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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Questions to native speakers
Questions to native speakers
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Anutka
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Questions to native speakers
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Dear teachers , could you explain please, what does it mean: "you are a second timer, aren �t you? Why did you return so late?" I don �t anderstand what a second timer is. And what is the difference between describe yourself and characterize yourself? Thanks a lot
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28 Mar 2010
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anitarobi
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Describe yourself means physically - WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE? how tall you are, your facial features, body, fashion style, etc. Characterize means your character - WHAT ARE YOU LIKE (AS A PERSON)? whether you are outgoing, optimistic, hard-working, etc.
As for second-timer, I �m not sure. It lacks situational context - it may be someone who is taking an exam or any sort of a test for the second time, but I �m not sure without the surrounding context.
edit: sorry, I didn�t realise this was a question for native speakers only... ups! |
28 Mar 2010
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Kate (kkcat)
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Second timer is a person who never comes first or does something first, or delays to do something...
describe yourself implies describing appearance and characterize yourself implies talking about personal qualities...
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28 Mar 2010
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sulekra
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A second timer or counter would imply that it �s a person who counts every second, someone who is never late, so maybe it �s normal for the person to be late and they want to know why, maybe there was a life-or-death meeting they missed...
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28 Mar 2010
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lshorton99
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I always assumed a second timer was someone who did something for the second time. Like saying �it �s your second time here � but I �m not sure that makes sense in the given context.
Describe yourself is a much broader area than characterise yourself. Describe yourself can cover physical appearance, personality - almost anything. Chracterise yourself only covers the type of person you are - your character.
Lindsey
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28 Mar 2010
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Vernica
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I do agree with Kate, I �m a second timer I �m never on time
Imagine you are on a date, (second date with a man) If you get use to be always five minutes later that �s a second timer.
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28 Mar 2010
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GIOVANNI
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Personally I have never heard someone being called a second timer. I have heard the expression first timer, meaning it �s the first time. I would think second timer is a person or a timer that counts seconds. |
28 Mar 2010
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Bella W
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I would understand �second timer � to mean, somebody doing something for a second time. |
28 Mar 2010
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mariamit
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In many US applications a second timer is a person who does/applies or takes something (for) a second time. Usually though the phrase is written in the plural. IN the singular it usually refers to a machine which times seconds. |
28 Mar 2010
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douglas
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I agree with Anita, Lindsey and Bella. A second timer is somebody that is repeating something (doing it a second time). Some of the other explanations really surprised me--I would never understand them that way. |
28 Mar 2010
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