Ask an English question about this picture

 

 Mis Words

 

The other day, I was asked the meaning of the word 'misfit'. I said it was something or someone that did not 'fit' properly like the expression 'a square peg in a round hole'. It does not fit properly. It is a misfit. It could be a person trying to become a member of a group. If he or she has nothing in common with the group, they would be a 'misfit'. 

There are lots of words that begin with 'mis'. Not all of them carry a negative meaning but for anyone learning English, here are some words to watch out for: 

These ROOT-WORDS are MIS & MISO which mean WRONG, BAD & HATE. We all make MIStakes and MIS is the ROOT that says it’s wrong. Consider word No.10 Mischief is trouble. The mischievous fellow is a troublemaker, usually a poor student. Smart ones have no time for mischief. Perhaps the mischievous fellow would like to be the leader, the chief. But he cannot be the chief since he does not achieve good work. He wants attention, so he goes in for mischievous acts, achievement of the wrong kind.


1. Misadventure : MIS adventure (mis ad ven’ chur) n.

An accident; misfortune


2. Misalliance : MIS alliance (mis a lie’ ans) n.

An improper union; esp., an improper marriage


3. Misanthrope : MIS anthrope (mis’ an thrope) n.

A hater of mankind


4. Misappropriate : MIS appropriate (mis a pro’ pree ate) v.

To use wrongly; esp., for one’s own benefit


5. Misbegotten : MIS begotten (mis be got’ en) adj.

Born out of wedlock; ill-born


6. Misbehavior : MIS behavior (mis be hay’ vyor) n.

Improper conduct


7. Miscalculate : MIS calculate (mis kal’ kyu late) v.

To make an error in counting


8. Miscarriage : MIS carriage (mis kar’ ij) n.

Wrong handling; as, a miscarriage of justice


9. Miscast : MIS cast (mis kast’) v.

To give an actor a role not suited to him


10. Mischief : MIS chief (mis’ chif) n.

An act which results in damage or injury

11. Misconception : MIS conception (mis kon sep’ shun) n.

An erroneous idea; wrong interpretation


12. Miscreant : MIS creant (mis’ kree ant) n.

An evil-doer; one who is vicious in behavior


13. Misgivings : MIS givings (mis giv’ ings)

Doubt about the result


14. Misnomer : MIS nomer (mis no’ mer) n.

The wrong name


15. Misguide : MIS guide (mis gide’) v.

To lead in the wrong direction


16. Misogynist : MISO gynist ?(mi soj’ i nist) n.

A hater of women


17. Misopedia : MISO pedia (mis o pee’ di a) n.

A morbid dislike of one’s own children


18. Misrepresent : MIS represent (mis rep re zent’) v.

To give a false impression of


19. Mistrial : MIS trial (mis trie’ al) n.

A trial of no effect because of some error in the proceedings


20. Misinterpretation: MIS interpretation (mis in ter pre tay’ shun) n.

Misunderstanding

Source: The free dictionary.com

Note: These should not be confused with Japanese 'Miso' soup which is delicious!

 

Canadian Culture in Thailand and Word Sounds

Tim Hortons now had eight restaurants in Bangkok, Thailand. Tim Horton was a defenceman with the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Club a long time ago. 

If you read the above sentences, you may see what appear to be two grammatical errors. Shouldn't it be Tim Horton's? What about Toronto Maple Leaves?

Yes, in correct English, they should be, but these are 'brand' names and so, although they look odd to grammarians, they do stand out and that is what effective brand names are supposed to do.

One of Tim Hortons most popular products is 'Tim Bits' or donut holes. My wife, who is Thai, said that in Thailand, Thai people call them 'Tim Bites'. 

I thought I would explain how, if you are learning or teaching English, you can quickly decide which is correct.

English has many small words with a single vowel between consonants. Usually, the word is pronounced with a short vowel sound:

bit, can, win, kit, man, hat

The dog bit the cat.

I can read English.

The best team will win.

I have a kit to build a toy boat.

The man was tall. 

The girl was wearing a hat.

 

Listen to what happens when we add an 'e' at the end of those words.

bite, cane, wine, kite, mane, hate.

Adding the 'e' changes the vowel to a long sound.

Read these sentences and hear the differences in the sound of the words now.

The dog may bite you.

The old man uses a cane.

We had wine with dinner at the restaurant.

I like to fly my kite.

The horse has a long mane.

I hate getting splashed by cars.

As with many English rules, you may find exceptions but generally speaking, this is a good rule to follow.

If you want to see how Canadian culture is finding a home in Bangkok. watch this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPaK0FygM98

New Overseas Teaching Jobs

New Overseas Teaching Jobs

We just posted 678+ overseas teaching jobs on our website. Teachers are needed around the world in 25+ countries and territories plus online as of April 14, 2021. A ‘v' after a number means a ‘volunteer' or likely unpaid job...though housing, meals and medical are usually covered. All others are presumably salaried and contracted positions. An (F) after a number means that only females will be considered. An (EU) after the number means the position is open only to applicants who can enter that country visa-free (EU).

Online English has always been a huge category. With many school closures,and people reluctant to, or restricted from travelling overseas, this is a category that you might wish to consider. France has always been a big user of online teaching and the demand has exploded in Asian countries such as China and South Korea. Stay home and earn up to $20-$24USD/hour or more teaching from your computer. Click here to go to our Teach Online page!

China 400+, Czechia 2, France 10, Greece 1, Honduras 6v, Hong Kong 16+, Italy 20+, Japan 8+, Kenya 1, Kuwait 1, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Oman 1, Online 100+, Poland 4+ 1EU, Portugal 2, Russian Federation 6+, South Korea 40+, Spain 16+, Tajikistan 1, Thailand 12+, Turkey 1, Ukraine 1, United Arab Emirates/Saudi Arabia 12+, Vietnam 14+.

Job postings are available to our students and graduates.  Go here for more information on our job postings: http://www.teachesl.org/jobs.html

We recommend that aspiring overseas teachers begin with our TEFL Certificate course. After your degree (in any discipline) a TEFL qualification is what school look for and will move your resume to the short list of candidates the school will consider. Tuition is only $300 CAD - a small investment that will help you land a teaching job (and add more interest to your resume or CV as well). There are NO additional fees. Go here for our TEFL page: http://www.teachesl.org/tefl.html

Dr. Robert

 My book TEACH ENGLI$H ONLINE is available on all Amazon websites in paperback and Kindle versions. 

It tells you how to get started teaching from home. You just need a computer and webcam, a good microphone, Skype, and a quiet corner. 

Where will you find students to teach and how much will you make? It is all in the book.

Go to the search box on any Amazon site and enter this ASIN # B0863SB1Q7