An arrow moment. As I took the train home from my last lecture of my teaching course I realised I’ve been in an arrow moment. I learned recently that an arrow moment is where you have to pull an arrow backward in order to move forward. To tell the truth, from the moment I madeContinue reading “An arrow moment”
Author Archives: Erin Duffy
2024 Mantra: Every Day is New Year’s Day
It’s the end of the first week of 2024, and I have found myself doing things that I have been putting off for a while. For example, going a run, climbing a hill, riding my bike, studying French on Duolingo, writing a journal entry, tracking my health, reading a few books, reducing my screen time,Continue reading “2024 Mantra: Every Day is New Year’s Day”
New beginnings (and eek!)
Eek. Big changes in life are scary. This week I became a student again and embarked on a totally different career path than the one I expected to be on. You probably have experienced exactly how I feel this week. Have you ever been in that limbo stage of anticipating a big change in yourContinue reading “New beginnings (and eek!)”
Blazing Heart
you can sit in the darkness don’t stew heart frozen in glumness deep blue if the flames warm the edges I’m consumed blazing fire or numbness it’s one or it’s two both are so painful but at least a heart on fire is a heart that keeps beating full of life’s desires so pull meContinue reading “Blazing Heart”
A god-awful show
Why when they converse do they sit on the surface as if nothing exists underneath? Why are gossip and bars and hairstyles and cars more interesting than heartache or grief? Why when they talk does it feel like a murmur of nothing, over and over again? I find out less about you when talking toContinue reading “A god-awful show”
Undefined generation
Awful occasions to define a generation Not what we imagined how it all happened We all grew up Onwards and upwards Past the innocent times in our lives We live in a world of distraction in-action The nostalgia I feel for a world that was real is painful sometimes But let’s not be swallowed byContinue reading “Undefined generation”
Chamber
Pages opened up into full view like the centre of my chest left to you to dissect you knew I’d close up But I opened for you like a lover you crept into my chamber and slept your view closed the page on a terrible fear
Why Name Studies should be part of language learning
Do you often forget names in your target language? Do you sometimes struggle to identify names within a text or distinguish the names of characters in a TV show? Do you ever feel embarrassed because you can speak a language fairly well but you have to ask a native speaker for their name several times before you can pronounce it or identify it?
Why the pandemic is the perfect time to learn a language
Have you always wanted to learn a language but it’s never the right time? Here’s why during a global pandemic might the perfect time to start.* Many of us thought that by this point in the coronavirus pandemic we would have rescheduled our romantic getaway in Corfu, the city break in Amsterdam, or perhaps evenContinue reading “Why the pandemic is the perfect time to learn a language”
My complicated relationship with the Scots Language.
Due to its history, the people of Scotland have a particularly complex relationship with one of our native languages – Scots. I share how studying linguistics at university helped me to change my perspective: from thinking that Scots was “improper”, to realising that “speaking properly” had no meaning at all. I hope I can takeContinue reading “My complicated relationship with the Scots Language.”
Linggow 