Ding Dong Merrily on High

Christmas seems to be a recurring theme in films. My favourite Christmas film of all times is rerun almost every year, but I never tire of watching it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJfZaT8ncYk


What’s your favourite Christmas film or scene?

And Charlie, don’t forget about what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted.

I have always enjoyed reading children’s literature. I love the stories, and I admire adults who write for children and are able to look at life from a child’s perspective.

Here are some examples of books for children in English:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14838/14838-h/14838-h.htm (Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JggkF7jsi78&feature=related (Mr. Men by Roger Hargreaves)

http://www.kids4classics.com/l_frank_baum/The_Wonderful_Wizard_of_Oz.php?chapter=1 (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum)

http://www.planetebook.com/ebooks/Treasure-Island-2.pdf (Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson)

What children’s story do you find special?

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Onomatopoeia is language used efficiently.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/onomatopoeia?q=onomatopoeia

Here’s a list of onomatopoeia in English:

http://www.englishbanana.com/big-activity-book/bab_page33.html

Do you like any in particular? I really like fizz, zip, and mmm (we use this last one in Spanish too…)

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot…

What is the significance of the 5^th of November in Britain?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9k6ZvfGCac

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Guy.html

http://www.parliament.uk/about/faqs/house-of-commons-faqs/gunpowder-plot/

And the trees are stripped bare...

http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/autumn-united-states-photos/#/autumn-aspen-trees_3281_600x450.jpg (US)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2011/oct/17/autumn#/?picture=380556551&index=0 (UK)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvOVWKKxmo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv1L0Fp2n8Y

Is there anything that comes to mind when you think of autumn?

Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World...

October 12 is called ‘Día de la Hispanidad’ in Spain. In the US, Columbus Day is observed on the second Monday in October. I’ve always wondered why I got so little information about such an important event in history when I was at school. Here are some interesting videos about Columbus:

http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day/videos#christopher-columbus-man-and-myth

http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day/videos#christopher-columbus-sets-sail

http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day/videos#christopher-columbus-sets-sail

http://www.history.com/topics/columbus-day/videos#columbus-ships-are-marvels-of-engineering

Is history always written by the victors?

Happiness is a warm puppy

Almost 61 years ago Charles M. Schulz published his first comic strip. I have always found comic books fascinating, and have always admired people who are able to draw and concisely write a powerful story in just a few frames. Comic strips are easy to read and therefore will improve your English in a fun way.

Here’s a page with lots of cartoons:

http://www.gocomics.com/explore/comics

Do you read comics? What’s your favorite comic character?

Source of image: www.amazon.co.uk

Back to School

It’s that time of the year.

While in the US I saw a co-worker wearing a t-shirt that said: “A school is four walls with tomorrow inside”. I loved it.

What do you like the most about going to school?

MISCELLANEOUS-Summer

Any interesting videos, articles, resources, etc? Feel free to post them in this space.

Open all summer

Happy summer everyone!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJM0Jgir4I

Trips and Journeys

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness”, Mark Twain in The Innocents Abroad

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q4foLKDlcE
http://jonimitchell.com/music/song.cfm?id=212 (lyrics)

Where would you like to travel next?

May Day

Irises, Vincent van Gogh

May 1^st is Labour Day in some countries. In other places, this date is called May Day and it’s a traditional holiday, based on celebrations that took place in pre-Christian times, which were linked to the festival of Flora, the Roman Goddess of flowers:

http://www.holly-day.com/may/may-day-uk/

World Book Day

April 23 is World Book Day.

“Properly, we should read for power. Man reading should be man intensely alive. The book should be a ball of light in one's hand.” Ezra Pound (1885 - 1972)

If I had to choose just one word to describe what I think about reading I’d go for freedom.

How does reading make you feel? Any book suggestions?

Language and Power

This was in today's newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/14/david-cameron-immigrants-learn-english To what extent should language become a barrier?

Poems, poets

April is poetry month!!!
http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/41
Here is one of my favourite poems by my favourite poet ever : http://www.poesia-inter.net/ps33004.htm

Feel free to post a poem you like. It does not matter what language it was written in.

April Fool's Day

April 1st is April Fool’s Day. If you’re not sure of what this is, go ahead and click on this link: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-fools-tradition-popularized

Here’s an example of a hoax from the BBC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvWS1XwCMM

And here you'll find a whole list of them in case you’re interested: http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool/

Don’t forget to check newspapers in English tomorrow April 1st to look for hoaxes!!

How different do you think practical jokes and hoaxes are in English speaking countries from those played in Spain?

Humour

I wonder if there is anything that reflects culture better than humour.

These are three examples of humour as understood in three different countries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teMlv3ripSM (England)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY8Mx8p0YEw&feature=related (Scotland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1sx-vyWVk (US)

Can you think of any series/film scene or even comedian that makes you laugh?

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. What do you know about the history of this celebration?


http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day/videos


Here are two Irish songs (the second one sung by an American singer-songwriter):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfngKaaDVro

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7-PM_4aeE4


Can you think of anything Irish worth sharing with others? I personally like Jonathan Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' and Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'.

Interconnections

I love it when people connect things or things get connected by themselves and therefore complement each other. Here is a song that is deeply related to the book ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ by John Steinbeck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DEtA5fhk4k
Find the lyrics here: http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/TheGhostOfTomJoad.html

Can you think of two or more things that complement each other in some way? It could be a song and a book, a book and a film, a song and a film, or anything you can think of!!

'Girl with a Banjo'

Author: Mary Cassatt

http://www.marycassatt.org/

March 8 is International Women’s Day. This year is the 100th Anniversary of this commemoration.
We are lucky to be living in a relatively civilized world, but there is still a long road ahead for women in other countries: http://www.un.org/en/events/women/iwd/2011/

Who comes to your mind when you think of International Women’s Day?

Tricky Words

Who has been to a library and bought a book? Well, if you are a Spaniard learning English you probably have.

False friends or cognates are English words that look or sound similar to a Spanish word but have a totally different meaning. Here are some examples of false cognates:
http://www.developingteachers.com/tips/false_friends.htm

Which false friend/s have you used again and again? Do you have an anecdote involving a false friend?

Sayings/Proverbs

Here you can find a long list of English sayings: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html.I really like the one that says "Home is where the heart is".
Feel free to comment on any you like in particular.

ACCENTS

We tend to listen to Standard English, but the truth is most English speakers speak with a different accent.

If you want to explore different accents, here is a list of radio stations that might be useful for the purpose: http://www.world-english.org/listening.htm

I like listening to all different accents, but I have a predilection for these two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX_8knnjbbo (Glasgow, Scotland)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO1kmfLmGRA (South Carolina, USA)

Have you ever travelled to any part of an English speaking country and have not been able to understand the locals?

There's nothing you can do that can't be done...

The image on the left is called 'The Kiss', and was painted by Gustav Klimt.

What do you know about the origins of St. Valentine's Day?

http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/videos#history-of-valentines-day

Did you know that in the US and Canada you don't need to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, or partner to celebrate St. Valentine's?

http://www.stvalentinesday.org/traditions-and-customs.html

What book, song, painting, or film about love would you like to recommend others?

When in Rome, do as the Romans do

I came across this blog and, though the comments in it didn't surprise me at all (and bearing in mind they are a few months old), I found it interesting how there is still a debate about whether it is necessary or not to adapt to your host culture...

http://blogs.surinenglish.com/spanish-language/2010/05/24/when-in-rome-haz-lo-que-vieres/#comments

Interesting ideas on mingling:

http://www.lakeforest.edu/academics/offcampus/preparing/cultures.php

When in Rome, do as the Romans do?

Black History Month

Black History Month is celebrated in the UK in October, and in the USA and Canada during February, and its main aim is to help others appreciate Black people, culture and historical events.

http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/sitea/BHM_FAQ.html
http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/about.html (in the US)
http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/audio.html (videos)

Throughout time, there have been many African, African American and Caribbean people who have played an important role in creating and developing music, literature and cinema, among other forms of art.

Who comes to your mind when we talk about Black History Month?

Here’s one of my many choices:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNPK6cYxrA4

Censorship

This article was in yesterday’s newspaper:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/jan/26/kings-speech-swearing-weinstein-oscars

What are your views on censorship in films? To what extent should films be cut or changed to meet the public likes? Should freedom of speech be respected at all times?

Here are some details about a few censored films:
http://www2.lib.virginia.edu/exhibits/censored/film.html

Action! Cut!

Which film/s have you watched again and again? Which film made a great impact on you?

A couple of recommendations in case you're in the mood for a good film today:

Any of Buster Keaton's movies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzZYZj0i3Og&feature=related
Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prcs7b7Qfp0

For some free streaming movies you can go to: http://www.jaman.com/movies/free-movies/

Word Adoption

Would you like to adopt an English word? http://www.savethewords.org/

Time Banks

Check this out: http://www.timebanks.org/

What do you think of time banks? Would you take part in one of them? If so, what would you offer to do in your community?