English with Kirsty

Nick Nasev is a London-based accredited translator of Southern Slavic languages into English. He has also been an editor of and contributor to many award-winning books and journals about southeast Europe. But get this… his surname might not show it, but he’s actually a fourth-generation Aussie and also an expert in Australian culture and its own form of English, topics he also writes about. For almost 2 decades Nick has been working for many high-profile clients adapting their English copy and text for an Australian audience. And no, it’s not simply a case of just adding -ie to the end of every word.

We talked about:

• Nick’s early introduction to languages and his multilingual upbringing
• Some differences between Australian English and British English plus Australian English accents
• Why it’s good to be like a child when you’re learning a language
• How Nick keeps his Australian English up-to-date

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode236

Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:
podcast@englishwithkirsty.com
or come and find me on LinkedIn 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Helen, Gwen, and Nicola, who are regular members at my monthly Wednesday evening events for general conversation, share why they come to the club, how it helps them with their English, and their message for anyone who would like to come along and join us!

The club is for people who aren't looking for a course, but who would like to have an opportunity to speak English in a welcoming and friendly group.

So, if you'd like to join us at the conversation club, you can sign up or find out more on the 
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/conversations

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode235

Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:
podcast@englishwithkirsty.com
or come and find me on LinkedIn 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Christine Konstantinidis from Erfolgreiches Sprachenlernen first featured on episode 62 of the podcast back in 2015.

I invited her back because I saw that she is involved in a new project.

Christine presents an exciting language-learning experience on her YouTube channel! Through the innovative combination of visual mind maps and short, engaging videos, she provides a fresh approach to mastering German vocabulary. Whether you’re starting out or brushing up on your German skills, Christine’s content caters to language enthusiasts of all levels.

We talked about:
* Christine’s work teaching German and her YouTube channel.
* What are mind maps and how can they help you to learn?
* How learners can be more proactive with a topic-based approach to learning.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode234

Send me an email if you have any questions or feedback about English with Kirsty:
podcast@englishwithkirsty.com
or come and find me on LinkedIn 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Mónia lives in Portugal and is a freelance translator from German and English into European Portuguese. She’s now specializing in the literary translation field, after fifteen years of a solid background of translating in the technical field.

She loves languages and is constantly seeking to improve her linguistic skills. She has learned French, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, and even Icelandic, for which she has a special affection, although she can barely remember a word now. She considers herself an introvert and struggles with speaking in public, but she does not let her fears and insecurities prevent her from having great experiences. She lives by her recent motto: ‘doing difficult things makes you grow’.

We talked about:

Mónia's work as a literary translator.
How spending time living and working abroad can help you to develop your knowledge of another language and culture.
The difference between what you learn when you study a language and what you need for everyday conversations.
Mónia's advice for anyone who is starting out on their career journey and who wants to develop their language skills by working abroad.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode232

Do you enjoy podcasts?
Would you like to know how to find the best ones for you and what you can do with them so that you improve all areas of your English, not just your passive listening?

The first in my series of interactive workshops is about podcasts and how they can become an important part of your language learning journey!

• Date: Thursday 22nd February
• Time: 16:00 UK/Portugal Time (17:00 CET, 18:00 eET)
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Location: Zoom
• Price: £25

Find out more on the workshop’s web page
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast-workshop

I work with multilingual professionals who want to develop their English, but these learning strategies will work if you’re learning other languages too.

Let me know if you have any questions and I hope to see you there!
Email: podcast@englishwithkirsty.com

Today I decided to do a short episode to ask you a question!

We talk about increasing our vocabulary, but sometimes there are words about ourselves or our language skills that don't serve us. It would be better if we stopped using them.

I give some examples of things that I often hear, or something that I want to stop saying in my Portuguese classes when the teacher asks me a question!

Are there any words that you want to banish from your active vocabulary about yourself?

Alice MANSAUD is a French coach and podcaster whom I discovered through The Language Worker podcast.

In France, Italy, Poland, Spain...Alice has always cherished international encounters and experiences, so much she decided to teach her native language, French to non-French speakers! Through her own journey in learning languages and expatriation, she explored the power of the brain and life challenges, which led her to create her own method. With "Moi-même en français", she helps non-French speakers to learn and absorb French in order to be(come) themselves in French. 

We talked about:
* The importance of being and becoming yourself in another language.
* Alice's podcast, the different kinds of episodes that she produces, and how listening to podcasts can help us to learn other languages.
* The need to find new challenges as intermediate language learners.
Alice's newsletter for people who are learning French.
Finding our own way as language learners and identifying the strategies that will be most useful for us.

Our take-away at the end - be open and curious to try new things that will take your language learning adventure to the next level!

Find out more on the episode's page:
 | https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode230/

Today I decided to do a short episode to tell you about my conversation club and how it can help you to improve your English.

The most popular solo episode in 2023 was about improving your active language skils and I know that sometimes it's hard to find ways to do that. 

So in this episode you'll find out what the club is, who it's for, what we do, and how it can help you!

 You can sign up or find out more on the club's page
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/conversations

Send me a message if you have any questions or you'd like to know more:
podcast@englishwithkirsty.com

Today I'm talking about the different ways in which friends can help us to practise our language skills. 

I share some ideas from my own experience - not all language exchanges have to look the same. There are different ways in which we can learn from those around us and it doesn't have to involve using your first language at all.

These tips work for any language. I talked about German, Romanian, and Portuguese.

I know many people here are learning English. My ideas are great if you know people or you have friends with whom you can practise English. If not, come and join us at the conversation club, you can sign up or find out more on the club's page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/conversations

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode228
And let me know your experiences when it comes to learning with others.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or any language experiences that you'd like to share, you can write to podcast@englishwithkirsty.com or look for me, Kirsty Wolf, on LinkedIn.

We’re back!

I love making content with Rita Prazeres Gonçalves and you’ll be seeing more from us in 2024!

This time we talked about:

* Our podcasts and why we decided to create them (Rita also has a new one, The Intuitive worker).
* Why people listen to podcasts and how they can help us.
* What we’ve learned from the experience of creating podcasts.
* How learning other languages gives us access to new content in areas that are relevant to us.
* Our networking events for language professionals.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode227/

I met Lynn on LinkedIn through Carol Constant, whom some of you may remember from previous podcast episodes. 

Lynn Swain is a  TEDx Speaker, Trust Activator, and finalist in the 2023 Woman of Stature Awards for Coaching and Mentoring. She is the founder of the Symbiota Leadership Institute.

Lynn holds a Master of Science degree in Neuroscience of Leadership from Middlesex University, and as a result,  offers a distinctive perspective on trust and performance. Her recent TEDx talk, 'A Trust Mindshift to Create a Trust Revolution,' delves into the transformative power of self-trust. Lynns impactful interventions and talks are dedicated to leaving audiences with game-changing tools. 

We talked about:

* Lynn's recent TED talk and how it felt to prepare for it.
* What's actually going on in our brain as we move from the fight or flight reaction to a more confident and focused state.
*  The impact of self-trust and empathy on our ability to move past fear and think clearly.
* How to get past our insecurity or the fear reaction that comes up when we try something new.
* The TRUST model and How to redirect our attention and give our brain access to the resources that we need to focus and succeed.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode226

I first met Marta online last year when she took part in my “31 ways to improve your English” challenge in January. Since then, Marta has been participating in my conversation club and earlier this year, she gave a presentation there to the group for business owners and freelancers. This was something new for Marta, but she accepted the challenge! Then she accepted a new challenge – her first podcast guest appearance in English!

We talked about:

* Marta’s challenges with saying “no” and what changed for her
* Some of the benefits that we can enjoy when we say “no” to things that are not right for us
* How knowing ourselves and our values can help us to say “no”
* Tips for people who find it difficult to say “no” at work
* Challenges and solutions for saying “no” in an additional language.

How do you feel about saying “no”? Do you have any tips or experiences to add?

Find the show notes here
https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode225/

Leda  is an English to Romanian Charity and Public Sector Translator whom I met on LinkedIn a few months ago. Initially I was happy to have found another Romanian connection who enjoys languages, but as I began to read more of her content, I thought she would be a good guest to bring on the podcast too!

Leda loves translating texts that educate, entertain, and inspire: from articles about mental health to child protection documents and educational resources developed by charities. She also loves reading, learning languages, and having a nice cuddle with her dog, Puck.

We talked about:

• Leda’s interest in languages from an early age.
• How reading books, including audio books, can help you to develop your language skills.
• Leda’s book group on LinkedIn.
• Translating children’s books into Romanian
• How Leda got into doing social care, parenting, and mental health content translations.
• The benefits of having a dog - I had to get Puck the golden retriever in there somewhere!

Find out more on the show notes page
https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode224/

Isabelle and I met on LinkedIn after she was a guest on my friend Rita Gonçalves' "The Language Worker" podcast. Isabelle is a Pronunciation Coach & Marketing Translator from English and German into French for the Tech and Cyber security industry. 

This is how Isabelle introduces herself:

"I'm Isabelle Cottenet, a French pronunciation coach and translator.
I help non native French speakers master the rhythms and sounds of the language to sound clear and confident in French. 

I've been delving into the relationship between languages and music for over 20 years.

Today, I use a combination of tools drawn from my background in linguistics, phonetics, music, and vocal technique to create an enjoyable, efficient and supportive journey into French pronunciation for my students.

I offer individual and group online classes focused on phonetics and pronunciation. 

I work with interpreters, translators, language instructors, but also corporate professionals, freelancers, individuals, and singers who want to improve their French pronunciation and be better understood." 

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode223/

You may remember Rita Gonçalves from episode 215. The episode we did together for my podcast was actually the second part of a podcast conversation swap - and now you can listen to our first conversation as well.

This is the conversation that was originally published on Rita's podcast, The Language Worker. Go and check it out if you are interested in the exciting world of language learning and working in the language industry.

I love Rita's passion, enthusiasm, and her stories. This time we talked about learning other languages as an adult.

The show notes are here:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode222

I've known Mira online for several years now. We got chatting because of a comment on some language-rlated post and we've had a few virtual coffees and online chats since. I thought Mira would be a good guest to bring on the podcast because of her own story, where she moved to England and needed to start using English within the school system here and later to build her international business.

Mira Rutter is a Life Balance Coach & Strategist from <a href="https://ruttercoaching.com/"> Rutter Coaching.</a> 

She coaches female online service-based business owners to strategically manage their time & energy, develop an empowering mindset & build high-performance habits so that they can take their business to the next level and create success on their terms.
She helps you create your success cycle & grow your online business with ease, fun & flow by coaching you to implement female-centric strategies and take aligned, inspired action. 
Connect with Mira to discover how to tap into your unique superpowers and work with your menstrual cycle.

We talked about 

* Mira's story, her connection with English, and her language learning tips.
* Learning another language by attending school in a country where that language is spoken
* Techniques for making the language learning process easier, such as emersion and thinking in the target language
* Professional development and identifying the language resources that will give you what you need for the situations in which you'll need to use the new language
* The importance of our names and getting them right!
* Mira's current business and how her early experiences help her as an international business owner now.

Click here for the show notes:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode221

This is a really short episode, but it's important!

What one thing can you work towards in English or another language that will be fun for you?

Maybe you are learning a language for a specific reason. Maybe it isn't even your choice. But what is one thing that you can work towards that you will enjoy?

I share something that I did recently and why this brought me closer to one of my goals for Romanian. How about you? 

Learning a language doesn't always have to be serious! We should find ways to make it enjoyable for ourselves too - even though it can be tough sometimes!

If you find something that makes you feel good, it will motivate you to keep going!

Here is the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode220

Diana is “a very curious woman from Venezuela and a big fan of languages!”

We met on LinkedIn – it’s the place to be these days – and I want to share with you what happened when we got together a couple of weeks ago. We talked about:

• Diana’s story and language journey
• Why it’s important to have fun when you are learning languages and to find activities that are enjoyable for you
• Why it’s important to practise every day and not just when you go to classes
• How to avoid mixin up languages when you are learning several languages at the same time
• How using different languages helps you to highlight different parts of your personality
• How her knowledge of languages and her experience working with different cultures help Diana now with her work in communications
• How having something enjoyable to work towards can be both a motivator and a reward.

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode219

I haven’t done a solo episode for a while, so I decided to talk about producing content in other languages.

This is relevant for me at the moment because I’m creating a presentation in Romanian and writing a guest blog article in German. So I thought it might be useful to share some of the things that I’ve been doing to make the process easier. After all, it’s not exactly the same when you are creating content in an additional language. Maybe you need to do the same with content in English.

Let me know if you have any tips to add or experiences to share!

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode218

Antoni Maroto is a freelance medical communicator who aims to produce accessible, clear, and inclusive documents for consumers, health care providers, patients, and regulatory agencies. His areas of specialisation are imaging and radiology. Antoni’s working languages are Catalan, English, Portuguese, and Spanish.

We talked about:

* How Antoni's early introduction to English opened up new opportunities, personally and professionally.
* Moving to Portugal and beginning to learn Portuguese.
* How writing in your additional languages can help you to consolidate what you've learned
* The importance of finding role models who inspire you when you want to learn a new language
* Ways to overcome the fear of speaking an additional language.

Do you relate to any of the subjects that we discussed? 

Find out more on the show notes page:
https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode217/