History and Rituals of Halloween

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Halloween is almost upon us!

I would like to take this opportunity to remind all the readers of this blog that even though the category is called ‘Speak English Better’, the blogs’ focus is also on learning and understanding culture.  Why?  Because as I have said a hundred million ka-billion times – English language cannot be used solely as a tool of grammar and spelling.  To truly ‘speak English better’ you must understand the history and culture of English-speaking lands, especially if you are living in one now, permanently or temporarily.

I love Halloween.  As kids we got to make our own costumes (with the help of Mom and Dad of course) and go out ‘trick or treating’ to get a bag full of candy!  What more could a North American kid want?  (All that sugar is soooo bad for you though….but we didn’t care!)

Now as adults we might dress up in costume and go to bars or house-parties to drink instead, or we might stay at home and give out candy to little trick-or-treaters who visit our homes.  It’s still fun!  And we MUST watch scary horror movies as well!

In the olden days, the costumes were ‘evil’ creatures, like devils, goblins, vampires, ghosts, and any of the other Silver Screen Matinee classic monsters.  In the olden-olden days, when Halloween was first being ‘developed’ as a practice, the idea was to dress yourself up as an evil spirit in order to fool the real evil spirits around, so that they would leave you alone.  In fact, did you know that one of the reasons why we have the custom of covering our mouths while we yawn is not just out of politeness, but to avoid ‘spirits’ entering our bodies?  Yes, we humans were very superstitious many years ago!

Anyway, if you would like to learn more about the history of Halloween, including the name, the colours, the costumes, the religious influences and the jack-O-lantern (carved pumpkin) please do a little more reading at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween or start asking folks around you about their experience with Halloween.

Enjoy this rather odd but fun celebration, and do not get sick on too much candy! (or ‘sweets’ as my British friends would say!)

Happy Halloween!

Idioms from Farm Animals

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HORSE:
“Horsing around” – means to be fooling around, wrestling or playing physical games.  Little kids are often told to stop this by parents. E.g. “You boys stop horsing around outside and come eat your dinner!”
“I’m so hungry I could eat a horse” – means to be so hungry that you can eat a lot of food.
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink” – means that you can guide someone to the answer or to a good solution to their problem/situation, but you cannot force them to do the thing that you recommend.  E.g. John:  “Did Jimmy quit smoking yet?”   Barb:  “No.  I showed him pictures of cancer victims and everything, but you know what they say, you can lead  a horse to water…”
“Work like a horse” – means to work hard.

DOG:
“Dog-tired” – means to be very tired, just like a panting dog.
“Dogging me”: – to ‘dog’ is to pursue.  Just like a hound dog chasing a deer, we can say that a person or issue is dogging us or hounding us.  E.g. “The boss keeps dogging/hounding me about that report that’s due at 5pm, so please help me out and give me your notes!”
“Sick as a dog” – means to be very ill.  We get a wet nose, just like a dog!
“Lazy as a dog” – means to be lazy.
“Work like a dog” – means to work hard, like a sheep dog.

CHICKEN & ROOSTER:
“You’re (a) chicken” – means to be afraid or to be a coward.  E.g. “You won’t go into that old haunted house because you’re (a) chicken!”  Notice that you can use this word as a noun or adjective.
“Cocky” – from the British English name ‘cock’ or what the North Americans call a rooster.  The attitude displayed by the male chicken on a farm is ‘cocky’ because he walks around as if he owns the place!  Calling someone cocky usually means that they are over-confident or arrogant.

PIG:
“Pig out” – means to eat like a pig, and consume a lot of food in a short amount of time.
“Pig-tails” – the cute hairstyle that girls wear when their hair is separated into two ‘pony-tails’ on each side of their head, thus looking like two bouncy curled-up pig-tails.
“Pig-headed” – means to be stubborn.  We can also say ‘bull-headed’ to mean the same thing.

These idioms are up-to-date and ready to use in everyday life, or in the office.  They are the same idioms I teach my clients and students.  Enjoy!

Positive Competitive Behaviour

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“There are two types of competitive behavior. One is a sense of competition because you want to be at the top. You create obstacles and harm someone. That competition is negative. But there is a positive kind of competition, which benefits the individual, the competitors, and the economy. Let your competitors also grow, without any sense of harming them.”
— Oct. 11 2009 — Insight From the Dalai Lama

Origins of Canadian Thanksgiving (this weekend!)

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Canadian Thanksgiving – How It Began

The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England, arrived in Newfoundland in 1578. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World

. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated 43 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts!

Canadian Thanksgiving – Official Holiday

For a few hundred years, Thanksgiving was celebrated in either late October or early November, before it was declared a national holiday in 1879. It was then, that November 6th was set aside as the official Thanksgiving holiday. But then on January 31, 1957, Canadian Parliament announced that on the second Monday in October, Thanksgiving would be “a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed.” Thanksgiving was moved to the second Monday in October because after the World Wars, Remembrance Day (November 11th) and Thanksgiving kept falling in the same week.

Canadian Thanksgiving – The 49th Parallel

Another reason for Canadian Thanksgiving arriving earlier than its American counterpart is that Canada is geographically further north than the United States, causing the Canadian harvest season to arrive earlier than the American harvest season. And since Thanksgiving for Canadians is more about giving thanks for the harvest season than the arrival of pilgrims, it makes sense to celebrate the holiday in October. So what are the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, other than the date? Not much! Both Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with parades, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and a whole lot of turkey!

What will you be doing to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Do you have any family traditions that you’re looking forward to? Let us know all about your Thanksgiving plans!
(This post is from KidzWorld – original post:  http://www.kidzworld.com/article/2614-canadian-thanksgiving )

For more information on Canadian Thanksgiving:
http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/thanksgiving/canada/ 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_%28Canada%29 

What am I doing?
I will eat Turkey with tons of side dishes, complete with lots of wine, with my close family tonight.
I am going to gain 5 pounds in 3 hours!

Clink, Then Drink! Do Not Put Down That Glass!

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Hello,

Here is a tradition that I have always known and obeyed, yet I cannot say for sure if it is a Canadian-only tradition. I suspect not.

When someone ‘toasts’ you (proposing a toast means to say something nice about you or your personal/business relationship before drinking) it is polite to listen attentively, make eye contact, smile of course, and then ‘clink’ or touch glasses (or bottles or cans) together once before drinking. You have probably seen this on countless movies and TV shows. However, the small point that is crucial to remember is this: do NOT clink then put your glass/bottle/can down! Ever! It is an insult. When you touch glasses it is important that you have at least a sip of your beverage before replacing your glass. This honours your friend/business partner/family member, and the words that were spoken, even if they were meant in jest (that means joking, having fun).

So the simple way to remember this rule, whether you or your partner have spoken the toast, is, as the title says, Clink, then Drink!

Here’s to you!
Here’s to us!
Here’s to long health and happiness!
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!
Here Here!
Cheers!

American Accent Reduction Resource

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Lynn Bo is the founder of Accent Master. She is an American teacher who has an interesting blog that has videos and podcasts as well as posts regarding accent reduction or accent modification. You may find them useful, if you are interested in studying or imitating pure American English.

http://accentmaster.blogspot.com/

I have a slightly different accent, as I am from Toronto, Canada. My vowels are tighter and my enunciation is clearer than the average American. This is not a judgment, it is a fact, just as the British English accent is even tighter than the Canadian. That is how to tell the difference, and to determine where a person you are speaking to comes from.

I teach Accent Reduction a lot here in Toronto. I enjoy helping people speak clearer and more confidently. I know it is hard work to ‘teach an old dog new tricks’, but it is worth the time if you feel your accent is holding you back from personal or professional success.

Once again, here is Lynn Bo’s blog to check out:
http://accentmaster.blogspot.com/

Improve Your Body Language Knowledge

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As most of you know, I am a big fan of studying body language. It is a huge part of interpreting other people, as well as presenting the right ‘vibe’ to others. I love teaching what I know to my clients, and seeing it in action everyday. In fact, my company is named ‘3V Communications‘ because we interpret and relay information using the 3 Vs of communication – Verbal, Vocal & Visual. But what are the ratios?

Perhaps surprisingly to you, according to an old and very specific study, they are 7% verbal, 38% vocal and 55% visual. That means 93% of all communication is non-verbal, if those numbers are true. But even if the numbers are just ballpark figures,  what does that realistically mean? It means I can swear at you, but as long as I am smiling and my body language is relaxed and open, and my voice is not too loud, you will NOT get mad at me! You will know that I am just joking or messing around with you. That is just a small example of how important it is to understand and properly use body language.

Did you know that the singer Shakira was correct when she sang a song called “My Hips Don’t Lie?” I realize that she meant it more in terms of sexy dance moves, but in reality, where we point our feet and hips does say a lot of who and what we are interested in. If you and I are sitting in a meeting or a café, and my feet are continuously pointing towards the door, what does that say to you? It says I am ready or waiting to leave.

If I am talking to someone on a 45 degree angle, that means I am inviting others into the conversation. Therefore if I am square to the person, I want their full attention and would not appreciate being interrupted. You can see this kind of ‘footwork’ at networking events or social mixers.

I could go on and on, since I have put a large number of hours into this fascinating field of study, but for now I just want to let you know that you can study body language with me either in individual coaching sessions or in a team workshop environment, and you can choose to focus on a course just on body language or have it included into other communication training programs.  Give me a call or email and I will send you some more information.  🙂

Mingle with Myngle to Learn Language

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Hello everyone,

I have had a request to introduce to you Myngle, a cool online language-learning company. I will now let a representative from Myngle describe their company:

Myngle is a pioneer of live online language learning. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Myngle removes the physical dimension for language learning, allowing students and teachers to get one-on-one real time online lessons from wherever they are. This has resulted in students and teachers participating from over 150 countries.

Myngle is free for students and teachers to sign up. It does not only provide online live individual and group lessons, but also personalized packages, asynchronous products and free resources for a complete learning experience for Myngle students.

In July 2009, Myngle had more than 65.000 students from 166 countries and 256 active teachers. Myngle website content is localized in 6 languages: English, German, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian.

Myngle selects and trains the teachers to ensure the quality of online language learning. All teacher candidates are required to send their CVs, from which Myngle will check each teacher’s experience and qualifications. If the teacher meets Myngle’s quality standards, he/she will be invited for a consultation where the teachers’ teaching skills will be tested and reviewed.

Awards and Nominations:
-Nominated for Best European Web Application or Service EMEA in Techcrunch The Europa’s Tech Awards in July 2009
-FEM BusinessTop 5 Start up Media in The Netherlands, in June 2009
-Plugg2009 People’s choice award, in March 2009
-Best ICT Company at the European Venture Summit, in December 2008
-Accenture Innovation award in October 2008
-One of 33 hot Dutch web 2.0 companies, in August 2008
-Most promising ICT Company in Benelux, in March 2008

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Back to School with Myngle and a Full Immersion Package of 95EUR. For a period of 30 days you can take up to 30 lessons of 30 minutes each. There are 45 teachers who offer this programme.

MYNGLE SHOP
You will be able to buy products that assist and complement your live online classes. For now you can choose from more than 120 products in 12 languages (Audio lessons in 6 languages, Digital Dictionaries in 3 languages, Iphrase finders and podcasts in 12 languages).

By Urmila Tamang
Myngle Customer Care
Email: [email protected]

http://www.myngle.com
Wibautstraat 129
1091GL, Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Textbooks are the Beginning, Not the End

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I love books. I enjoy flipping through the pages and seeing if the style of the book matches my learning style. In that way I will know if I will read it and understand it, or if I will be bored and waste my time and money.

I have taught ESL (English as a Second Language) since 1997, in Asia, Europe and North America. I have taught at colleges and private schools, and now I train immigrants and foreign-trained workers for my own company.

At school we are ‘forced’ to read certain books, because they are ‘good for us’. No problem. That’s life.

However, one important thing to remember, for students and teachers, is that textbooks are the beginning of knowledge, not the end. A textbook is a solid base, but it is not a perfect fit for everyone. Therefore you must ‘tailor it’ to the class, country, ESL level and even if possible, to the individual.

3 letters you should always remember: ISV. What does ISV stand for? “Industry-Specific Vocabulary”. Whether you are working or are a student, you need general English books of course, but you also need to practice your specific field of interest or career. Makes sense right?

Think of the textbook like vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Pretty good by itself. But if you add a few things that you really like (e.g. cherry, maple syrup, gummy bears? etc.) it will make a great sundae for you!  Your English study should have the same philosophy.

Start with the solid base of Vanilla or Chocolate ice cream, and then add the ‘toppings’ that will make it ‘tailored’ to your taste buds. Same as with English. Text books are great, but you need to add to them. What could you add?   Think ISV, appropriate cultural references, idioms & slang, related history, models and templates, field trips, etc.  That way you can really enjoy teaching ESL and/or learning ESL that is tailored to your unique situation. We are all unique, right?

Social Media Communications – To Tweet or Not to Tweet!

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Hi folks. Have you tweeted yet today? That is the question.

If you don’t know what I am referring to, don’t worry it’s nothing dirty or too personal! It is what we do when we post an update of our life on the popular social media site Twitter.

I have recently had discussions about using current social media like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter with a few different people, and the potential benefits that can arise from being ‘on message’. Some people were managers, entrepreneurs, budding coaches, moms and new graduates. Here, in a nutshell, is my best advice that I gave them. I hope this helps you too, whether you are currently using social media like the above-mentioned, or a blog, or whether you are pondering the idea of setting up an account and profile but are not sure how to use it.

DO follow the trend. If it has not gone away after a few months, and if everyone is talking about it, including people on TV, you know it is a keeper. Stay current, especially if you need to advertise your product or service or have friends all over the place you want to really stay connected with.

DO share personal insights and stories. Sharing yourself (within reason) encourages others to appreciate your openness and respond in kindness. Building rapport is much easier when both people are sharing the same level of intimacy.

DO mix business with pleasure. There is nothing wrong with letting people know about your new blog, entrepreneurial venture, newsletter, ebook or condo for sale in your updates, as long as that is not the ONLY thing you are telling them. Share other aspects of your life too, and then it does not seem so out of place or ‘salesy’ when you want to let people know about something they might like.

DO NOT be afraid of today’s technology. It is even easier now than when I started in 2002. With a little research online you can find free and easy ways to set up a blog, website, newsletter, and of course, accounts in MySpace, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. These days everything is drag n’ drop, import photo from your computer, WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editing. There is no need to learn html or any other computer programming/language. Just point and click! Plus, these sites have online tutorials.

DO NOT jeopardize your job or education. Remember that everything you post online from an tweet to a text message is recorded somewhere. Complaining about your boss or teacher online is about as smart as advertising on bus benches that you cheated on your spouse! Some conversations are better left for the phone or face-to-face interactions. There have already been students disciplined and workers fired, regardless of what you and I may think of the ethics involved in such cases. Be prudent.

DO NOT lie. There is really no need for it. If you have something to say or something to sell, just let people in your online community know about it, and be satisfied with those interested parties that respond. People have gotten job interviews from these social mediums. Could you imagine if they lied online? What to do in the interview then? The same rules apply to online dating profiles. By lying you are only setting yourself up for embarrassment. People these days want to know what you are about before buying from your company too. On Twitter you can find profiles of coaches, sports teams, TV stations, restaurants, celebrities and of course – online marketers! Be careful not to get fooled by anyone though. It is still a ‘buyer beware’ world!

I hope you have found these tips on using current social media helpful. If you want to view my profiles or even follow me, here is where you can connect with me:

http://twitter.com/CommCoach (Twitter)

http://www.youtube.com/CommCoach73 (YouTube)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Toronto-ON/3V-Communications-Communication-Skills-Training/14886705364 (Facebook 3V Page)

*Please note I do not share my personal Facebook page with people I have not met. It is my personal space. However please join my Facebook group or follow me on Twitter.

Thank you,

Coach Ric