Misunderstanding English


I think there are three different discourses in this video. The first is German, the second is the German's attempt to speak and understand English, and the third is the American speaking English.


All three discourses are very different and when the German's attempt at English collides with the American speaking English they create a humorous effect as the German speaker mis-interprets what the American speaker is saying. While the American is crying out that their ship is "sinking," the German interprets this as saying he is "thinking" because he understands the word as he would say it. It is often humorous to see the collision of multiple discourses because they are often misunderstood and interpreted in ways that tend to be amusing. However, they can also be very frustrating for someone who is trying to communicate and cannot seem to get someone to understand what they are saying. There are often crucial mistakes that are due to misunderstanding and miscommunication. 

Writing Etiquette

There are many rules that have been drilled into my head about things that you should never do as a writer. First you have your basic rules that usually revolve around grammatical expectations such as avoiding run- on sentences, making sure the subject and the verb agree, using proper punctation, etc. Then you have more advanced expectations in terms of the fluidity of your writing, the format of your writing, introductory and conclusive sentences and expectations for writing prose and style.

I think these rules are both necessary and helpful in writing. There is a certain degree of structure and formality that is necessary for readers to understand the writer and to be able to discern what point they are trying to make. For a reader to have to struggle to understand what the writer is saying and then venture to understand what the writer is writing about would be an unnecessary battle.  That said, I think there are certain situations where these rules can be tossed out the window for the sake of creativity and expression. However, the majority of the time, it is necessary for writing to follow rules to improve understanding and comprehension.