TEFL-certified native-speaking English teacher (and writer) experienced with all ages and learning levels

Find out more about Tim

• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I was born and raised in the good ole U. S. of A., so I was lucky enough to achieve fluency in English naturally.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  This is a challenging question to answer since the English language is global and therefore the means of communication for many cultures around the world. However, if pressed, I'll say Stephen Sondheim, the musical theater composer-lyricist who changed the course of that art form with his genius. One of the delights of English as a language is its profound lexicon and variety of morphology. As a lyricist Sondheim is nonpareil, and his ingenuity in rhyme-"Shepherd's pie peppered with actual shepherd on top" from "A Little Priest" in Sweeney Todd-and word choice-"De Maupassant's candor would cause her dismay. The Brontës are grander, but not very gay. Her taste is much blander, I'm sorry to say, but is Hans Christian Andersen ever risqué?" from "Now" in A Little Night Music-and reverent adherence to formal songwriting strictures makes him one of the greatest wielders of the English language of all time. Does this make him "the emblematic representative of the language's culture"? I have no idea.

• Is there a specific word, phrase, tradition, or behavior in the language you particularly like?

  This question I find difficult to answer. There are too many weird little bits and bobs in English that I like or find interesting! That said, I'd like to tell you about a special piece of grammar that doesn't exist outside of a particular dialect of English.
  In African American Vernacular English (AAVE), you may have heard expressions before where the infinitive be stands in for is, am, or are. "She be acting crazy." "It be like that." "Tammy? She be causing drama, for sure." This is referred to as the habitual be. For years I thought it was just an alternative locution specific to the African American community, but it actually means something totally different. It means that something happens with frequency, over time. The previous examples could easily be changed to "She's always acting crazy," "It's always like that," and "She is always causing drama, for sure."
  It's a feature (of grammatical aspect) that doesn't exist in most other dialects of English. A similar form exists in southwestern Ireland (though it is "do/does be"), and there are many theories about how it came about, including from Irish immigrant influence in the Caribbean and as a replacement for West African languages' similar grammatical structures.

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  Aside from English being my mother tongue, and also from its de facto status as the global lingua franca, I have always had a fascination with the magic of language. Words have the power to invade another person's brain and change the way they think. Indeed, we have the evolution of human language to thank for the incredible achievements of civilization we see today. English is capable of real nuance. I admire its breadth of ability of expression, its singsong rhythm and pitch, and its more-than-occasional downright weirdness. Though, thought, taught, through, throughout... go home, English, you're drunk.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language, and what can help the learning process?

  I've heard it said that English is the easiest language to learn and the most difficult to master. English is quite an analytic language, meaning that in order to convey relationships between words in sentences, we use helper words like particles and prepositions. Other languages that are more synthetic make use of a variety of conjugations and other forms of inflection. This can make English easy-Spanish has 48 conjugations for each verb, English only 3, really-but in other ways, it can make it difficult: Where do you put that preposition, and is it even the right one? Why are there six verbs in the sentence "Next month, I will have been trying to quit smoking for 5 years"? What are modal verbs and why do they hate me? As for what can help the learning process... I wish there were a gorgeously simple answer for this, but I think the answer is to read. A lot. The best way to improve the sense of where these things go is to input as much English as possible into your brain. Start with something that's at your level (or below!) and work your way to more challenging things. By reading a ton, you'll passively absorb a lot of the sense of English's idiosyncratic structures. That's how (eloquent) native speakers and writers do it.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  When I lived in Mexico City, a big part of my life was language acquisition, with all the accompanying ups and downs. One thing I noticed about my Spanish was that when I was nervous in meeting someone, or when I was self-conscious, it was much more difficult to communicate when otherwise it would have been a breeze. This really drove home the point that confidence is a huge part of being able to use a foreign language, especially at an intermediate level. Part of my job is to help learners feel more confident in their language use. You've done a great deal of work, probably thousands of hours. Relax and let your hard-earned knowledge work for you!

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  As I mentioned, I am just coming off a year of living and teaching in Mexico. Learning a new language-with the daily frustrations and lessons that come with immersion-helped me to analyze my own language and appreciate its similarities and differences from others. Learning a foreign tongue really does seem to help one understand one's own native language, and I feel it's also given me special insight into the particular frustrations of speakers of a foreign language.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  Despite this sesquipedalian interview (I know, I'm insufferable), I'm very good at communicating with English learners at every level. I love English as a language, and I know a good amount about it-its history, its use, and its challenges-so I'm great at creating entertaining classes that are tailored to the students' unique levels and needs. My enthusiasm for language is infectious, and I truly believe that English class, though at times challenging, can be super-duper fun and funny. I hope my reviews speak for themselves. Reach out to find out!