I have been having a discussion with an Indonesian friend. She is an English teacher. My friend wrote the following sentence. I have ever read an article about teaching young leaners. This sentence prompted the following comments and questions from me. PLEASE NOTE: I am totally aware and accepting of the development of new varieties of English which contain language constructions that are different from so-called standard British, Australian or American English. I have no problem with this, EXCEPT when the language construction interferes with the correct transfer of meaning or creates ambiguity. Perhaps the use of ever in the following is no problem at all when used amongst Indonesian speakers. But when it is used this way with western, so-called native speakers, it becomes a real problem. I would love to hear comments from other INDONESIAN English teachers and students. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Indonesian speaker: I have ever read an article about teaching young leaners. Almost all Indonesian people I know, always use the following English construction. I have ever read an article... My teacher ever told me... I ever went to France... EVER The use of ever in these examples is totally confusing. I think it comes from language transfer/interference from the Bahasa Indonesia word pernah, which can be translated into English as ever, or once. So when you say, I have ever read an article...., do you mean that, AT SOME TIME IN THE PAST, you read an article about teaching young learners? In standard English, ever means, AT ANY TIME in the past or the future e.g. Q. Did you EVER go to Bali? (is the same as) Q. Did you AT ANY TIME in the past, go to Bali? A. No, I have never been to Bali. A. Yes, I once went to Bali about 3 years ago. A. Yes, I have been to Bali many times. Q. Will you EVER go to Paris? (is the same as) Q. Will you AT ANY TIME in the future, go to Paris? A. No, I doubt I will ever go to Paris. I dont like France. A. Yes, I hope to go to Paris at least once in my lifetime. A. Yes, I really want to visit Paris many times in the future. ONCE Once means AT ONE TIME or SOMETIME in the past or future. e.g. I ONCE read an article about teaching young learners. (is the same as) I, AT ONE TIME/SOMETIME in the past, read an article about teaching young learners. (The actual time of the action of reading is not known or specified) My teacher ONCE told me how to write a discursive essay. (is the same as) My teacher, AT ONE TIME/SOMETIME in the past, told me how to write a discursive essay. As I said at the beginning, just about EVERY Indonesian person I know, uses ever in the way you used it - I (have) ever read an article.... I am totally fascinated by this phenomenon and where it comes from and why it is so entrenched in the way Indonesian people speak English. Perhaps it will become an accepted construction if and when Indonesia has a formally accepted and codified variety of Indonesian English. It is the same as the expression, thanks before. I think it comes from terimakasih sebelumnya. But no western speaker will ever say thanks before. It is, thanks in advance, but we rarely even use that. We usually just say, thank you, whether the request has been fulfilled or not. This one is really NOT very important as the meaning is clear, either in thanks in advance, or thanks before. The ever issue is different. It clearly interferes with correct communication of meaning when communicating with speakers of standard forms of English. As I said, I would love to hear constructive comments from other Indonesian English teachers and students. The development and evolution of different varieties of English is one of my passions.
Posted on: Wed, 22 Jan 2014 06:53:57 +0000
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