jueves, 27 de diciembre de 2012

A particular crooner



Always with a smile on his face, with a peculiar Mid-Atlantic accent and having some joke up his sleeve, Michael Buble is a true challenge to the music world... Though he defines himself as a hybrid between pop and the old Classics of Jazz, the truth is that he is successful wherever he goes by. Bublé, as he is commonly known, is a multifaceted artist combining his artistic ability on music, tv shows and even on films. This Canadian artist never disappoints...



For a sneak peak, take a look here

martes, 25 de diciembre de 2012

The City

London is always similar but different for any traveller. It is almost difficult to find someone who has not been in London or does not want to go and visit the City. In 2006 I made one my lifetime dreams come true: visiting London. That time not only did I even have the chance to do some sightseeng through the city, but I was also witness of one of  Shakespeare's plays (Titus Andronicus) at the Globe Theatre. Enjoyment and culture are more than sure if you travel there.



A book, a good friend

Is there any better way to travel around the world when you cannot worth it? Reading books has multiple benefits. Among them, you can live experiences which no other ways let you come across. In fact, any book has the power to place you in locations only possible in your dreams. It gives you the chance to create images in your mind which only films or real pictures show you. That’s why the educational system is nowadays promoting the use of books in children and teenagers to develop their comprehension capacity as well as the improvement of their lexis.

sábado, 15 de diciembre de 2012

Breakfast At Tiffany's



Audrey Hepburn’s most brilliant movie. It is the recreation of a girl in search of a life full of luxury which completes her unsatisfactory happiness. It is a comedy with some drama tones, where Audrey Hepburn’s beauty is unquestionable: a classic of all times, a true myth.








viernes, 14 de diciembre de 2012

British or American English?


American flag
Though Anglo-Saxon speakers share the same language, there are differences in the way they use it. Thus, American and British speakers of English show distinctions in their lexis, pronunciation and morphology when they speak their mother tongue. 

A good instance of this is found in how they use different terms to refer to the same concept: lift (British English) and elevator (American English). The same happens with the pronunciation of certain words such as Lieutenant, pronounced /luːˈtenənt/ in British English and /lefˈtenənt/ in American English. Finally, the ending of some words vary from one variety to another. That’s the case, for example, of colour in British English and color in American English.


It’s clear that the message is perceived with, at least, no difference for both speakers of English. However, for any other non-native speaker the existence of these varieties makes them feel confused and, used them incorrectly, results in a wrong use of the language.

Moreover, many speakers of English firmly believe that the standard and accepted variety of English is the British one. Take a look at the following postcard from the incredible How to Be British Collection by Martyn Ford and Peter Legon published by LGP. Why is it that after several pints of beer you start speaking American English? Is that a real criticism of the way Americans use the language or just a wink at the reader, following so the satirical line of the book regarding the British culture, too?


                     

                     

domingo, 9 de diciembre de 2012

COMING BACK TO THE XVIth CENTURY

The Globe Theater

The article tackles the different reconstructions the Globe Theater has undergone from
its first construction in 1597 until the latest in 1970.

Its history is always attractive to any lover of Shakespeare's work as well as anyone loving
the XVIth century playhouses. Let's then take a look at its several reconstructions:
It was built in 1597 and destroyed by fire in 1611.
Only six years later, in 1617, the playhouse was rebuilt, but unfortunately the Puritan ideals
made the theatre close in 1642. Two years later it was demolished.

It was not until the XXth century that the Globe started to be of interest for some people again. In the
second half of this century, an American actor and director, Sam Wanamaker, founded the Shakespeare's
Globe Trust, whose main objective was the reconstruction of the Globe Theatre in London, as a way to
pay homage to Shakespeare.

The building is based on the form of the very first Globe (1597), although due to current fire safety requirements, several parts of the reconstruction have been taken into consideration. In order to carry out this plan, the discovery of the remains of the original Rose Theatre have been used. Another interesting idea is the lack of spotlights, microphones, speakers or amplification.


Nowadays several plays are performed in the Globe during the summer, usually between May and the first week of October. In winter, the theatre is used for educational purposes.


For further information