Tag: Fluency

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is HOW to improve language skills. Language is a skill, sometimes elevated to an art. But like every skill, practice makes perfect. You won’t be a good swimmer … unless you swim. You can’t be a good negotiator if you don’t negotiate. The same goes for photography and cooking. You need to maintain and to acquire. You need a little, just a little vitamin R every day … And that’s one of the reasons for … The Paris Savannah Connection.

Vitamine R

• Reading of course. And reading often. Daily.

Improving your language skills means both input and output. By reading you open yourself to others’ ideas, others’ words, others’ ways of thinking. And it’s a pleasure.

What should you read? Read what interests you. Read for your pleasure. Read for entertainment. Read to learn. Here are some suggestions:

• Read the press. There’s something there for you. Whether you’re in business or the arts;  whether you love sports or fashion, you will improve your vocabulary. You’ll read better. Faster. Think better, too. Often assimilating without even realizing it,  without even being aware of it.

• Read short stories. Read about people, places, and things. Read a few minutes a day. Like about 15 … ? There are numerous bilingual editions and I especially recommend the Folio series.

• Read what you enjoy reading.

• Reading reinforces what you already “know.”

When I’m in Savannah, I LOVE spending time in the big – and smaller – bookstores. The choices are infinite. So I usually end up spending not only lots of hours but also lots of …

Paris has half a dozen or so incredibly fine English language bookstores for both new and used books. Galignani’s and WH Smith on the rue de Rivoli near Concorde, Brentano’s avenue de l’Opéra, The Village Voice on rue Princesse at Mabillon and on rue Monsieur le Prince, the San Francisco Bookshop.  Shakespeare and Company in the Latin Quarter across the Seine from Notre Dame, and there are others too as well as …  hundreds of other booksellers and bookshops dealing in, as is said, la langue de Molière … I think that part of the city experience is just that: being in touch with the people who love what they’re doing. Paper. Print. Ink.

And … of course… if you ever have a hard time going to sleep … the very best remedy is … a book! Either to fall asleep or to stay awake!

• If you’re interested in reading … just subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection!

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Life is too short! In addition to everything else to do, I’d love to host a radio show broadcasting folk, blues, musicals, songs, instrumentals. There is so much incredible music that lives and lives and goes on living.

Today, I take no credit except for bringing Odetta to your screen.

Authenticity. Intelligence. Soul. Spirit. Beauty. Nobility. To say the least.

Thanks to the NYT’s Last Word, here she is. For all of us.

The Last Word: Odetta.

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Vitamine L+:

as in Listen … Love to Listen … Love to Listen & Learn

We’re so incredibly fortunate to have inherited constitutions which guarantee Free Speech. And broadband access to the Internet has given us access to sources and media hitherto relatively unavailable.

If you happen to be stuck in Paris or Savannah with nothin’ to do … why not listen to the media you’re not used to …. why not the BBC ? … or the FT? or the NYT?  There are interviews and documentaries, often brilliant, rather short and very sweet:

Les Paul was a virtuoso guitarist and inventor whose solid-body electric guitar changed the course of 20th-century music. 

Listen to NYT’s “The Last Word”  with Les Paul … Produced by Matthew Orr.

 

Whether you’re interested in business, technology, the environment, science, the arts or real estate or fashion or sports … You’ll love to listen. If you need a little Vitamin L … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

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V as in vocabulary!

Building a strong vocabulary is fundamental. And it gives you a competitive edge.

In both your native language and in a foreign language. I can help you do this. Life is so much nicer, so much … healthier, too with a good, solid active vocabulary at your  service!

Why is this what you need to do now? Because, if you feel frustrated or inhibited when you need to speak, it’s likely that you’re … at a lack of words to say what you want to express!

You need a daily dose of Vitamine V In order to

• understand spoken English immediately
• read the written word quickly
• speak – dialogue – share comfortably
• write clearly

Q: How can I build my vocabulary?

A. If you’re interested in building your vocabulary … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

And then there’s Vitamine L:

as in Love to Listen …

We’re so incredibly fortunate to have inherited constitutions which guarantee Free Speech. And broadband access to the Internet has given us access to sources and media hitherto relatively unavailable.

Listen not only to the media you’re used to …. but why not the BBC, too … or the Financial Times ? There are interviews and documentaries, often short and sweet – here …. Listen … Whether you’re interested in business, technology, environment, science, the arts or real estate or fashion or sports  … You’ll learn to love to listen!

If you love to listen … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

Vitamine W:

W as in Word? As is What? Why? Where? Who? When?

Why not?

But what about … writing?  Now that we’re all online … we spend so much time … writing! Keep it up. Think about writing. Develop your own style.

Write! … Even a comment on this blog!

Need some help … some guidelines for good writing?

If you’re interested in writing … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

not to mention Vitamine P for … Participation.

This is like Vitamine EE (Expression Experience). You’ve got to speak .. You’ve got to Dialogue. The best way to advance .. to get better .. to improve … is to Participate. Not only do we learn from others … we learn from our experience. From doing it.

Speak and Talk and Say and Tell  — Ask  and Answer – Participate and you’ll be a happier person!

And you’d be amazed at what you have to say!

If you’re interested in participating … subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection.

Vitamines V – L – W – R and P : Does your daily diet include the recommended daily doses or do you absolutely have to …

subscribe to the Paris Savannah Connection. ? …… Yes, I think I’m suffereing from a vitamin deficiency..

 

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