Macmillan Dictionary - Word of the Day

Sunday, November 28, 2010

The importance of learning languages ...

I love languages because this type of knowledge allows me to communicate with people from different countries in their mother tongue. It is so rewarding to travel to a country and be able to speak the language which is spoken there. In fact, people appreciate when we make an effort to speak their language. We can learn so much about a new culture, new values, and about a new way of thinking by talking directly to people. We feel refreshed when we talk to people from a different nationality and exchange views on different matters.
I have learned five languages at school. I started with Portuguese, my mother tongue. The way we learn our native language is very different from the way we learn a foreign language. Firstly, I learned Portuguese by listening to the people around me and by repeating after them. Then, when I was six years old, I started my formal education. At that stage I learned to read and to write in Portuguese.

When I was ten years old, I started learning French, and I continued learning it during five years. At that time French was a very important language in Portugal and most children learned this language at school. Nowadays I don’t use this language a lot unless I travel to French or Switzerland, where I have relatives. Nevertheless, I can still understand when I listen to it or when I read it. Speaking and writing are more difficult ...

When I was twelve years old, I started learning English, and I have fallen in love with it since that moment. I like everything about the English language, except for phonetics. 

When I was fifteen years old, I started my Secondary Education. At that time I chose to study humanities because I loved languages so much. I stopped learning French and I decided to start learning two other languages, German and Latin, besides the English language. I found German really fantastic and enjoyed every new lesson. I can’t say the same about Latin. In fact, I found it really difficult. We don’t use Latin for oral communication, so I have forgotten everything I learned then. However, Latin helped me to know my mother tongue better because Portuguese derives from Latin, as well as the other Romance languages: Spanish, French, Italian and Rumanian.

When I was eighteen, I decided to take an University degree in the teaching of English and German as foreign languages. At university the teachers who taught me English came from very different countries, such as: New Zealand, the United States of America and Britain. They had different accents; consequently my English accent has suffered the influence of all those varieties of English.

I have been a teacher for twenty years, and during this time I have taught English and German to Portuguese students. However, I haven’t taught German for seven years. French and German are losing importance in Portugal and Spanish has taken the place of these two languages. Spanish is very similar to Portuguese, so we can understand Spanish easily, even if we have never studied it. Writing in Spanish is another thing because we need to study grammar …

I love Portuguese because this language reflects the history and culture of my country. This is the language I use every day to communicate with my co-citizens. I also love English and this is the language I use every day as a teacher.
 I have been telling my students that English can be an excellent medium of communication among people who do not have a language in common. Nevertheless, the more languages we know, the better for us.

Don’t you think so?

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Portuguese is spoken in: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guiné-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipe, East Timor and Macau

 

As I was surfing the web, I 've found this site which gives some good reasons to learn Portuguese. Read it!

Good Reasons to learn Portuguese

Source: http://www.eu-student.eu/why-you-should-learn-portuguese/

"Portuguese is spoken by more than 200 Million people, it’s the official language in Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tome and Principe and Macau. It is the 6th most spoken language in the world.
Learning Portuguese is very important if you want to get to know the Portuguese culture, speak to people around the world and create a closer link to locals who don’t speak English. If you plan to travel to one of the many countries, where they speak Portuguese – it will really facilitate communication.

Portuguese is also an official language in the European Union and MERCOSUR, the economic alliance among the different countries of Latin America including Brazil. As Portuguese is spoken in so many places, you will have many occasions to use the language.

While learning Portuguese, you make the first step in learning other Latin languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian) which are very similar. Portuguese is a very romantic language.

Portugal has a very rich literature. To mention some of its famous writers you should have a look on Gil Vicente, who captured the humanistic spirt of the renaissance or more recently José Saramago who received the Nobel Prize in Literature en 1998.
Learn Portuguese and you can read amazing books in their original language."
Read the whole text at: http://www.eu-student.eu/why-you-should-learn-portuguese/

A debate: Should we defend the existence of a global language or should all languages be considered equal?

Students are going to participate in a role play, where they have to defend their points of view concerning the topic: Should we defend the existence of a global language or should all languages be considered equal?


They are going to work in groups of five. One of them is the moderator of the group (he/she will function as a journalist in a debate). Then there are three people who are going to defend the existence of a global language. Besides the English language, they can choose two other languages among: Spanish, Mandarin, Portuguese and Esperanto. Finally, there is a student who defends that all languages should be considered equal.

We have already chosen the groups and the role each element is going to play. Now they are preparing themselves for the debate that is going to take place within two weeks. They still have plenty of time …

They are going to be evaluated according to their:

• Complexity of speech;

• Accuracy;

• Fluency:

• Interaction;

• Development of the theme.

Here is a list of links where you can find information about the different languages and about the different arguments you can use.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

50 THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW ...

I was searching the web, when I found this site. I 've found it so interesting that I 've decided to share this "discovery" with you.

http://www.world-english.org/facts.htm

.
The word "queue" is the only word in the English language that is still pronounced the same way when the last four letters are removed.
Beetles taste like apples, wasps like pine nuts, and worms  like fried bacon.
Of all the words in the English language, the word 'set' has the most definitions!
What is called a "French kiss" in the English speaking world is known as an "English kiss" in France.
"Almost" is the longest word in the English language with all the letters in alphabetical order.
"Rhythm" is the longest English word without a vowel.

In 1386, a pig in France was executed by public hanging for the murder of a child.



(to be continued)  http://www.world-english.org/facts.htm

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Thanksgiving facts

Facts
1.Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States.
2.By the fall of 1621 only half of the pilgrims, who had sailed on the Mayflower, survived. The survivors, thankful to be alive, decided to give a thanksgiving feast.
3.Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October in Canada.
(...)
11.The Wampanoag Indians were the people who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate the land.
See the whole text at: The Holiday spot

Thanksgiving ...

Read a text about the history of Thanksgiving and then try a quiz.

http://startswithabang.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/thanksgiving.gif

Monday, November 15, 2010

The advantages of learning English ...



Today we have started another topic: the importance of the English language in the world.

In the following text you can see why it is so important to learn English today.

The Advantages of Learning English

By Jeanne Baird, eHow Contributor .updated: October 27, 2010

Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_5230958_advantages-learning-english.html

The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, second only to Mandarin. That English is used almost everywhere is only one of the many advantages of learning the language.

Business
English is the primary language of business throughout the world. Most international business transactions, including emails, memos, reports and contracts, are written in English.
Employment Opportunities
The ability to fluently speak the English language in addition to your native language can be beneficial if you're seeking job opportunities with international companies. The ability to speak a language spoken by most business people can place you a step ahead of the competition.
Movies
Major Hollywood movies have dialogue in English. The plot of these movies is easier to follow if the person watching the movie speaks English. Subtitles in other languages can sometimes cause the meanings of words to be lost in the translation, and they can be a distraction or even block the action taking place on the screen.
Travel
The English language is predominantly spoken throughout the world, so international travelers may find that speaking English can make their travels a little easier. Most hotel and restaurant employees, as well as store merchants, probably speak English to some degree.
Schools
Students from other countries who attend school in the United States will benefit greatly if they can know basic English. This knowledge will help them communicate better with both their students and teachers. The students also will have an easier time with any research or readings they are assigned.
Academics
The English language is the predominant language of academics all over the world, with a large amount of research conducted, written and presented in English. Knowing English can helpful for scholars who wish to communicate their ideas and research findings to peers in their field.
Computers
Most software programs are written in English. Those seeking to expand their computer knowledge can find the ability to read and understand the English language invaluable.
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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Read about some Erasmus experiences ...




Erasmus: Another student exchange programme we talked about in our lessons.

Read what some students wrote about their Erasmus experiences:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/erasmus-britishcouncil-casestudy-4.htm

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Friday, November 5, 2010

I love music ...


Tomorrow I am going to attend a big concert with some of the most important Portuguese music groups/ singers. This concert, whose name is RFM Prémios- Ernestos 2010, is going to take place in Espinho, Portugal.
Below you have a list with the names of these artists/bands.

Xutos e Pontapés
David Fonseca
Pedro Abrunhosa
João Pedro Pais
Luis Represas
Tim
Miguel Gameiro
Taxi
Ezspecial
Santos e Pecadores
Fingertips
Hands on Approach