Practice your English. Help and advice.

[serlilian]

... and I know why: I often chat in English on the Internet and there you never use capital letters. I'm forgetting my English, I'm afraid.

[AdlerTS]

Names of countries are capitalised in both languages, but not words derived from them: parla italiano (he speaks Italian); sono tedeschi (they are German); alla moda francese (in the French style).

There is a difference in using capital letters between "io parlo italiano" and "ho conosciuto un Italiano"

[nanaia]

Adler, just to...split the hair Personally I would use capital I when saying "Parlo con un italiano" only when I refer to an Italian person with particular qualities, i.e. Lavora bene per il nostro Paese: è un vero Italiano;
on the other hand, i say I am "un'italiana" (meaning I was born in Italy).
Just to split the hair, as I said: however I find this topic most interesting. Thanks to you all
nania

[serlilian]

I think that capital letter isn't used very much in Italian for people living in a country.

[AdlerTS]

Adler, just to...split the hair Personally I would use capital I when saying "Parlo con un italiano" only when I refer to an Italian person with particular qualities, i.e. Lavora bene per il nostro Paese: è un vero Italiano;

I don't agree: it takes the capital letter even if the quality of the man is cheap ! It's the difference between "aggettivo" and "aggettivo sostantivato".

[PeterG]

I don't agree: it takes the capital letter even if the quality of the man is cheap ! It's the difference between "aggettivo" and "aggettivo sostantivato".

On reflection I had overlooked that and I fully agree.

In Italian the capital letter is preferred for nouns which indicate membership of a nation, a region, or a city, regardless of merit: i Russi, i Triestini, i Lombardi - but never as adjectives: gli scolari italiani, l'impero romano, le città toscane, etc., whereas English capitalises all: Italian schooboys, the Roman Empire, Tuscan cities.

PeterG

[serlilian]

Italian is becoming a foreign language. On the invitation for an exhibition in a museum, there is the signature of a "Country manager". We cannot imagine what should it be. Do you use it in English?

[Ron]

Serlilian

I would hazard a guess that was was meant was "North East Area Manager"

Ciao

Ron

[PeterG]

Italian is becoming a foreign language. On the invitation for an exhibition in a museum, there is the signature of a "Country manager". We cannot imagine what should it be.

No, we use the term 'Prime Minister', although at the moment there is some debate as to whether ours is in charge.

At a guess the Country Manager north-east of Triest is possibly a chap running Switzerland, I would rule out Germany.

PeterG

[serlilian]

Thank you. Perhaps could he be a farmers boss?

[AdlerTS]

There are some websites talking about this but it is not very clear to me, maybe somebody can help me with some example: why somebody says "if I were a doctor" and not "If I was a doctor " ?

[Ron]

Adler

Did you see this answer?:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 834AALXFus

Ron

[babatriestina]

I have little practice of spoken English , but to me If I were sounds more correct than if I was . The first one is a hypotetic period, the second not.
There is something like in Italian
Se fossi stato più attento, non mi sarebbe successo: correct form: spoken form: se ero più attento, non mi succedeva. the second one is used by people not at ease with the subjunctive. Perhaps languages go towards a simplified form..

[PeterG]

Babestrina

You assume correctly. If I were is the subjunctive and translates the Italian se fossi.

But English speakers, be they British, Americans, Canadians or Australians, do not bother about grammar the way that Italians do. If you go to that helpful link that Ron gave you can see from the plethora of replies that grammar is not a big issue.

Even in fascist Italy during the war, I remember that by the quinta elementare at the age of eleven we kids were fully grounded in every aspect of grammar. Oh, those interminable lesons on irregular verbs!

The great strength of English is that it hardly matters. Were you to ask the average eleven-year-old in Britain what the present, imperative, or future subjunctive are they would probably give you a blank stare. Come to think of it, judging by those confused replies on Yahoo, so would most adults. The truth is that in modern English the use of the subjunctive has almost died out, its last stronghold is in the verb to be.

The sense of the subjunctive is often expressed by the auxiliaries may and should; but as an actual mood, with a special syntax such as it has in Latin and Italian, the subjunctive scarcely exists in English.

So looking on the bright side, once you have mastered if I were that's it.

Peter

[babatriestina]

Oh, those interminable lesons on irregular verbs!

I think they were in prospect of the study of latin language in the old scuola media.

[AdlerTS]

I have little practice of spoken English , but to me If I were sounds more correct than if I was . The first one is a hypotetic period, the second not.
There is something like in Italian
Se fossi stato più attento, non mi sarebbe successo: correct form: spoken form: se ero più attento, non mi succedeva. the second one is used by people not at ease with the subjunctive. Perhaps languages go towards a simplified form..

I don't understand if "if i was" is always incorrect or can be right in some sentences. Sorry

[PeterG]

I don't understand if "if i was" is always incorrect or can be right in some sentences.

You do hear if I was but it is ungrammatical. The correct form is if I were

If I were you I'd leave it at that

Peter

[serlilian]

I think there is another use of "I were" instead of "I was".
I remember a sentence: "I wish I were a millionaire".

[AdlerTS]

I don't understand if "if i was" is always incorrect or can be right in some sentences.

You do hear if I was but it is ungrammatical. The correct form is if I were

Same for "he" and "she", I suppose

[PeterG]

I think there is another use of "I were" instead of "I was".
I remember a sentence: "I wish I were a millionaire".

Quite so. The subjunctive is a verbal mood expressing hypothesis, generally denoting what is imagined. wished, demanded, proposed, exhorted, etc.

It follows from this that forms such as I wish I was ...; she wishes she was ...; etc, are all ungrammatical although frequently heard.

Peter