Why You Should Learn to Speak a Foreign Language

There are a multitude of reasons for wanting to speak the lingua franca of another people; travel, business, education, matrimony, retirement, personal pleasure, even family or friends among many others.

Indeed it’s no small feat to habla Español, parlez Francaise, or sprechenze Deutcsh, but the prestige, financial gains, personal satisfaction and even peer envy that can accompany this easily-nurtured skill, can be supremely rewarding. If you’re not already an ex-pat, don’t start packing your bags just yet though, you’ve got a little “work” to do first.

If you’re already an ex-pat, then learning or improving your communicative skills in a foreign language may be a moot point. There you are, one of the millions of “escapees” from the USA, UK or other country, now surrounded by new horizons, vistas, culture, everyday life and a foreign language you need to master as quickly and adeptly as possible out of necessity.

Perhaps you’d like to study abroad; Fashion Design or the Culinary Arts in Paris with French as the medium of communication. Learning Renaissance Art in Milan or Rome would certainly be enriched by your fluency in Italian. Delving into Architecture or beer-brewing in Germany will be far more rewarding if you integrate into their society using your best German.

If you want to immerse yourself into Anthropology or Mayan Culture in the Yucatan, Mayan or Nahuatl would serve you even better than Spanish might. You could also simply double up and learn both languages. (Yes, you most certainly can!)

Exploring the mysteries of Oriental Antiquities, culture or martial arts in the Yellow River Valley of China requires at least some communicative skills in one of the dialects of Chinese, don’t you think?

Acquiring knowledge of ancient and modern agricultural techniques or perhaps the secrets of Yoga in the vast stretches of exotic India will be far more enriching with one of the local dialects of the country flowing like honey from your tongue.

Would you like to learn Karate, Judo or the art of making Sushi in Japan? Do you think knowing how to speak Japanese might make things easier?

You might be thinking of honing your Tango dancing skills in Buenos Aires, or improving your Salsa steps in Cuba or Colombia, then Spanish could pave the way to your progress. The list could go on and on, but just think how the “right” foreign language could not only make it all very possible, but expand and deepen your quest as well.

But, you’re thinking, how can you, with limited time, resources and perhaps even more limited patience, make any decent headway in a reasonably short time? You may well ask, “Can I indeed, at my age, really develop good communicative skills in a new tongue?”

Yes, you can and you will if you’ll use some of my “quick tricks” for heightening your language–learning experience and incorporating your prospective new language into your present everyday life.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Now YOU too can live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

The Guinness Book of Records and the English Teacher

Meet Enrique Ortega Salinas

Passing from one to the other of us lined up side by side, Guinness Book of Records memorization record holder Enrique Ortega Salinas came face to face with me. I was about number 17 out of around thirty people.

“What’s your last name?” He asked me in a low key voice.

“It’s LYNCH. You know like when they hang someone?”
I pantomimed a noose-tightening gesture to illustrate.

“Oh, like linchar?” (It’s the equivalent word in Spanish.)

“That’s right.” I responded.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a university English as a foreign language professor.”

“And what’s your first name?”

“It’s Larry.”

“Hmmm.” He thought a moment or two before responding.

“I picture your students pulling you by the tie. They want to lynch you and you’re yelling at them in English.”

I laughed a little and responded, “I hope not.”

Enrique moved on to the next person. He was in the process of memorizing the last and first names of everyone at his demonstration session. He continued until he’d reached everyone. Then a few minutes later, he went back and calmly recited each of our names in turn. There were no mistakes.

Currently listed in the Guinness Book of Records with 320 numbers memorized in one view and 52 playing cards memorized in 49 seconds, Uruguay-born writer Enrique Ortega Salinas travels extensively throughout Latin America training others to accomplish seemingly amazing feats of mnemonic manipulation. Can you mentally multiply 3517 x 6209 with a perfect result in less than 15 seconds? How about something simpler like multiplying 817 x 582 in ten seconds or less? But wait, you’re a foreign language learner, so something more practical like memorizing a quick 100 new words of foreign vocabulary is a snap, right? It is for people like him. “Everyone has the potential to be a genius”, he says. Adding, “Your brain is an incredible computer you can learn to manage”.

Fortunately for us, he shares some of his techniques for rapidly internalizing lists of unrelated words or foreign vocabulary including first and last names. From a phone book or from asking around, find out the most common first and last names in the foreign language you’re learning.

Make a list of the last names you want to learn. Make other lists of male and female first names too. If they seem weird, difficult or unpronounceable at first, don’t worry. You’ll learn to get your tongue around the names soon enough. Begin familiarizing yourself with the names on your lists. Feel free to add more names that come up of people you regularly run across, no matter how trivial the contact with them might seem to be at first.

Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

A Bush By Any Other Name

Teaching English as a Foreign Language:
A Bush By Any Other Name




Surnames of Objects

In still other examples of surname adoption, surnames were taken from inanimate objects thought or believed to have unique properties or super-natural characteristics. Science, being what it was during the sixteenth century, still had a long way to go in explaining the properties of most elements. Thus superstitions and pagan beliefs sometimes played a key role in the selection and adoption of a person or family’s surname. Some surnames were taken from foodstuffs or plants. Others were assumed from nature or natural objects. Many if not most of these surnames are still in widespread use today. Note the varieties in spelling as English spelling was not “standardized” during that era.

Rice, Rhys, or Rhize
Bean or Beane or even Beene
Corne or Cornell
Stone or Stowne – later shortened to Stowe
Cage
Bush or from old English By(u)ssche
Glass or Glaz
Pine or Pyne
Banner
North or Northe also Nord or Norde
West
Steel or Steele believed to be derived from Steale
Cotton
Thorn or Thorne
Peck or Pecke also Beck or Becke – related to Becker
Day, Daye or Daley
Street or Streete also Streeter
Bend or Bender
Bell or Belle
Berry
Forest, Forester or Foster, Forster
Winyter, Winter or Winters
Summer, Summers or Sumner also Summerville
Brook or Brooks
Ford, Forde or Foord(e)
Wood, Woode or Woods
Sharpe
Wicke

In previous articles, we’ve seen how English language surnames were developed from occupations, animals, nature, and colors. This should help to give our English as a Foreign Language learners an interesting and unique glimpse into the nature and intricacies of the English language.

It was none other than “the Bard”, William Shakespeare who wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Indeed, and we’ve only taken a brief look at some of the more common English language surnames. There are still hundreds, if not thousands more we haven’t even considered in this series of articles.

These examples of surnames created or adopted from a variety of sources illustrate the beginnings of the development and use of the family surname or last name, as we know it today. Similar examples of surnames can be found in a number of other foreign language families. Why not ask your English language learners about unique or historic surnames (or first names) in the country where you are living and working now. It could prove to be a very unique and interesting history.

After all, who really knows, “What’s in a name?”


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

The Sins of the Fathers

Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Sins of the Fathers

Our overview of the history of surnames or last names in the English language continues to be a fascinating journey of information and discovery for our English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. Here, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from famous or noteworthy predecessors and family heritage and ancestors. Non-withstanding, as the use of surnames grew, sons with fathers who were well known wanted to continue to be associated with the family. Unfortunately, the sins of the fathers were “passed on” to the sons as well.

The following examples of surnames actually mean “the son of …” So for example, the English surname “Kennison” would be the son of Ken, etc.

Who is Your Father?

Peter son or Petersen
Williamson or Willamson
Jackson or infrequently Jakeson
Wilson or Willson
Nelson or Nellson
Anderson
Carson
Robinson
Henderson
Atkinson
Gleason
Parkinson
Benson or Bennson
Dennison
Ellison
Edison
Harrison or Hairston
Larson
Manson or Mansen
Olson or Olsen
Harrelson
Johnson
Jenson or Jensen
Robertson
Thompson
Masterson
Wilkerson

In our continuing considering of the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. In other articles, we’ve seen how surnames were developed from occupations, animals, nature, and colors.

The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a continually fascinating one in the teaching of English as a Foreign Language. In our next and final segment entitled, “A Rose By Any Other Name”, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from food, nature and other objects as superstitions and pagan beliefs sometimes play a key role in the selection and adoption of a person or family’s surname. While some surnames were taken from foodstuffs or plants, others were assumed from nature or natural objects. Even so, many if not most of these types of surnames are still in widespread use today.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Ten Terrific Technology Projects for English or Foreign Language Learners

Do your English or foreign language learners own or have access to any high-tech toys like Ipods, MP3 or MP4 players? How about a PC, digital camera or cell phone with picture-taking capacity? What about access to an audio, digital or analog (cassette tape) voice recorder? Using these devices and other high-tech toys, a host of fun, effective learning projects can be assigned to and undertaken by your English as a Foreign Language learners.

Here are some starter suggestions that could be used with ESL (English as a Second Language), EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or foreign language learners:

1. Your EFL or foreign language learners can prepare essays, oral or written presentations on why or why not they should use their high-tech toys in class, in addition to suggestions on how they could effectively do so.

2. Have the class individually write a summary or give an oral presentation of a favorite song on your Ipod, MP3 or MP4 player.

3. Another useful task is to get the EFL learners to describe the action, setting or scenario of a music or other type of video on their MP4 player.

4. Get the learners to give a written or oral discourse of a popular performer or music group complete with song and/or music video examples.

5. How about having your class prepare an ad or commercial describing the features and benefits of your digital camera, Ipod, cell phone, MP3 or MP4 player. They could record, film and produce their “commercial” using whatever high-tech devices are available.

6. For an interesting out-of-class project, you can assign the learners to conduct a survey series of what brands / makes and models of digital technology products your EFL class has. The follow-up would be an original report or presentation of some type.

7. Have each of your learners describe what they like and/or dislike about a high-tech toy they own. They could also then expound on why and how they overcome any “deficiencies” or dislikes they may have and how these affect them.

8. Your learners could give an oral, audio-visual or written presentation on how high-tech toys are useful in business and education. They can expound on how their parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, etc. make use of these items.

9. Past, Present and Future: Learners can explain orally, in writing or via an audio-visual presentation, what they, or others they know, did in the past without the devices they have now, what they currently employ their devices for, and what they think these devices will develop into in the future. Students can draw pictures, create collages or use realia in their presentations. My classes really like and get into like this one.

10. Another interesting out-of-class project that appeals to many English and Foreign Language learners is for you to assign them to survey high technology web sites, stores, shops and suppliers for the different makes, models and brands of a particular high-tech toy for various features and prices. They can then report these findings to the class utilizing charts, graphs, images, photos and even realia.


Using these devices and other high-tech toys like Ipods, MP3 or MP4 players, Personal Computers (desktop or laptops), digital camera or cell phones with picture-taking capacity, and audio, digital or analog (cassette tape) voice recorders, this host of fun, effective learning projects can be assigned to and undertaken by your English as a Foreign Language learners to enrich and enliven your classes. Try one or more of these suggestions, modified to suit your classes and teaching situation in one of your next class sessions. Then watch your English or Foreign Language learners progress like never before.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

What Color is Your Name?

Our overview of the history of surnames or last names in English continues to be a fascinating one. Initially, we talked about the need to create surnames (last names) and how occupations lent themselves to the task. In this posting, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from colors, nature and animals.

"Colorful" Surnames

Many additional surnames are simply derived from the name of a color. Colors were an important part of family crests of nobles, noblemen and the wealthy. The crest of my family name is azure (blue) and gold in color. The more “common” folk of the sixteenth century then, although probably without a family crest of their own, went with "adopting" a color as a type of surname as in these examples.

Black – infrequently spelled with a double “a”
Grey – can be spelled with an “a” or an “e”
Brown – sometimes spelled with an “e” at the end
Green(e) – can be spelled with or without the “e”
White – infrequently spelled with a “y” instead of “i”
Whitewood – a color plus object surname
Reid – a Germanic spelling form of the color red
Redmon – aka “Redman”

Surnames of Animals

On occasion, names of animals were also adopted as surnames. Animals were thought to have special abilities which could be “willed” or “gifted” to humans who “adopted” them. Some of the more commonly known ones are the following examples.

Wolf – both feared and revered throughout Europe, adopted as a surname to denote a savage or fierce person or family

Coyote
Fox or Foxx – can be spelled with one “x” or two
Bear or Baer
Leone (Lion) – often pronounced “le-o-ne” in three syllables
Byrd – spelled usually with “y”, but sometimes with “i”
Sparrow
Crab, Krabb or Crabbe - two of these spellings (with "C") are still widely used
Wessel – a spelling derivation from the animal name “weasel”
Steed or infrequently Stedman– means a horse or stallion, sometimes "Steed" is spelled with an “e” on the end
Wrenn – on occasion spelled with only one “n”
Swann - usually spelled with a double “n”, but infrequently with only one “n”
Finch – infrequently spelled with an extra “e” on the end
Gill – the organ that a fish uses to breathe has a French spelling of “Gille”
Finn – An appendage of a fish adopted as a surname uses a double “n”


In considering the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a continually fascinating one. In the next related article of this series entitled, “Sins of the Fathers”, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived from famous or noteworthy predecessors and family heritage or ancestors.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Teaching English as a Foreign Language: What’s in a Name?

Introduction

The history of surnames or last names, in English is a fascinating one. In the sixteenth century (from the 1530s to about 1700) nearly 70 per cent of all men in England were named John, Thomas, William, Richard, Robert, Henry, Nicolas, Walter and Edward. Women seemingly faired a bit better but nearly 70 per cent of women were named Elizabeth, Joan, Margaret, Anne, Alice, Agnes, Isabel, Jane, Mary, Katherine and Margery. So not surprisingly, when distinguishing family names became essential, surnames began being “created” and used. Even in many non-English-speaking countries, English surnames are in widespread use. English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners find the topic a highly fascinating one – especially if their name is included. First we’ll look at how some English surnames were derived.

Surnames of Occupations

One key form was to distinguish people by their occupations. This was especially effective if the person was highly skilled at their profession as many were – some even to the point of being renowned.

Here are some examples of occupation-related surnames along with their general meanings.

Mason – a person who works with stone or masonry
Miller or Mills – a worker in a granary or flour mill
Pinter – a form of the word for painter
Cooper – a person who makes wooden barrels for wines and other liquids
Stewart – a profession similar to an overseer or at times, a butler
Tanner – prepared animal hides for making clothes, hats and other items
Shoemaker – also often called a cobbler as an occupation
Shepherd – herder of sheep, goats and other domestic animal herds
Brewer – formulated beers, ale, hard liquors and sometimes wines
Smith – a skilled tradesman in metal fabrications
Wright – a skilled tradesman in metal work
Taylor – maker of (principally) men’s clothes
Hunter – killed wild animals for the table
Butler – a man who cares for running a large household
Weaver – weaves cloths and textiles
Fowler – often a hunter of birds and fowl
Fletcher – a person who makes arrows: a very important profession for hundreds of years
Thatcher – person who makes, repairs roofs using leaves, thatch or straw
Carver – a stone or wood carver of
Gardner – cares for fruits and vegetables in a small plot of land
Cook(e) – same as a person who job is to prepare foods
Carpenter – a worker in all kinds of wood
Barber – cuts hair, trims beards and moustaches – an important grooming aid for nobles
Bishop – a higher-level religious or church official; Friar, a lower level religious official
Bowman or Archer – a person skilled in the use of a bow and arrow
Potter – a worker in earths and clays, maker of clay pots and vessels
Turner - a potter’s aid or helper who “turned” the potter’s wheel

Summary

In considering the selection, development and evolution of surnames in English, a list of surnames (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/ ) helps to offer us some enlightenment as to not only the variety of surnames that became available, but also their frequency and derivations. The history of surnames or last names, in English is indeed a fascinating one. Next, we’ll look at how some other commonly used English surnames were derived


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for the no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com