Amber's English

Are you 'in church', 'at church', or 'at the church'?

2009-07-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

Carlo: Hi Lovely! How are you? I'm surprised you're answering. I'd just wanted to leave you a 'radio show' message. Aren't you in church? Like you had said in your message?

Amber: Yeah, but we're going to pick up Lindsey

Carlo: Oh, so you're not praying; the mass, or the ceremony isn't on?

Amber: Oh, no.

Carlo: Well, then, I should tell you Love, that 'in church' means you are praying, or the mass, or ceremony, or procedure is in happening.

Amber: Oh.

Carlo: Yeah, and at church could mean the same thing; it's less clear. But at the church, means you are there for another reason, for example, to get your hat (which perhaps you forgot in the pew [the long, bench-like seats]), or to talk to a preacher, or it could mean you are simply near or in the church, but you are not doing anything in relation to the mass; you are not praying. Maybe you are talking to someone.

Amber: Oh. Thank you!

Amber: Oh. Of course!

Concerned about Brownie

2009-02-20T00:08:00.000-08:00

Leo: Honey, I'm concerned about Tommy Brownie.
Amber: Oh really? Why?

Leo: Well, I know this is gonna sound weird, but, he isn't in his usual place.
Amber: How could tht be? He's just a stuffed animal. I mean, thank you for being concerend, but....

Leo: I know, I know. I am not saying he...actually went somewhere on his own but...this is really strange!
Amber: What? What's strange?

Leo: Well, not only is he not here, on the bed, but, he um...
Amber: What? he what? What are you so worried about?

Leo: well, either you're playing a joke on me, or ah, he left a note! He said he went on a date!
Amber: What? No. I'm not playing any tricks. A date? Are you crazy Leo? How? With whom?

Leo: Honey, you won't believe this, but have you seen Hello Kitty? She's missing too!

'Running out of'

2009-02-15T23:39:00.000-08:00

Amber: Hey, Leo, we're running out of cereal, and carrots!
Carlo: Okay Lovely, I'll call the butler and have him go and pick some up. (He He)

Notice, Lovely, that after 'running out of', the cereal is a mass noun (generally a non-countable noun), like ketchup, or mustard, or;
it is a plural, countable noun, like carrots, or peanuts.
We don't say 'I'm running out of pea', or 'I'm running out of times.' And;
we generally don't say, 'I'm running out of coffees.', or bean, but;
since the age of fast food began, we sometiems do say 'coffees', or 'ketchup s', because;
they are sometimes self-contained in a special cup or package, as one unit.

Examples:

The company was running out of party hats but had plenty of paper to make new ones. John, in accounting, who never runs out of ideas, thought of using painting last years hats for the party, so that saved us some time, which were were running out of too.

For Kids!

2009-02-15T22:16:00.000-08:00

A. What does an elephant have?

a big hat
a big belly
a big house

B. What does a bird have?

a small nose
a sharp nose
a beak

C. What does a man have?

hair
fur
hair and fur

D. What does a cat have?

milk
fish
a tail

E. What does an alligator have?

a leather wallet
a leather body
strong skin

* Answers should be like this:

A(n) _________ has/It has a(n), or have no article at all before the noun, as in teh case of hair and fur.
To argue: Say, 'It does!'; 'It doesn't'; 'it does too!', 'It does not!'
To discuss: Say, 'Are you sure?', 'Yes I'm sure.', 'Have(n't)' you seen a(n)______?'

'So You Don't' And 'So As To'

2009-02-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

Mother: Where you careful John, not to play to hard, so you wouldn't hurt your little brother?

Child: Of course Mom!

-OR-

Captian: Where you careful Private Smith, to be extra quiet, so as not to wake the enemy?

Soldier: Yes Sir, of course.

Tommy Brown bear and Tell & Say

2009-02-09T20:09:00.000-08:00

I met a little bear at a shop in COEX. Okay, I know what you're thinking, 'COEX is no zoo' What's this guy talking about?'

Well, hold onto your socks. I'm talking about a Teddy Bear. Yeah, call me crazy, but there I was in Anne's Stationary Store, you know, across from that place that has the Totoro stuff; all the Japanese toys and things.

You know Anne's. They sell special paper, household items, girly things, nick-nacks, toys, diaries, and stuffed animals, like those cute cats that looked surprised.

So this bear says to me, ''Hey, buddy, you got a girl?"

So I tell him "yeah!" I got a girl, do you have a...girl?', and I 'm thinking, 'Did I just ask a stuffed animal a question?' Good God.'

NOTICE Amber,

'Tell' needs an object:

I'll tell you something interesting...
Let me tell you something.
Tell Bob his fly is opened!
Did you have something to tell me?
And the way you usually use it Love: My boss told me I have to come earlier this month.