Patricia Camino

When the World Trade Center was destroyed by a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 the producers of the TV series “Friends” (arguably one of the most successful sitcoms ever) had to face a tough dilemma: should they acknowledge the tragedy in the show or have their characters go on with their lives? As it turned out, they decided that the New York City depicted in the series was not the real New York but rather a dream-like version of it. They also thought that the feel-good vibe of the show might actually offer grief-stricken New Yorkers a way to escape from the ubiquitous news of a horrific catastrophe. I suppose we all sometimes act like that. It’s human nature… but when the pain is sudden, sharp and all-pervasive it is almost impossible to pretend that nothing really happened. Even if it is true that, as they say, “the show must go on” I believe a few words must be uttered first.

I am fully aware that this blog is probably not the ideal place to write a eulogy nor is it a teacher’s duty to do so, after all a blog like this one exists only as a tool to help students. Yet I can’t pretend a dreadful tragedy has not occurred. I just can’t. I refuse to stifle my urge to let my feelings show. So here goes…

Patricia Camino died yesterday. She was one of my C1 students in Castro Urdiales and barely twenty-four hours later I’m still in a state of unspeakable shock. I am lucky enough to have known her personally. She was my student some years ago and even agreed to appear in one episode of my series of video podcasts on English pronunciation. Every now and then we would bump into each other in Castro Urdiales and catch up.

What can I say about Patricia?

She could light up any room she walked into. Her enthusiasm was simply infectious. She was a generous student, a devoted mother and loyal friend. So I felt truly happy when I learned she had been elected to hold office as a councilwoman in Castro Urdiales, partly because it was a project she was passionate about and also because the world of politics desperately needs people like her. Just two weeks ago she texted me to let me know how thrilled she was that she had gotten a place in the C1 course. On Tuesday evening, right after class we exchanged a few words…

Devastated by the loss of Patricia, one thought keeps echoing in my head: the world is today a little bit worse because she’s no longer around. RIP.

What's in a name?

Attention my dear C1 students! This post is for you.

Names can be tricky. A name that is attractive and refreshing in a country might be old-fashioned and boring somewhere else. Names are also deceitful because they sometimes hide weird or unexpected information, which is why I'm still baffled that most people are completely unaware of the actual meaning of their own names. Let's face it. How many Claudias know that their name means “limp” in the original Latin? How many Kennedys realize their last name used to mean “misshapen head” in Irish?

The video below these lines is a nice summary of some of the ideas that came up in the classroom. Those conflicting studies that reveal latent forms of racism may only confirm that we all have mixed feelings about certain social trends. We should also “update our prejudices”. Some names that used to give away information about the parents’ background have become so mainstream that they are no longer useful.

To know that Eugene, Walter and Sheldon are not exactly sexy, that Amanda and Brooke are hot, that Kevin is alright in the US but carries certain connotations in the UK requires the kind of language experience that belongs to the world beyond the C2 level. For the time being, we should be happy if we manage to understand the lexical differences between such diverse terms as pseudonym, moniker, stage name, assumed name, pen name, given name, maiden name, forename or nickname.

 

Just a little reminder

My dear B2 and C1 followers (I say followers to use "the parlance of our times"), here’s a little reminder of some of the things we discussed in the classroom last week. I thought a voiceover might help you remember the explanations. Just remember that this presentation is only intended as a brief summary of what the B2 level is mostly about. C1 students should realize that they are expected to have overcome the challenges. Don’t forget that specificity translates into nuanced expressions whose meaning may vary according to perspective, register, dialect, etc. Enough said, right? Enjoy it...or ignore it. It's really up to you.

Welcome to my course

Greetings, new students, former students and occasional walk-ins. The new school year is upon us! This time I'm going to be teaching two consecutive levels: B2 and C1. At this point in my career I still feel the need to wonder if you are all fully aware of what those levels really entail. So, for the sake of clarity, allow me to remind you that B2 is an intermediate level (I know, we call it Avanzado 2 but that's just an unfortunate misnomer), which makes it possible for a learner to discuss a wide range of subjects even if (s)he still sounds like (s)he is trying. B2 speakers tend to use pretty basic blanket terms (to go, to see, to clean). C1, however, is all about lexical accuracy (to commute, to glimpse, to wipe). It is also the start of something remotely resembling a natural kind of expression. You will be expected to use fillers, idioms and even stammer (for the right reasons). Are you ready for the challenge?

The European Day of Languages

Anyone out there? Last I checked around 80 people decided to read a post. I don't anticipate a better following this new school year but what the heck... Anyhow, September 26th is the European Day of Languages, which (unlike the Eurovision Song Contest) is one of those celebrations we Europeans should be proud of. The way I see it language diversity is a key element in a person's intellectual development. It undoubtedly offers many practical benefits (better qualifications which may lead to a better job, the ability to speak to at international airports, the chance to enjoy films or books in the original version, etc.). Sadly, I'm afraid that one needs to speak several languages in order to truly appreciate what the greatest reward of them all can be: depth, complexity and, above all, open-mindedness.

In my view speaking a second language makes you necessarily more tolerant because it forces you to see things in a different light or, at least, from a slightly different standpoint. Famously the late Umberto Eco wrote a book titled Dire Quasi La Stessa Cosa. It dealt with his experiences over the years as a translator. That title hit the nail on the head, didn't it? To say almost the same thing. Indeed a translator tells you, "more or less", "kind of", "approximately" what someone else has said. And it's precisely in the differences that one finds how wonderful other people's worldview can be. Paraphrasing the old saying, we may state that the magic is in the details.

I was recently asked to submit a 90-second-video about my own experience regarding foreign languages to a website where other speakers had posted their thoughts on the matter. The teacher behind the project seeks to show their students the many reasons why learning a language is always worthwhile. Here is what I had to say:

All the way

A couple of years ago, in good old Germany, someone asked me how come I could speak English they way I do. I remember I offered a very simple answer: “I went all the way”. The funny thing is that I later realized I had borrowed that reply not from the Sinatra song but rather from “Pretty Woman” (I believe it was the bathtub scene, where Vivian asks Edward if he had gone to college).

Anyway, I mention this because I recently came across a poem by Charles Bukowski which challenges us to do exactly that: “to go all the way”. Granted, it is extreme advice, coming from an extreme man. Leaving aside his controversial, self-destructive lifestyle, his rough prose, his legendary misanthropy, etc. Charles Bukowski was, among many other things, an interesting man. In one of the two poems recited in the clip below he suggests we should all act as if we were possessed by a life-consuming passion. I don’t think I can quite share such a radical take on life but I can certainly relate to the idea of pushing the boundaries, disregarding conventions and always going the distance. The truth is not everyone is cut out to be that passionate about things. Some people just want to dip their toes in the water. Some others prefer to plunge into it and explore the boundless abyss. Should we all dive and risk everything? Probably not...

Take the case of language learning. One may only want to learn enough English to travel or to read technical manuals or to make a business presentation or to express their feelings accurately or to write poems. You are entitled to choose how far you want to go. That said, it is true that those who go all the way often enjoy an indescribable kind of satisfaction. But I digress… This is my last post in this academic year. I’m afraid we have reached our final destination (for the time being). Are you somehow satisfied? Terrified? Calm? Indifferent? Whatever your feelings might be, please take two minutes of your time and listen to these poems. Appreciate the mesmerizing, gravelly voice that reads them, feel the words, savor the ideas, disagree with them, think of your own verses. It’s one of the great payoffs of learning a language, is it not?

Perseverance does pay off

A long tradition of blissful unawareness made it possible for epic blunders to happen in Spain. Just take the famous case of the Servicio de Hostelería Industrial de Terrassa (see photograph below).

 

Okay. That may be an extreme example but the trend still exists. We are still ignorant of many aspects of the English-speaking world. Let’s take the case of the dubbing industry in Spain. Leaving aside incorrect translations, one could argue that changing an actor’s hairstyle would be unacceptable. Oddly enough, it is perfectly alright to change his voice. Constantino Romero, for instance, had a voice which sounded just as elegant, throaty and velvety as that of James Earl Jones. It was therefore the perfect choice for the characters of Darth Vader in "Star Wars" and Mufasa in "The Lion King" but was clearly inappropriate to dub Clint Eastwood, who has always had a raspy voice which, by the way, fitted the “rough-around-the-edges” tough cop we all know as Dirty Harry. That’s just one example of an iconic voice (Eastwood’s) that was drastically modified by the film industry in Spain.

We should not forget our famous problems with English sounds. Incredibly, in the Internet era we have managed to come up with ridiculous pronunciations of personal names (Johnny Depp, Andy Murray), of brandnames (Reebok, Pioneer), of supposedly sophisticated words (socialite, vintage) or technology-related terms (Linked In, meme, etc…)

As for vocabulary issues we have created an infinite number of nonexistent words:

Real English	Made in Spain
audition	casting
camp site	camping
to switch channels	zapping
supermodel	top model

To be fair, as far as imaginary “English” vocabulary goes, analogous situations can also be found in France (whose elite invented its fair share of un-English expressions such as footing, autostop, parking, etc.) and, of course, in Germany, where unbelievable terms like handy, streetworker or basecap were mysteriously coined to refer to concepts like cellphone, social worker or baseball cap). Anyhow, I don't think that should make us feel any better.

Still… It is hardly understandable why Banco Sabadell chose to use the name “BS online” for its Internet service. I think it is safe to say that B.S. is precisely the kind of thing that no client needs to get from his or her bank.

The course is over. It is time to look back on your progress. At school you’ve had the chance to be in touch with a good deal of real English. I have tried to teach you some basic principles: imitate native speakers, seek exposure to the language, favor natural expression over grammatical productions, and so on and so forth. Those of you who are still coming to class will soon realize how rewarding perseverance can be. Hopefully you have gained a sense of direction and a more realistic take on the whole learning process.

N.B. There will be one last post in a few days.