This is the first part of a cross-cultural look at how we value time in different parts of the world.

Expect the Unexpected

Time Part One

Have you ever heard the expression you can’t teach an old dog
new tricks? Today I want to talk with you about this expression and ask whether this is true or not. Well, the answer is kind of confusing because it is, and it isn’t true at the same time. So what do I mean by that? When somebody says, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” essentially, they are saying if you are older, you can’t learn new things. Now, I have a real problem with this because I have seen this type of mindset disproved so many times, including my first college professor who did not go to college until she was in her 60’s she ended up getting her associate degree, her bachelors and then masters degree and in her seventies was my professor for my very first college class that I ever took. I don’t believe the expression, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

Dynamic English

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” is this true?

In questa seconda puntata riflettiamo sul titolo del romanzo di Domenico Starnone, Lacci, e sul suo significato simbolico.
I lacci diventano metafora dei legami familiari, dei fili invisibili che uniscono e, a volte, soffocano. Attraverso la storia di Aldo, Vanda e dei figli Sandro e Anna, scopriamo come gesti quotidiani, come allacciare le scarpe, possano racchiudere emozioni profonde, responsabilità e memoria affettiva.

Durante l’episodio esploriamo anche parole, modi di dire e lessico italiano utili per studenti:

Seguire le orme di qualcuno → imitare il percorso o l’esempio di qualcun altro.
Allacciare / riallacciare → sia letterale (scarpe) che figurato (legami, rapporti).
Arraffare tutto → prendere tutto con avidità, senza pensare agli altri.
Lasciare le briciole → lasciare pochissimo, quasi nulla.
Torturarsi reciprocamente → soffrire insieme in maniera dolorosa, spesso riferito a conflitti familiari.
Sciogliere i nodi → liberarsi da vincoli o problemi del passato.

Riflettiamo insieme su come gesti piccoli e quotidiani possano raccontare storie di affetto, distanza e responsabilità, e su come la lingua italiana esprima queste sfumature attraverso verbi, immagini e modi di dire.

Se vuoi approfondire Lacci e imparare l’italiano leggendo e discutendo, continua il viaggio con Bookclub & Cappuccino.

BookClub e Cappuccino: libri italiani contemporanei

02. Bookclub & Cappuccino – Lacci: il senso del titolo

This episode introduces three idioms that use the word dog. Listen to the examples to hear how to use them. Please send me a message if you would like a copy of the audio script. 

Idiom Corner

Brief introduction and some tips for practicing English at the gym.

Everyday English with Nick

Introduction

In this episode, we dive into four important "ridge" sounds in American English: /tʃ/ (as in cheese), /dʒ/ (as in jeans), /ʃ/ (as in sheep), and /ʒ/ (as in measure). You'll learn how the tongue and vocal cords work together to create these sounds, what makes them similar and different, and how to practice them correctly. Listen for practical tips, minimal pairs, and a fun tongue twister challenge (try saying,"Shiny ships cheerfully chase giant jellyfish in the azure ocean." three times fast!)
  to sharpen your pronunciation skills!



 Pronunciation and Accent Reduction with a Focus on North American English

Shhh! Just Chillin’ with CH, SH, J, and ZH

The Little Prince (Küçük Prens) - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Chapters from Books

World Classics (Dünya Klasikleri) 1 

Transcript
https://www.patreon.com/posts/zhong-wen-shi-02-95740701?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Lily´s Chinese 中文世界

20240112今年的中国新年在哪一天

Plática cultural con Majo sobre el pueblo indígena Wayúu.

Majo:
https://www.italki.com/teacher/6905394/spanish