baby steps on mount nebo

We've heard often enough how "the devil is in the details". Well, guess what? C1 is the devil because, indeed, the advanced command of a second language tends to show in the small details.

At this point in your learning process you should be aware of the fact that the difference between understanding advanced structures and being able to produce them sometimes lies in one's ability to introduce tiny modifications in rather basic sentences. The good news is you need neither fancy words nor unusual verbal forms. The only thing you should do is just take it easy. Remember: one change at a time.

The sky is the limit

I believe it was during my sophomore year in college that I heard one of my professors assert that all of us (her English students) would always have a Spanish accent. She claimed that a realistic aim for us would be to develop an "elegant" Spanish accent.

Even though I heard that remark a long time ago it is still etched in my memory. I was only a student trying to learn English as best I could but, somehow, I knew she was wrong. To be fair, it is true that most people never quite shake off their L1 accent and, by the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that (as long as it doesn't hinder effective communication). I also agree with the general notion that we should strive to attain an elegant form of expression. However, I do take issue with the way some people try and set boundaries for others. Oftentimes they're just projecting (this professor of mine happened to have an obvious Spanish accent which she probably considered to be elegant). Of course we should not ride the pendulum to the other end of the spectrum either. The old Nike slogan ("impossible is nothing") aimed at inspiring customers but, in my view, failed to be reasonable. I'm afraid, that, whether we like it or not, some things are clearly impossible. The sensible advice seems to be encapsulated in a number of clichés that we tend to dismiss out of hand: "try your best", "go the distance", "don't give up", "work hard", etc. And if you think all that stuff is useless... well, you are dead wrong. I have personally experienced that amazing results can be achieved when you don't give up. But don't take it from me. Just look around. There are countless success stories of people who worked really hard and got far.

I guess I have decided to write about this because your essays have made me so happy. I have often had students come up to me and complain about how hard it is to write English at a C1 level. They appear to have a rather pessimistic attitude. The truth is that most of you are on your way to achieving that advanced command of the language. As a matter of fact some of you have already crossed the border into C1 land. It's not as difficult as you may think. Just remember what I said in the classroom: the secret lies in borrowing or simply stealing from other speakers/writers. That's exactly what little children do. It's monkey see, monkey do. I'll talk about this in my next post. Anyway, I just wanted to say that your last batch of essays is proof of how much you've improved your writing skills. So congratulations, everyone!

And now allow me to give you another set of clichés that I have always subscribed to: try and be as good as you can be. Don't let anyone tell you how far you can get. Find that out yourself. The sky is the limit!

Clippings

Quite uncharacteristically, I’ll dish out some practical tips regarding the June exams for my C1.2 students at EOI.

First off, since clippings are part of our syllabus I’d like to say a few words regarding that peculiar trait of the English language. A clipping is basically an abbreviated form of a noun. They are quite common in colloquial French (restau instead of restaurant). In Spanish we also have a few shortened forms. Often they are only found in slang (uni, bici) though we also have examples like cine, which are not perceived as being particularly colloquial. They are virtually the only option a speaker has. In English, however, clipped words are all over the place for the very simple reason that anything longer than a monosyllable feels a little too long in an English-speaking mouth. That’s why the nouns veterinarian and advertisement usually become vet and ad in everyday speech. An interesting problem, of course, lies in the fact that vet can also be short for veteran but, as usual, the context tends to clarify any potential confusion.

As ESOL students, you should know that the situation in English is not unlike the Spanish case. Some clippings are only colloquial (doc instead of doctor, tech instead of technology) whereas sometimes the shortened versions are clearly the preferred nomenclature (gas instead of gasoline or gym instead of gymnasium). The twist comes when you realize that some clippings make use of the last bit of a word. That is extremely unusual in Spanish (though we do have the word bus for autobús). In such cases the last syllable of the word represents the whole term. And this is, by no means, an exceptional choice. As a matter of fact, in certain contexts, the forms roach, chute and bot can be even more common than their unclipped versions cockroach, parachute and robot. So, remember, when you take your cell(ular) (tele)phone to surf the (inter)net you may come across texts written by a Twitter(ro)bot.

In the second part of this post I will simply remind my C1.2 students that, as of today, they can register to take the June test that will allow them to obtain C1 certificate. The deadline is March 23 (14:00). Just click here and follow the instructions. Important: as “alumnos oficiales” you won’t have to pay a single cent. It’s free. I repeat C1.2 students do not have to pay to take the certification exam. Any other student (including “official” C1.1 students) who would like to take that same test will have to register (from March 28 to April 8) and will have to pay the corresponding fee.

Political Correctness

So, once again, it's International Women's Day. Believe it or not, over the years I have devoted a considerable amount of time to the issue of gender equality in English. This year I happen to be the representative of the school council for gender equality, which somehow puts some pressure on me to post something uplifting and thought-provoking. What can I say? We should all do our bit in the fight for non-discriminatory language. Does it mean it's a good idea to go full-on PC? Probably not.

The excesses of political correctness have been often ridiculed by both conservative and liberal media (and rightfully so, I might add). It is quite obvious that the phrase vertically challenged is not an inspired euphemism to describe a short person. It is equally evident that extreme cases of PC enforcement are not a thing of the past. According to a MailOnLine article, in January 2017, "the British Medical Association advised members that mothers-to-be should be referred to as "pregnant people" to avoid offense and "celebrate diversity". Let that sink in. And think of the very concept of cultural appropriation. Does it really make any sense at all? At the very least, it is highly controversial. It is unquestionable that we should show respect for other cultures but where does one draw the line? If we should decide that white people ought not to wear dreadlocks (because dreads are supposed to belong exclusively to black people) then... Asians should not be allowed to play the Ode to Joy. Seriously?

The problem is, of course, that many far-right sympathizers are known to have used those "abuses" in order to resist change and deride what I deem to be admirable objectives: inclusiveness, respect for minorities, etc. Why am I harping on about diversity and political correctness? Well, because showing respect for other races and minorities goes hand in hand with our attitude towards other genders. Just remember that a language becomes more respectful when its speakers are more sensitive to certain issues, which is why gender-neutral language has effectively become the norm. In this day and age, speaking in a different manner is simply laughable.

My advise is, therefore, rather simple: steer clear of obviously sexist vocabulary (to man up, male nurse) and dated attitudes (e.g. to assume that only women are sensitive); fight social marking (the words butcher, judge and astronaut are gender-neutral) and remember that trying too hard to avoid sexism can be quite ludicrous (it's every man or woman for himself or herself!).

All in all, right now, the truly challenging questions may revolve around not language usage but rather the semantics regarding certain concepts. What is, in 2019, "a feminine perspective"? How are we supposed to define "masculinity"? What does a woman mean when she says she feels "very feminine"? Is it okay to say "act like a man"? And, if so, what does it mean? Food for thought, right? An equally stimulating debate might consist in questioning the very need for binary labels (man/woman, Mr./Ms.) but that, in the words of Michael Ende, "is another story and shall be told another time".