[Carla]

Synonyms for “totally sad”: utterly miserable

;completely unhappy; fully sorrowful . I´m not sure “completely, fully, utterly” can replace totally.

Thanks for your feedback I really appreciate it.

[Carla]

Pompidou!! so much fun your story.

Spot on!! I´ll start using it I love it!

[Carla]

Yes, there sure is.! But nowadays I´d say that if you speak in a too sophisticated way you may sound a little silly and outdated. There are different regions here and people have a certain accent depending on where they come from. I particularly pay attention to the way a speak spanish because I love doing it correctly but that doesn´t mean I sound like a lecturer in Oxford. I try to apply that to my english.

I have never been discriminated because of my accent but I remember that my phonetics teacher made us read in a certain way. Making a far too “English” and artificial pronunciation and every time it was my turn to read she would nag at me because I burst into laughter. Still, I didn´t get very good marks but I must say that phonetics helped me a lot in improving my pronunciation.

I agree with you Kerin a 100 % speaking with an accent is somehow attractive but come on! you´re in Italy. Italians are so cute speaking english.

Now more seriously, I think that some people find it easier to pronounce a language than others. I´ve had pupils whose pronunciation wasn´t good but they really tried and couldn´t. So I tell them that speaking correctly is what counts rather than quickly. For instance, I speak well english but my french is awful. So , when one of my pupils misprounounces a word, I correct it but if it doesn´t prevent me from understanding I think it´s ok. By the way, I love you “rrrr” sound and after so many years learning english it ´s great to find you , Kerin, from UK who gives me the go-ahead when pronouncing my “rrrs”

[Carla]

Thanks for the notes!

[Carla]

Glad you like it, I just felt that was a great change in my life.

[Carla]

As you both have said, I also change if I have to. It depends on what changes I have to make. But in general I adapt well to change. I´ve realized that I find it difficult when it´s something really important in my life. I tend to overthink things sometimes, so I´m trying to change that. I´ve learned that you can´t always control everything so changing is part of growing. If not, you get stuck where you are.

Some people resist change for different reasons. But, I think that the main reasons would be out of laziness and fear. People prefer doing things they are already used to and changing involves learning a new way of doing something. Some people are too lazy to learn and change. Fear is also a key factor. I believe when people don´t read or learn or get information they tend to be narrow minded. And so, change is like a non-comfort zone to them.