Questions of a non-native speaker

[StripedCat]

One last thread before I'm off to bed.
___________________________________

Please, none should feel obliged to answer my (sometimes maybe silly >_>) questions. But there are often such words, I don't really understand and also don't understand the (often weird) explanations in grammar books (they use such weird examples). :willy_nilly:

So why not asked all of the native speakers here on OTz. Maybe the one or other is willing to help me. I'd really appreciate it. :bowdown:


First questions:

- Where's the difference between "Anyways" and "However"? When do you use which one? I don't get it. :willy_nilly:

- And where's the difference between "Moreover" and "Furthermore"? Is there a difference? When do you use which one? I don't get this, too. :willy_nilly:

 

[HK]

- Where's the difference between "Anyways" and "However"? When do you use which one? I don't get it. :willy_nilly:

I use anyways as 'moving on!' as in 'let's talk about something else', or 'let's get back to the topic' whereas however is used as in.... 'It's is true that you killed a bear, however everyone should note it was sleeping' so to point out something further about a previous point made.

- And where's the difference between "Moreover" and "Furthermore"? Is there a difference? When do you use which one? I don't get this, too. :willy_nilly:

I'd say they're pretty much the same. I use furthermore, but they could be used in the same context.

 

[Darrell]

HK took the words out of my mouth, almost verbatim.

 

[Niamh]

however is pretty much the same as but

 

[AUFred]

First questions:

- Where's the difference between "Anyways" and "However"? When do you use which one? I don't get it. :willy_nilly:

- And where's the difference between "Moreover" and "Furthermore"? Is there a difference? When do you use which one? I don't get this, too. :willy_nilly:

Anyway should not be plural. Using it as a plural is pure slang. However is used as linking an alternative.

Furthermore is for adding further explanation. Moreover I don't believe I have ever used.

I would use "anyway", "however" & "furthermore" if I was explaining something.

 

[Abcinthia]

- Where's the difference between "Anyways" and "However"? When do you use which one? I don't get it. :willy_nilly:

Anyway has a similar meaning to regardless or can be used to resume a story if the speaker has gotten off topic or like HK said to move back on topic/talk about something else.

- And where's the difference between "Moreover" and "Furthermore"? Is there a difference? When do you use which one? I don't get this, too. :willy_nilly:

Moreover and furthermore are pretty much the same thing. They both mean "in addition to" (which you could also use instead of moreover and furthermore ). They are interchangeable so the meaning will be the same regardless of which one is used.

 

[Siphorous]

Don't forget nevertheless

 

[StripedCat]

Wow, thanks @all!!!

@HK: Let me kiss you!!! :-*
Your examples are very helpful, and they sound logical; now I can remember that (hopefully ).

@Niamh: Ok, that's very helpful, too. Thank you ^^

@AUFred: kk, no s on anyway. Thanks

Abcinthia: Okay, that's also very helpful. I think, now I got it or rather I figured out the pattern how to use them.

Moreover and furthermore are pretty much the same thing. They both mean "in addition to" (which you could also use instead of moreover and furthermore ). They are interchangeable so the meaning will be the same regardless of which one is used.

Mh, my problem is that I used these words (moreover, furthermore and in addition) in the same way; in the way as you point out.
But then, a few weeks ago, my teacher marked my "furthermore" in an essay as wrong. And I didn't understand why it is wrong. :dunno (Tbh, I hardly understand her... I've really got problems with understanding spoken English and she speaks so silent und smooth and fast and even if she spoke German I would have problems to understand her because it's always so loud in our classroom. *sigh* I don't understand her marks, and whenever I ask her I don't understand very much. .___. )

Wait, I've found the sentence where she marked it and maybe any of you understands the mistake and may be willing to explain me (and I'd be so thankful; I'm already thankful right now for all the help because it clears up much more than the criticism of my teacher that only demoralizes and frustrates me):

We had to write a short biography:
"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair, furthermore didn't care for low-performing pupils."

My teacher marked the "furthermore" as wrong and exchanged it with an "and".

 

[Niamh]

Wow, thanks @all!!!

@HK: Let me kiss you!!! :-*
Your examples are very helpful, and they sound logical; now I can remember that (hopefully ).

@Niamh: Ok, that's very helpful, too. Thank you ^^

@AUFred: kk, no s on anyway. Thanks

Abcinthia: Okay, that's also very helpful. I think, now I got it or rather I figured out the pattern how to use them.



Mh, my problem is that I used these words (moreover, furthermore and in addition) in the same way; in the way as you point out.
But then, a few weeks ago, my teacher marked my "furthermore" in an essay as wrong. And I didn't understand why it is wrong. :dunno (Tbh, I hardly understand her... I've really got problems with understanding spoken English and she speaks so silent und smooth and fast and even if she spoke German I would have problems to understand her because it's always so loud in our classroom. *sigh* I don't understand her marks, and whenever I ask her I don't understand very much. .___. )

Wait, I've found the sentence where she marked it and maybe any of you understands the mistake and may be willing to explain me (and I'd be so thankful; I'm already thankful right now for all the help because it clears up much more than the criticism of my teacher that only demoralizes and frustrates me):

We had to write a short biography:
"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair, furthermore didn't care for low-performing pupils."

My teacher marked the "furthermore" as wrong and exchanged it with an "and".

yeah, and would have fit better in that sentence. If you wanted to use furthermore there you would have to say "and furthermore they didn't care for low-performing pupils."

 

[AUFred]

Wow, thanks @all!!!

@HK: Let me kiss you!!! :-*
Your examples are very helpful, and they sound logical; now I can remember that (hopefully ).

@Niamh: Ok, that's very helpful, too. Thank you ^^

@AUFred: kk, no s on anyway. Thanks

Abcinthia: Okay, that's also very helpful. I think, now I got it or rather I figured out the pattern how to use them.



Mh, my problem is that I used these words (moreover, furthermore and in addition) in the same way; in the way as you point out.
But then, a few weeks ago, my teacher marked my "furthermore" in an essay as wrong. And I didn't understand why it is wrong. :dunno (Tbh, I hardly understand her... I've really got problems with understanding spoken English and she speaks so silent und smooth and fast and even if she spoke German I would have problems to understand her because it's always so loud in our classroom. *sigh* I don't understand her marks, and whenever I ask her I don't understand very much. .___. )

Wait, I've found the sentence where she marked it and maybe any of you understands the mistake and may be willing to explain me (and I'd be so thankful; I'm already thankful right now for all the help because it clears up much more than the criticism of my teacher that only demoralizes and frustrates me):

We had to write a short biography:
"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair, furthermore didn't care for low-performing pupils."

My teacher marked the "furthermore" as wrong and exchanged it with an "and".

I would agree with her marks. Furthermore was not the best choice of words in that context.

May be this will help. This is from www.dictionary.com

fur·ther·more

   [/URL]/ˈfɜr Show IPA
–adverb moreover; besides; in addition: Furthermore, he left orders not to be disturbed.

 

[StripedCat]

yeah, and would have fit better in that sentence. If you wanted to use furthermore there you would have to say "and furthermore she didn't care for low-performing pupils."

The problem is that she made the comment "furthermore adds a point in an argument".
I don't get it. Why didn't she change my sentence to "and furthermore they didn't care for...".
I don't understand why she completely crossed out the 'furthermore' as if it had been used in totally wrong context. :dunno

I really feel stupid because I am not able to understand it. :ninja

 

[StripedCat]

I would agree with her marks. Furthermore was not the best choice of words in that context.

May be this will help. This is from www.dictionary.com

fur·ther·more

   /ˈfɜr[/URL] Show IPA
–adverb moreover; besides; in addition: Furthermore, he left orders not to be disturbed.

As I said: I'm too stupid. :24:
I think I should cross out 'furthermore' from my register. :ninja

 

[Niamh]

The problem is that she made the comment "furthermore adds a point in an argument".
I don't get it. Why didn't she change my sentence to "and furthermore they didn't care for...".
I don't understand why she completely crossed out the 'furthermore' as if it had been used in totally wrong context. :dunno

I really feel stupid because I am not able to understand it. :ninja

Because and would have been the better choice I suppose, I think that last bit was adding another point to the argument

 

[AUFred]

English has to be the most difficult language to master. Those of us born in an English speaking nation butcher English on a regular basis. Often using the wrong word altogether or having tenses in sentences not match. We often mismatch plural and single verbs and nouns. Don't be too hard on yourself and message boards are not good places to find great examples of well structured sentences. We tend to be lazy on punctuation and capitalization.

 

[StripedCat]

English has to be the most difficult language to master. Those of us born in an English speaking nation butcher English on a regular basis. Often using the wrong word altogether or having tenses in sentences not match. We often mismatch plural and single verbs and nouns. Don't be too hard on yourself and message boards are not good places to find great examples of well structured sentences. We tend to be lazy on punctuation and capitalization.

Believe me AUFred: What I learn here is worth very much. And (furthermore? *lol*) it is much more than I learn in my English classes. Until now, all those English lessons I have to attend during my studies turned out to be totally frustrating (and drag down my grade point average).
In addition, I "suffer" from kind of disadvantage: the young people today all go abroad for minimum 6 months after school or do a highschool year and such things. When I left school that wasn't common. I somehow try to get along with what is left of my school English from over 12 years ago.
I've set so high hopes into the language lessons at university, but as I said: it's only frustrating (tbh, the whole studies are frustrating *lol*). :dunno

Anyways, I am very happy for your willingness to help me a bit.

At least, now I know the difference between anyway and however. Furthermore isn't the most important word, I bet. *g* So I cross it out and leave it at that. ^^

 

[Abcinthia]

I would agree with the teacher. "Furthermore" doesn't seem to be the best word in the context. If you used moreover or another similar word, it wouldn't have worked either. To make it work, the sentence would have to be re-written in a different way.

The problem I have with the way she corrected it is if you changed the furthermore to an 'and' the sentence wouldn't have been correct either because there would have been too many ands in the list.

"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair and didn't care for low-performing pupils."

I would get rid of the first "and" because it makes the sentence flow better.

"Most of the teachers there were strict, often unfair and didn't care for low-performing pupils."



If you have to use "and" in a list (e.g. you are putting in extra details) then you need to use semi-colons so the reader can distinguish between the different items.

E.g. Kate was excited to see the red and yellow Roses; the pink and purple Tulips; and the pink and white Lilies.


Hope that all makes sense. I've not been sleeping well lately and can barely remember my name at the moment, let alone English language rules :willy_nilly:

 

[Zorak]

We had to write a short biography:
"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair, furthermore didn't care for low-performing pupils."

My teacher marked the "furthermore" as wrong and exchanged it with an "and".

If you really wanted to use 'furthermore' in the clause, then you would have to have said '..., and furthermore didn't care for....'
However, I believe your teacher merely thought the use of the word superfluous. When I am writing my essays, I always have to bear in mind who I am writing for. Some of my lecturers respond well to the extravagant style; while others desire brevity.

 

[freakofnature]

The problem is that she made the comment "furthermore adds a point in an argument".
I don't get it. Why didn't she change my sentence to "and furthermore they didn't care for...".
I don't understand why she completely crossed out the 'furthermore' as if it had been used in totally wrong context. :dunno

I really feel stupid because I am not able to understand it. :ninja

I think the word "furthermore" is best used when you want to continue a thought by starting a new sentence. Using your example I think this would have been better if you really wanted to use the word:

"Most of the teachers there were strict and often unfair. Furthermore, they didn't care for low-performing pupils."

Like Fred said, English is a very difficult language to master, especially as a second language. Don't be too hard on yourself. I think you're doing awesome.