room for interpretation.Also, IMHO, there is no real need per ce', for an international common dialect to be established. It will evolve on its own with no help.Glenn'Maintain thy airspeed, lest the ground rise up and smite thee.'

experts - that's not correct - it's "expert's" :-roll - get with the times man!regards,MarkXPHomeSP2/FS9.1/3.2HT/1GIG/X700pro256

Donny AKA ShalomarFly 2 ROCKS!!!If you say an expert's opinion, I think so, but not the so-called experts in their field... Just another way English can be tricky.Best Regards, Donny:-wave

Just being sarcastic Donny - I HATE that one, the tendency now to use an apostrophe s to denote plurality, like expert's, addon's, repaint's etcregards, :-wave MarkXPHomeSP2/FS9.1/3.2HT/1GIG/X700pro256

I caught a big fat ghoti in the pond yesterday.gh like in "laughter",o like in "women",ti like in "potion". Be well!Jaap Verduijn.

A particular beauty is right here on AVSIM in the recent review of the Rennes St-Jacques scenery: "(...) This combines to give the scenery a well composed look and appears well

Q: When is a door not a door?A: when it's ajar!Geddit? :-)BestGrahame (EDHL)

Further to my post.I would recommend to anyone learning English that theyread detective stories.The reason for this is that you will learn very quicklyconversational language and slang.Slang is the most important. The reason why most peoplehave difficulties in other languages is that between 40%and 60% of expressions and idioms utiliz(s)ed are slang.Listen carefully to your conversations with friends.This is why it's so difficult to be fluent in otherlanguages.English has it's quirks but no different to Frenchor other languages.The problem mostly is pronunciation, hence the aviationalphabet.Regards, JAH - Los Angeles.