Language Encounters: A New Blog is Born

Hi everybody! I've been meaning to start a second blog considering Forming a Straight Circle (http://formingastraightcircle.blogspot.com) will be a year old in a few months. After almost a year of blogging, I've realized that I want another blog that will focus on the English language in more general terms. Those of you who are familiar with Forming a Straight Circle know that it is largely a teaching blog, one that addresses everyday English errors that I come across. For this blog, though, my plans are wider: I want to write about what I call "language encounters," particularly English language encounters.

What do I mean by English language encounters? Well, I've spent 10 years (practically the entirety of my adult life) teaching English, studying English, reflecting on English, and enjoying its many uses and changes over the years. I would like to write about all these things. This is especially important in the Philippines, my home country, where people believe that without English, a good prosperous life is impossible. Part of what I want to do here is to discuss the social, cultural, and political role of English in our lives

Another thing I would like to share in this blog is my passion for reading. Often, I encounter wonderful uses of English. Those are things I want to write about. Forming a Straight Circle is a blog that teaches grammar; as such, I didn't feel it was the ideal place to discuss the books I've read. I'm excited to do that here.

Lastly, I'm hoping that this blog becomes a place where we can all talk about English and share our thoughts about life with this wonderful but sometimes exasperating language.

I don't know how often I can post but I'm hoping to maintain a posting schedule of twice a week, much like with Forming a Straight Circle. Please keep reading, everyone! I'm dying to hear your thoughts!