Monday, 13 August 2018

English Language Challenges

A different language is a different vision of life
Federico Fellini

Learning a new language may be quite an adventure...!

Some people see language just as a means of communication. Sherlock would say "That's obvious, Watson, but..."

Learning another language means far more than acquiring and using varied lexis, mastering grammatical rules, understanding common idiomatic expressions, and using appropriate pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. These and other issues are the building blocks of everyday communication. However, language is produced by people differing in origin, race, cultural background, climate, educational system, interest, well-being, ...

Thus, the language of a particular group of people varies widely compared to that of another group of people living in a distant geographical site and using the same language; people living in warm, tropical regions are more talkative, express their feelings with strong voice and bodily movements, while people in cold regions speak with a lower voice, almost whispering their ideas, taking good care of cold drafts from affecting their throats and moving slowly to keep their bodies warm.

Similar and different
The pronunciation and the writing may also vary widely even in people speaking the same language. For various reasons, Irish, Scotish, English, Australian and American people of the USA, among others, speak English with their personal touch, either you like it or not. Inmigration has also played a part in the complexity and uniqueness of the language.

Thus, you might read "Monday thru Friday" instead of "Monday through Friday" or "tonite" instead of "tonight" and may hear "overr-itiin" instead of "over eighteen"...

Films, comics, facebook, videos, blogs, internet, RPGs, emoticons, chatting via whatsapp, twitters, ... are contributing to enrich,  for the better or the worse,  our language.

In this modern, computarized world, people are closer than ever in the history of mankind through the use of internet and learning a language can be facilitated through the use of plenty of resources, such as videos, on-line activities, games, blogs, songs, pen pals, youtube ...

Even visiting other countries is becoming easier.

During these terms you have been bombarded with exercises of various kinds: exercises from the web, webquests, role playing games and situations, instructions and dialogues in English, pronunciation exercises, blogs, units with special contents, oral interactions, videos, ... and  still there is a lot to be learnt. So, I wonder .... what are your English language challenges?


Now it's you turn.

 > What comments can you make about your experience learning English at university?
> What about the use of blogs?
> What aspects of your English need to be improved and how do you plan to do this?
> Outside the English class, how much are you using English these days? What for?

- Wordcount: 260
- Make comments on your teacher's and 3 of your partners'  posts.

32 comments:

  1. I wish that one day I could learn Italian !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Alejandra,
      It's always time to learn another language... Do it!
      See you,

      Delete
  2. Is incredible how the lenguages change with the geography!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Javiera,
      Do you have a favorite foreign language?
      See you,

      Delete
  3. I would like to learn more about English and French.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Priscilla,
      Nice to know...You have plenty of time to learn...do it!
      See you,

      Delete
  4. Is amazing how a language can represent an entire culture!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,
      Language and learning are tightly interconnected.
      See you,

      Delete
  5. I'd like to speak another language fluently! It could be french, italian or portuguese.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Exactly the same though, learn a new language is the entry of a new world, my challenge is to learn french and italian, nice post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vicente,
      Nice to know you liked it. Follow your dreams...!
      See you,

      Delete
  7. i wish i could improve more my pronunciation in english :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. Is so funny that the pronunciation vary in people who speak the same language, I was in Spain and I did not understand anything haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,
      You usually need time to get used to any language....
      See you,

      Delete
  9. I would like to learn Latin and improve my English for the career that I'm studying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Manuel,
      Scientific english is at hand...
      See you,

      Delete
  10. I think that a new language is a new door, I was in a English institute for a year (in Chile, besides the school) and there I understood that. Also, I discovered that you don't need too much theory, you need practice and like the proverb says "no pain, no gain" :3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gabriela,
      Right you are... We all have to work hard to get what we want.
      See you,

      Delete
  11. Even in the same country we can find some language difference, the expressions of the south are different than the ones from the north.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gonzalo,
      Language is alive and lives with all of us.
      See you,

      Delete
  12. One of my challenges now is improve my pronunciation and my fluency

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Camilo,
      A new challenge...that's good!
      See you,

      Delete
  13. the pronunciation its pretty important

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brian,
      Right you are... Yet, it may have flaws....
      See you,

      Delete
  14. I really enjoy watch some videos of different people who speak English, is so different and fun listen some Australian people talking, or a British. But a Scottish...haha I don't understand anything what they say.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Macarena,
      Sometimes it is hard to understand people talking our own language!!!
      See you,

      Delete
  15. The pronunciation it's important, like hearing, you have to know what they say, and they have to know what you say

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Luis,
      Yet don't give it too much importance.... or you may get stuck!
      See you,

      Delete
  16. Apart from English I would also like to learn other languages.

    ReplyDelete