Learning English with Presidential Candidates. Part I.

Do you think that learning English is easy? Here is an example on how things can get really complicated if you a) don't pronounce words correctly and b) you only know one meaning to a word.

One of my goals as a student learning English as a second language is to add a new word or expression per day to my own little dictionary. (I recommend this exercise to every single student learning a new language).

Not so long ago, as I was reading The Wall Street Journal, my eyes went in circles trying to understand what Presidential Candidate, Barack H. Obama was trying to say. Here is the quote : "I would have to hire the vetter to vet the vetters."

Oh, my! First , I thought there was a "typo" in "vetter". Shouldn't it be "better"? And, what is a "vet" doing in this sentence? Isn't it an animal doctor? Are the "vetters" some kind of people that veto a proposal or something?

Since I like immediate answers, I went straight to one of our English teachers and read the sentence out loud with my "Hispanic accent". I guess I pronounced the "v" as "b" because it is the way we pronounce it in Spanish. So, I read: "I would have to hire the better to bet the betters". Do you see where I am going here? Totally different story.

We are lucky to have very patient and educated English teachers! :-) Both César and Michael explained to me what Obama was trying to say. Michael said to me: Don't forget your V's!!

Just for the record, to vet means to appraise, verify, or check for accuracy, authenticity, etc.

This story will have a Part II. I am sure!!

Have a nice day.

Johanna