Just found out about this year's International Students Piano Competition! Is anyone competing? The first prize is 2500 Euros!

I'll probably wait for about 10 years before I even attempt to compete lol. AFTER I master even one of Chopin's etudes!

The link to the page is http://www.pianocompetition.uu.nl/frames.html

oh gosh no lol ive only bin learnin piano for 2 and a 1/2 yrs lol and i nearly had a nervouse breakdown wen going in to my exam i dont think i'll be-able to manage playing in front of my school let alone loads of other people in a competition.

QUOTE (fortissimo_piano @ Apr 14 2004, 11:29 AM)

and i nearly had a nervouse breakdown wen going in to my exam

sounds just like me!!!!

do you have to play to grade 8 standard?

Nat

aww . . . *wants to compete*

there is no way i'm going to be able to get myself over there for what? a whole week? grr // school - remember that?

and if i miss school for more than a day, i'd already have failed

grr // this serves as just another reminder to those like me that there are OTHER things in life one must complete (uh? like passing H/ College Math?)

QUOTE (obvious_outlawed_pianist @ Apr 14 2004, 08:29 PM)

aww . . . *wants to compete* there is no way i'm going to be able to get myself over there for what? a whole week? grr // school - remember that? and if i miss school for more than a day, i'd already have failed grr // this serves as just another reminder to those like me that there are OTHER things in life one must complete (uh? like passing H/ College Math?)

And with that, I'm holding a funeral for the English Language. Please, please, say that English is not your first language.

It looks like a jumbled mess of letters...that don't look like a language...I agree with you David.

I'm torn here. I'm tempted to blame the lack of grammer on the American School System, which is reputably awful, as a whole.
However, Young Pianist, probably the youngest member of the forum (and the only American apart from yourself) is not only agreeing w/* me but using acceptable grammar (exceptional grammar for a 12 year old).

Just try one sentance at a time, instead of interrupting yourself.


N.B. Semicolons are our friends; however, they can be very difficult to use. Learn!

P.S. "Eats, Shoots & Leaves", by Lynne Truss - you can blame her for my attitude about grammar and punctuation, even though mine is, albeit, far from perfect.

*Irony

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 14 2004, 09:33 PM)

Just try one sentance at a time, instead of interrupting yourself.

Interrupting myself?
How?

And would you be blaming the American School System on me, or Obvious Outlawed Pianist; he lives in California, USA?

I don't really think that you should be correcting my grammer on a piano forum board either.

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 14 2004, 09:33 PM)

Just try one sentance at a time, instead of interrupting yourself.

well that would be sentence, with an e.

and frankly, I understood all the posts in this thread, regardless of any, IF any, grammar mistakes and...spelling errors...and what on earth does your post have to do with the original post? besides, are you really so unoccupied such that you have the extra time to pick out grammar mistakes that are really not such a huge problem since many MANY people make worse mistakes than those?

I suggest you use that time to spellcheck your posts.

I have a touchy feeling you like humiliating people and yes I have an even touchier feeling I'm going to get into trouble for saying that, whether with the board or with you, but goodness, I am so riled up by your post!

I'd really like to hear whether people of all nations and mother tongues are thinking, considering, or already applying to compete in this competition, not whether they speak perfect English to the last comma, or semicolon, for that matter.

For heaven's sake!

Now that's done. Hrmph.

fortissimo_piano I feel that way too...I'm always FULL of nerves before playing in front of people, what more in front of judges!! But I hope someday I'll learn to get rid of that nervousness!!

Nat, the etude looks pretty hard...about Grade 8 standard or higher. I tried playing it but the results were disastrous, my mom thought I was just playing a fool on the piano!

obvious_outlawed_pianist, I wanna compete too!! But yes, school's awful, isn't it! Well, maybe after we get out of school then! At least there'll be a better chance of me actually being able to play the set repertoire!

QUOTE (YoungPianist @ Apr 14 2004, 10:53 PM)

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 14 2004, 09:33 PM) Just try one sentance at a time, instead of interrupting yourself. Interrupting myself? How?

The entire post was aimed at Outlawed Pianist, not you

QUOTE (falling_rain @ Apr 15 2004, 04:35 AM)

and frankly, I understood all the posts in this thread, regardless of any, IF any, grammar mistakes and...spelling errors...

And may I ask what // is?

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 15 2004, 10:39 AM)

And may I ask what // is?

maybe its the American version of a full stop or comma!!!

Nat

... or even David's friend, the semi-colon! lol.

QUOTE (Emma C @ Apr 15 2004, 11:21 AM)

... or even David's friend, the semi-colon! lol.

Nat

The Semi-colon is used far more wisely in the USA than here - just so you know.

ok!!

it would be good if outlawed pianist would come back and explain what // means!!!

its buggin me!!

Nat

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 15 2004, 10:36 AM)

QUOTE (YoungPianist @ Apr 14 2004, 10:53 PM) QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 14 2004, 09:33 PM) Just try one sentance at a time, instead of interrupting yourself. Interrupting myself? How? The entire post was aimed at Outlawed Pianist, not you

Okay, good.

QUOTE (falling_rain @ Apr 15 2004, 04:35 AM)

I have a touchy feeling you like humiliating people and yes I have an even touchier feeling I'm going to get into trouble for saying that, whether with the board or with you, but goodness, I am so riled up by your post!

I think he does like humiliating people.

you know, the point of this topic is supposed to be the piano competition, not my grammar.

which, i think, is exceptionally well. why else would i be in H/ English? (for those of you who don't know what H/ is, it's honors)

and yes, english isn't my first language, but if you compare me to people who are first-English speakers, you wouldn't know the difference.

and complaining to the American School System won't help because I'm way out here in California and even if you did, nobody's going to pay much attention threatening a teenager because of her "grammatically incorrect language."

besides, in the world of technology that we love today, people have the tendency to abbreviate when writing posts/IMing people. hence LOL/ppl/g2g and so on.

people here have the tendency to use symbols to "show" what they're doing or wants to do while saying. hence, *wants to compete* means that i want to compete. often, i use // to separate things or thoughts like
// this is stupid because you guys are arguing over a teenager's grammar!//

in retrospect, // only means something because YOU think it means something.

one more thing. i don't mind being targeted because i find it humorous that you're all riled up because of my grammar. seems like DavidMusic's verbally attacking several people, especially YoungPianist. do you realize that you're attacking an eleven-year-old? besides, what does it matter if she or i or anybody else reading this talks the way they do? freedom of speech - heard of that? while we do have limits on our speech, verbally attacking someone because of her "incorrect grammar" is frankly pointless, stupid, and in no way will benefit you except to derive some eccentric pleasure from attacking my words.

I haven't verbally attacked YoungPianist.

Secondly, you use *XXXXXXX* and //, and do you not realise that this may make sense to you, but if it doesn't make sense to other people, it doesn't read well, and doesn't make proper sense. The use of language is that you can use it to propose your points to someone else - use of correct grammar, spelling and vocabulary makes it easier for people to understand you. That is why we say 'Piano' not "plinkity plonkity machine" and 'embouchure' instead of "blowing shape" because it makes far more sense.

If you stopped using // and used a . (which seems to mean the same thing form your descrition of '//')

Your, frankly puerile, statement of "freedom of speech" eludes me in its sense. Freedom of speech was, when I was younger, an argument people used to defend when they were being rude. I once said to a teacher, shortly before being put in detention "I can call you what I want, I have freedom of speech".

PErsonally; I think - that incorre,ct vocabu'lary when // put in frankly - peculiar places. can make People find it very hard to understand what ur saying. I fink dat if u strt typin n e wurs lik this ull b doon wot ppl do n its hrd 2 undrstnd f u dt spk this lnguge.

And you make consider me eccentric, but it's frankly worrying that in this so called world of technology which we 'love', that nobody cares how easily their point comes across.

H/ English - in this country, is a degree - English with Honours or English BA (Hons.). Nobody here who isn't American would understand.

Let's go through your points shall we. For the purposes of me getting very pissed off, I'm just going to number them. My spelling will probably suffer as I'm going to type fast, evidently you will still understand

1) We don't have H/ English here
2) I didn't know that English wasn't your first language, but to go to an American School I must assume that you are pretty confident in it. I will imagine that Spanish, or similar, is your first language, considering your location.
3) **wants to compete** - who wants to compete. Is it hard to say "I want to compete"?
4) "// only means something because YOU think it means something". We all understand the full stop (a period in American) - we don't all understand //. To be precise // is used in England by people to signify that a new paragraph should be placed in that location on its next edit
5) Laugh all you want if you find it humourous (and yes, we spell it differently to you, that's no problem to me) that I'm getting riled up. I will find it humerous when you can't get into a good university because your writing skills are terrible.


Finally, I hope you manage to read this rather soon, as I rather suspect that this post will get deleted. I personally think this kind of conversation is best kept to private messages, but I'm enjoying this, even if it's irritating people.

QUOTE (obvious_outlawed_pianist @ Apr 16 2004, 04:42 PM)

you know, the point of this topic is supposed to be the piano competition, not my grammar. which, i think, is exceptionally well. why else would i be in H/ English? (for those of you who don't know what H/ is, it's honors) and yes, english isn't my first language, but if you compare me to people who are first-English speakers, you wouldn't know the difference. and complaining to the American School System won't help because I'm way out here in California and even if you did, nobody's going to pay much attention threatening a teenager because of her "grammatically incorrect language." besides, in the world of technology that we love today, people have the tendency to abbreviate when writing posts/IMing people. hence LOL/ppl/g2g   and so on. people here have the tendency to use symbols to "show" what they're doing or wants to do while saying. hence, *wants to compete* means that i want to compete. often, i use // to separate things or thoughts like // this is stupid because you guys are arguing over a teenager's grammar!// in retrospect, // only means something because YOU think it means something. one more thing. i don't mind being targeted because i find it humorous that you're all riled up because of my grammar. seems like DavidMusic's verbally attacking several people, especially YoungPianist. do you realize that you're attacking an eleven-year-old? besides, what does it matter if she or i or anybody else reading this talks the way they do? freedom of speech - heard of that? while we do have limits on our speech, verbally attacking someone because of her "incorrect grammar" is frankly pointless, stupid, and in no way will benefit you except to derive some eccentric pleasure from attacking my words.

P.S. Capital Letters, at the start of sentences, are your friends

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 16 2004, 05:17 PM)

[P.S. Capital Letters, at the start of sentences, are your friends

Except when one is posting in the Teachers Forum?!

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 16 2004, 05:15 PM)

That is why we say 'Piano' not "plinkity plonkity machine" and 'embouchure' instead of "blowing shape" because it makes far more sense.

QUOTE (obvious_outlawed_pianist @ Apr 16 2004, 04:42 PM)

you know, the point of this topic is supposed to be the piano competition, not my grammar.

we were only wondering what // meant because none of us in the UK knew. no need to get so stressed!!

im sorry but i do not think David was/is verbally attacking anyone, he was simply wondering what // meant(i think!!)

Nat

QUOTE (Natalie @ Apr 31st 2004, 25:00)

he was simply wondering what // meant(i think!!)

Yes. And getting annoyed. It only takes half a second more to type with instead of w/, Capital letters don't take longer. It's just polite to type properly. And I know that occasionally we all make mistakes - I started this sentance with 'and', although many would argue that it's ok - and regularly I give up on the capital letters at the start of sentances (although, interestingly, I never do so after a full stop, as far as I'm aware) but that number of mistakes is almost painful

QUOTE (Lucia (probably) @ Recently)

          Â

Thanks, I made myself laugh

QUOTE (Carys the Overly Perceptive @ a highly irritating time of the day)

Except when one is posting in the Teachers Forum?!

See above

haha- bring on the arguments!
you should know that i specialize in public speech and debate.
And I didn't think this would get this far. Perhaps the Administrator derives some pleasure from this?

Your sense of "freedom of speech" may be different, but my sense of "freedom of speech" is something to fight for. People are so arrogant and narrow-minded here! To be a youth is oh so very difficult because many of our voices are "cut" by authorities.

"considering my location?" Actually, Spanish is my third language (fourth, if you count Tagalog because I can speak well enough to get me a meal at a restaurant). FYI - Bay Area is mostly Asian-American populated.

H/ English - here, it's a class! Remember your high school years? Yes, we separate students by their academic ability!!! (although to be accuarate, it's more of a matter of race . . . sadly)

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. The words come, yet nothing goes in my ears . . . and yes, i know you're going to turn this part around.

talking online isn't the same as writing. and besides, getting into college isn't really a matter of excellent writing skills (i can say that for all my Writing Exams grades 2-8, I always got a perfect 12!) anymore. Like I mentioned, it's more of a matter of the number of honors and AP (Advanced Placement) classes you take (sadly) and the activities you're involved in as well as placement tests.

So it seems that most people here are against me - ha, not the first time! oh, well, i can take criticism. Been there far too much, anyway.

Laugh all you want. it's not going to make me type better because this is my post and I'm not one to rest my case especially since you're arguing against my abbreviation/s.

QUOTE (obvious_outlawed_pianist @ Apr 17 2004, 02:19 AM)

talking online isn't the same as writing. and besides, getting into college isn't really a matter of excellent writing skills (i can say that for all my Writing Exams grades 2-8, I always got a perfect 12!) anymore. Like I mentioned, it's more of a matter of the number of honors and AP (Advanced Placement) classes you take (sadly) and the activities you're involved in as well as placement tests.

sorry but that means nothing to people living in the UK.

as for people being against you-well thats a pile of ######. No one is against you, it is just that hardly any one can understand what youare typing because of all the // ** w/ etc....sometimes it is, as David said, polite to type something others will understand. you seem to write in note form with everything abbreviated and most people have no idea what you are trying to say.
instead of thinking everyone is against you why dont you appreciate the fact that we are telling you that no one understands what your sayin, the post we are all goin on about makes no sense whatsoever to me-you should be grateful we are telling so that in future you could try to make your posts more "readable".

"the words come, yet nothing goes in my ears......." im not even going to waste my energy in typing a reply to that-ill leave that to David if he can even be bothered woth you.

Nat

This is blowing out of proportion here, but I see no reason for you to be so defensive, OOP, as it's far easier to just write correctly.

Incidentally, Your last post was slightly better. Less !!!!!!!!! and ?????? though.

Just a few points:

1) High Schools are rare here, they're called different things. I don't even know what age they go from and to
2) We don't have writing exams here - or rather, we don't have exams specifically on writing
3) Isn't a perfect 12 a size of women's clothing?

It seems to be that you're trying to fight us, for bad treatment that you have received in your personal life. Or if you have received insults on the internet for the same reason, perhaps the problem lies with you, not everyone else.

P.S. ABBREVIATIONS, NOT ABBREVIATION/S

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 17 2004, 10:45 AM)

3) Isn't a perfect 12 a size of women's clothing?

lol

QUOTE

PErsonally; I think - that incorre,ct vocabu'lary when // put in frankly - peculiar places. can make People find it very hard to understand what ur saying. I fink dat if u strt typin n e wurs lik this ull b doon wot ppl do n its hrd 2 undrstnd f u dt spk this lnguge.

When I see David writing like this I just laugh hysetrically for 5 minutes I must add my support to his campaign to uphold the English language.

I think that grammar and punctuation are really important. As soon as I read posts I subconsciously analyse how intelligent someone is by looking at their grammar, more so than the content of the post! Reading your later posts I feel that I would actually bother to read them rather than just skipping over the earlier ones thinking "that post isn't worth reading because the person can't write properly so obviously isn't very intelligent and worth listening to and it will take too long to comprehend".

You may find this to be a good argument against changing the language in the way it is currently going to be 'more comprehensible'.

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Apr 17 2004, 03:17 PM)

QUOTE PErsonally; I think - that incorre,ct vocabu'lary when // put in frankly - peculiar places. can make People find it very hard to understand what ur saying. I fink dat if u strt typin n e wurs lik this ull b doon wot ppl do n its hrd 2 undrstnd f u dt spk this lnguge. When I see David writing like this I just laugh hysetrically for 5 minutes I

only for 5 minutes???
i laugh hyserically all day!!!lol

Nat

I got that first in an e-mail about 3 years ago, and again once more earlier this year. Unfortunately, I lost the first copy and deleted the second copy: because I thought I still had the first copy!

So thank you for bringing the funniest grammar and spelling based e-mail of all time to the forum!

I love the whole grammar war going on here.Its quite amusing, lol.
Naomi xxxx

QUOTE (obvious_outlawed_pianist @ Apr 17 2004, 02:19 AM)

and besides, getting into college isn't really a matter of excellent writing skills

Really, so how does one write a lucid essay/dissertation if one has no grammatical/writing skills? // // // ?

I agree with Lucia, thats a silly comment.
Naomi xxxx

Hi guys - I see you've been having lots of fun while I've been away


Maggie (sadly no longer a perfect size 12 after the holiday )

Hi maggie

fun!! yes lots of it!!

hope u had a nice holiday! im off to anglesey sailing for a week then menorca for 2 weeks int he summer!!

Nat

QUOTE (DavidMusic @ Apr 17 2004, 10:45 AM)

1) High Schools are rare here, they're called different things. I don't even know what age they go from and to 2) We don't have writing exams here - or rather, we don't have exams specifically on writing 3) Isn't a perfect 12 a size of women's clothing?

1) The age of schools in America range like so: Elementary, (which I am in) age level is 4-11. Middle School, age level is 11-13. Junior High, age level is 13-15. High School, age level is 15-17 (Something like that anyways; obvious outlawed pianist could do better).
2) We have many writing exams to test childrens' levels of writing (unlike you people obviously).
3) You don't have to be so sarcastic and mean about that; the scores of things are measured like that.

QUOTE

.2) We have many writing exams to test childrens' levels of writing (unlike you people obviously).

Actually, We do for GCSE and A Level except it comes under the English lesson, such as writing and appraising poetry, or literary items as opposed to simple writing exams, its the English way.
David was not being mean, merely humourous, however, Americans don't have the concept of English dry wit.
Naomi xxxx

As it has been quite some while since anyone discussed the "6th International Students Piano Competition", we're going to close this topic.

As a general note, would all members please bear in mind both the global reach of the ABRSM's Forums network, and the varying age groups of the users.

Lastly, we really don't want to become too heavy-handed as moderators, but it will help if everyone tries to stick to the subject of each topic & forum.

Regards

ABRSM Forums moderation team