(I study English at a German university. Classes are held completely in English. Sometimes the professors treat us like idiots, even though most of us have been learning English since the fifth grade)
Professor: “Now there are some words in this poem I’m sure most of you don’t know. Has anyone looked up what a ‘scythe’ is?”
Me: “It’s a [German word].”
Professor: “Very good! And what is plowing?”
Me: “It’s [German word].”
(I continue to answer his next five questions about translating words.)
Professor: “Well, I see at least one has prepared for this lesson. Did you look the words up online or in an old-fashioned dictionary?”
Me: “Neither? I mean, I knew what the words meant.”
Professor: “What do you mean you knew? Where did you look it up?”
Me: “I didn’t look it up. I knew the words because I’ve probably heard them before in the past years or had them explained to me. I don’t remember for every single word.”
Professor: “You’re supposed to look up difficult words you don’t know! Did you even prepare for class?”
Me: “”I knew the words! I didn’t have to look them up!
Professor: “You probably didn’t even get most of this poem if you didn’t look up the words!”
Me: “I just told you what all of them mean. How could I not understand the poem if I knew every word?”
Professor: “You’re supposed to look up difficult words!”
(I gave up. From then on when he asked where I knew a word from I simply told him I looked it up online. He never complained again.)
