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From: jody@techunix.technion.ac.il (Jody Underwood)
Subject: Re: Verbal phrases = one word in your language?
Reply-To: jody@techunix.technion.ac.il (Jody Underwood)
Organization: Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 1995 08:07:35 GMT
Message-ID: <DGL2Ko.4ny@discus.technion.ac.il>
References: <D8vJLL.ELr@discus.technion.ac.il> <45oh7l$1d4f@venere.inet.it>
Sender: news@wang.com
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In article <45oh7l$1d4f@venere.inet.it>, Daniel Coggins <coggins> wrote:
>In article <D8vJLL.ELr@discus.technion.ac.il>
>Jody Underwood <jody@techunix.technion.ac.il> wrote:
>> 
>> In English there are prepositional phrases, also called verbal
>> phrases.  In trying to teach these phrases I realized, and I don't
>> know how true it is, that there is one "complicated" word that is
>> equivalent to the phrase.  For example:
>> 
>> turn off  = deactivate
>> turn on   = activate
>> turn up   = increase (volume)

Thanks for relighting an old thread (so to speak).  I didn't get many
responses the first time around.  Though, there were some good
responses.

To start with, I've found that these things are regularly called
"phrasal verbs".  There's even a book on the subject.  Now to respond
to the newest message.

>Dear Jody, I too teach English as a second language, in Italy. And I too have 
>found pharasal verbs (as I call them) difficult to teach. As you point out, 

Where did you come up with "pharasal verbs"?  I don't think the first
"a" is a mistake because you consistently put it in.

> Not all pharasal verbs have 
>complicated synonyms though. What one word can you think of for "sit out", 
>"work off", "run on" or "turn up" (in the sense of unexpectedly appear)?

sit out  = not participate
work off = (a debt?) repay
run on   = continued
turn up  = arrive (perhaps suddenly)

These may not be exactly correct, but I know in order to present these
ideas in Hebrew, I have to find a single word.

>I've tried teaching pharasal verbs as if they were inflections of words, much 
>like institute, institutionalize and institutionalization are three different 
>words inflected from a root. Thus take up, take in, take off, and
>take for  are 
>inflections of take. But it is confusing to teach all the "takes" together, 
>because the change in meaning doesn't come from the "take" root as much as it 
>comes from it's prepositional suffix.

This is a good point.  My students have definitely been confused.  Not
that I've purposely taught this group together, but it's been pretty
random. 

> I teach for example all the "out" 
>phrasal verbs together: go out, get out, take out, put out, look out,
> run out,  
>stand out, and I find they are easier to learn because "out" does the same or 
>similar things to each verb root.

It sounds like a good idea.  Has anyone else out there tried this
grouping with good results?  Not that I don't believe you, but one
case doesn't prove that it works.

>        Similarly, I teach word combinations as single words. Instead of I am 
>going to, I'm gonna, He wouldna instead of he would not have, etc. It's an 
>idea, what do you think?

As far as spoken language goes, I think it's an excellent idea.  I've
had too many students who were not able to identify the "gonna" words
because they only learned from written text.  Or, how about
"Whatsat?".  I get the greatest looks from non-native speakers of
English when I say this one.

And to throw in one more question, does Dutch or Danish have phrasal
verbs? 

-Jody
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