Serious Fun

I must have told students to mind the context a gazillion times, words being right in one situation and inappropriate in another. Context always matters - in language, life and everything. For learning anything, having Serious Fun is also a great context!

True story. When my Scottish friend Peter and his Italian bride Julia married in Amsterdam, the wedding ceremony was in English. The junior registrar in charge was in his early twenties – and visibly more nervous than the happy couple.

The young Dutch registrar did well enough. After all, English is compulsory in Dutch schools. Also, there are standard texts and procedures for such occasions, aren’t there? He almost pulled it off but then stumbled over the word wife.

Context and collocations

The Dutch have a reputation for speaking foreign languages. At the same time, they tend to overestimate their language skills, mixing their English with Dutchisms. So I invariably tell my students to mind the context and pay attention to collocations.

If only learning English were as easy as speaking your native language but with different words. And even then, students would have to mind the context. As it is, context and collocations are critical. Ignoring that can lead to strange situations.

I now pronounce you…

Returning to the wedding and the struggling registrar: how could he possibly stumble over such an easy word as?wife, you might ask? Well, there’s a Dutch word that seems similar but isn’t. And there’s no way of using the Dutch word?wijf?[w??f] respectfully at a wedding. At best, it means?chick, but its connotation is typically rude and equivalent to the English derogatory term?fishwife?or even the b-word.

So the registrar, desperastely trying to avoid the similar-sounding English word, solemnly said: “I now pronounce you man and woman.” Witty as ever, Peter couldn’t resist saying: “Yes, and tonight we’ll find out which is which” – and a roar of laughter erupted.

The poor registrar was at a complete loss why everybody was laughing, but it was a memorable end to the ceremony.

I have often recounted this hilarious wedding anecdote when warning my students to mind the context and collocations. The story makes the warning stand out. It also shows how much fun language can be.

Serious Fun

I have Peter to thank for more than just an anecdote. He showed me how having some Serious Fun is crucial in learning anything. Peter was a great teacher. He was wise, witty, and deeply committed to his many students.

Serious Fun was one of Peter’s mantras, and I’ve tried to make it mine. That’s not to say that everything must always be hilarious, but having some fun while studying even serious topics certainly makes learning easier.

It’s that simple: an exciting, serious-fun context creates a more productive learning environment. So mind that context and have some Serious Fun!

In loving memory of my wise friend and inimitable teacher Peter Guidi

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