Beeing a sponger, you'll never know a new language!

To rell the truth, I was very irrirtated today when I was reading the endless questions about the simple Russian words by vernautjr from Brazil.
I understand that the beginner can have a lot of questions. But it’s stupid to ask something without trying himself to find the meanings of these simple words from the online dictionaries.
And only if you can’t find a solution, you have to ask for help.
Be more independent!
Being a lazy person, a sponger, you’ll never know a new language!

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I completely agree. I think he should have given some thought before making a bunch of posts and clogging up the forum.

I find these questions a bit tedious sometimes. In his defense, it can be difficult as a beginner to find words in Russian dictionaries. I have had little success myself. Probably I am using the wrong dictionaries though. The problem is that often the word needs to be changed into a standard form to be recognised. In German, this is true for lot of dictionaries, but it is not a problem for me since I almost always know how to make the change. In Russian, I am no good at it.

That being said, I won’t post on the forum asking for the definition of a word. I just leave the word with a blank hint field and move on. If there are no user hints available for a given word, probably it is not common enough for me to really want to lose any sleep over. Starting a new thread in the forum is not worth the effort.

Still, I think it is unfair to say that vernautjr is a lazy person or a sponger. I am not sure what sponger means in this context, and my approach of not posting is probably the lazier one.

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Hi ! =))

Jumping to conclusions is absolutely normal in Russia, no surprise at all ! :wink:

If that’s called ‘clogging up the forum’ then how about that???

Next Topic bile about what: D …

… Looked through all the threads and found. There can be blab about anything you want and whenever you want:) … and the subject will remain purer, it will be easier and faster answers concerns in writing. Not from the good life that did. Nusprogo my new compass, not catch mice: D … ie do not see the mouse and I can not do this. I changed the next mouse - tp, will my Kompas probably shipped by the warranty, but only for the next week … then it takes is old Kompas, but he appeared without a sound. Son recently sent a used Philips mp3 grotuvėlį, but that proved too idle: D … My telefas good, the Samsung S 4G, but for some reason do not connect with the competent, does not see his compass and so … And Kies app downloaded, does not help … :slight_smile: . Vienžo - black with Lingqi got stuck, I can only read and blab forum. That and I do. Who wants you to join:) …

With 320 posts of a an off-topic chattering just due to not being banned, well, it’s a bit over the top even for me! :wink:

The topic name is: Pasiplepėjimai apie bile ką :D… - Next Topic bile about what: D …

And it’s all in Lithuanian language…

I’m a Brit and, in my experience in the use of the English language, calling someone lazy and a sponger is really rude and offensive. It is an incredibly harsh condemnation and anyone called these things by a native speaker would find the experience very hurtful.

However annoying these requests may be, they are a result of the website saying that if you don’t know, then you should Ask an Expert. There is no qualification. Maybe Vernautjr has misjudged how literally to take this, but his over posting can also be viewed as a beginner being over enthusiastic. Come on, it’s Christmas! Can’t we be a bit charitable?

Surely a better way of dealing with the problem, is a polite explanation about the need to use a dictionary and the importance of a simple grammar if you are starting from scratch - which is what Steve recommends. And then don’t answer the questions if you think they are too frequent.

I never understand why this simple strategy of expressing disapproval by not answering is not used more often. It causes no offence but makes a point.

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Ha, it’s just that you do not realize completely how natural it is in Russia to be faced with rudeness on a day-to-day basis! Just natural! Both, abuse AND being abused…

And once again, there is a reason for me to be very generous to such an attitude, 'cause I do know the reason behind this, it’s only that I don’t feel like elaborating on this, as this is an absolute off-topic, let’s call it this elusively! :wink:

I have no experience of Russian cultural norms. Moreover, I am also aware that what is rude in one culture is not rude in another culture. In learning Dutch, I have learned the Dutch call a spade a spade more readily than we do here in England.

Nevertheless I think rudeness (whether conscious or unconscious) needs to be confronted when it occurs because almost always there is a strategy of expressing disapproval in ways that are more positive and do not involve rudeness.

I’m a school governor of a primary school here in England. We teach our children that rudeness is not acceptable and that they should confront it if other children are rude to them. I never understand why we, as adults, seem to forget to observe the behaviour standards that we believe to be important for children!!

This may sound a tad old fashioned. But this is a moment when i’m not ashamed of being old fashioned!

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Plus 1000 points for such an ‘old fashion’ to you!

Unfortunately, the opposite is right, i.e. what is considered to be rude in the UK is definitely considered to be rude in Russia, no culturally based discrepancy whatsoever!

It’s just that it’s CONSIDERED to be rude in Russia, but not observed; nor confronted in any way as it’s being forced to become a norm here, to permeate everybody… And again, the reasons behind this diverge too much from our main topic of discussions here and thus will not be disclosed by me…

What kind of rudeness do you mean?
My recommendations to be more independent, to make his own efrforts before asking, otherwise the learner will never know a language - is it the readeness???
Yes, we have in Russia a bit different understanding of rudeness and politeness, we have a tendency to say all things more directly, but it’s a natinal tradition, and we don’t offend someone expressing our frank opinion.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Russian frankness is refreshing.
“Does this make me look fat??”
English: “Hmmmm… do you have anything in black?”
Russian: “да”

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@ Evgueny and pauler

I don’t think it’s the best use of your time to respond to disoriented, hopeless newbs, who seem to be attracted by the lingq forum like flies to the dung. Being focused, intelligent high achievers you shouldn’t waste your valuable time and talent on people who are obviously not going to achieve much

Please do yourselves a favour and don’t respond to just any of these time wastes.
Leave it to the Erklärbär!

made me think of good old Patrick Star as well

And remember, nothing can irritate you unless you let it irritate you :wink:

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Hi ! =)))

Haha! =))) Sound like you’ve been to the clothes shop in Russia the other day, really! =))

How come, you know what the sales assistant would normally say in Russian clothes shop under these circumstances? :wink:

I do understand, you tell this as an imaginary and unreal joke definitely knowing that for obvious reasons such an answer is impossible for the customer to hear! =)))

Believe me, the opposite is right! =))))

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Hi ! =)))

The reason was, it’s just no problem for me to give a newbie a short answer, no matter how numerous they are! :wink: It’s rather that the I was afraid of the opposite, i.e. that it will be me who will torture a newbie with an avalanche of short answers! =)) Looks like this is exactly what happened, eventually! :wink:

That’s nearly exactly the same what I told Yevgeny, i.e. it’s next to impossible to irritate me with something unless I myself want this to irritate me! :wink:

Yes, of course, I’ll try not to be irritated.
I’m sorry, the learners can be different.

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Exactly, Yevgeny! =)))

Just take such newbies in a much more abstract way! :wink:

Do you think I can not call him names? =))) I just do not do this as I know it is of no use, both for the newbie and for me! :wink:

That’s why I took on a different approach to actually pursue the same objective, i.e. to make him tired of his own heap of questions! :wink:

I think it would have been simpler (and more productive) to just send him a message directly telling him where to the find the answers to his simple questions rather than posting this publicly. I understand your frustration but, perhaps, despite the fact that he spammed the forum, he was genuinely lost?

In my experience, I will take the student who asks more questions and makes more mistakes over the one who remains silent. It may be painful at first but they speed up faster later. Besides, it’s not like he posts 10 questions EVERY day. If that were the case then I’d simply refer to my first post to point him in the right direction.

In fact, I will message him now.

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An otherwise honest American husband might say, “No, honey. You look fantastic.”

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Hi ! =)))

As for the American husband, I do believe without even any second thought or a tint of hesitation; Russian husband, too ! =)))

But none of Russian sales assistants! :wink:

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