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So we’re
back. I AM back, anyway… and once again I find myself in a déjà vu-ish
situation, feeling a bit like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. Yes. My
Gollumesque quandary consists in an inner monologue that takes place somewhere
in my head. A part of me tells me that most of my students will simply try and
use fancy words on intermediate structures which they will invariably pronounce
with a thick Spanish accent. The better side of me counters that that is not
necessarily true because there are always learners who are hungry for knowledge and will challenge the stereotype (or the statistics).
As is
usually the case, this is not an either-or type of situation. Pronunciation is
tough. No doubt. Incorporating advanced structures is tough. It definitely takes
practice. Vocabulary is hard to remember. You need constant exposure. Yes… But
if you are reading this, chances are you are highly motivated, willing to listen
to my advice and ready to do what it takes. That’s excellent news. It means you
have the right attitude and remember 90% of this game boils down to your attitude, not your aptitude.
For the
newcomers, though, I’ll just say a few words.
C1 is where you finally wake up to
nuances. You realize that a sentence like he entered the room doesn’t
cut it anymore because some voice in the back of your head keeps asking you how
he entered the room and, of course, you want to know what kind of room that was.
Did he rush into the room? Did he waltz or barge into the room? Was it a
lunchroom, a classroom, a shower room, a darkroom?
An
intermediate voice in your head will whisper something along the lines of “the context clarifies it
all” but, of course, you want to be an articulate, independent speaker. So you will
dismiss that voice. “Don’t worry” might the voice insist “you don’t need to
know all the exact words because you can always find a synonym”. But quite often
synonyms are simply not available. Just think of words such as these: alfil,
foso, pezuña, tijeras. Can think of synonyms in Spanish?
If you want
to improve your accent, diversify your grammar, learn vocabulary that feels accurate and
natural you are in the right place. Welcome!
Those of you that might still have seconds thoughts may want to watch the video
below. Disclaimer: I don’t agree with everything the speaker
says but, all the same, I believe it can help you try and grab the bull by the horns. Enjoy.
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