There is nothing worse than having studied years of English and travelling to the United States and hearing many Americans say “Wadayado?” or “Wadayadoing?” or simply “Wadaya”?

In New York, “Wadaya” can be heard when you stare at someone for too long: It means “What is your problem? Why are you staring at me?”.

American English has evolved into a form of street-smart form of speaking which may take years for others to learn. This can be a massive wall for New English learners to climb. Most English-as-a-Second-Language classes teach you to pronounce and separate words correctly in order to be understood but the language, in it’s native environment, has evolved into something else...and it can be confusing, scary...and very difficult.

This has led to much frustration by new English learners.

Teaching English as a Second Language (read teachers) should also evolve to allow for these changes in phonetic morphing.

I am a firm believer in teaching the base of the language: One based on time and how auxiliary verbs help verbs specify such times. This is the base of Spanish, French, English, Greek, Italian, and, many other languages:
To Be
To Do
To Have

Speak of specific times. There are three pasts, three presents and three futures, as a minimum, in all of these languages (more info at www.phrazzleme.com).

Wadayado?
Wadayadoing?
Wadayadone?

All start with “wadaya”. This creates listening, fast thinking and confusion on the part of the foreigner.

It requires the listener to realize what the question is by only listening to the ending of the verb:

“Wadayado”
“DO”...therefore the rest must be “What do you” since “to do” is followed by base form.

“Wayadadoing”
“Doing”...therefore the previous must be “What are you” since “ing” goes with “are”.

“Wayadadone”
“Done”=past participle therefore the latter must be “What have you”.

If you miss the verb and it’s form, you misunderstand the question...and there is a huge difference between the three:

What do you do?=for a living (I’m an English teacher).

What are you doing?”=NOW (I am writing an article).

What have you done?=In your life (I have travelled much. I have tried Marihuana. I have wet my bed).

I hope that this has taught you, as a teacher and a student of English, that the ending verb form is MOST important in telling you what the auxiliary verb was that came before such.

This is an extremely valuable lesson when considering that other words are always added to these phrases and questions...such as “Want to”:

Wadayawana do?= What do you want to do?
Wadayawana eat?
Wadayawana see (movie)?
Wadayawana drink?

This phonetic principle is extremely important since the American language does this often with other question words such as “How”:

Hayabeen?=How have you been (fine thanks).
Hayadoing?=How are you doing? (well thanks).
Hadayado?=How do you do? (It’s a pleasure to meet you too).
Hayadothat?=How did you do that? (I don’t know. I just did...).

Conclusion: Teachers should travel and learn how the English language is truly spoken or should teach using movies and music to also teach phonetics. Not doing so is doing your students a dis-service and setting them up for a future fall.

I remember an old saying in Canada: “The people that speak English best in Canada are the foreigners”.