What is EnglisTician?

EnglisTician is a word that I coined. It is said of someone who knows English, and is passionate of English, in all its forms, language, culture, history, art.

While looking for a name for my magazine, I wanted to create not just a name but a message, a concept. To me, EnglisTician is the knowledge of English in all its forms, the language, the culture, the history, the various personalities of English; it encompasses what a linguist feels for a language. I have been passionate about the English language, and an EnglisTician, for many years.
 
I graduated in English language and Intercultural studies, thus combining what I love so much, languages and people. To me, a language is much more than communicating words; it is understanding a history, a way of thinking, a culture, customs and traditions. A language is alive, you can feel it.

I grew up speaking two languages, and then I learnt a third one at secondary school. While growing up, I lived among two cultures, often mixing with friends from yet other cultures.

I feel blessed to have experienced such a wonderful wealth of opportunities in terms of exposure to languages, and various cultures. They say that travelling keeps you young, but understanding other cultures keeps you open-minded, alert and even humble. I am always grateful when I learn something new from others. Maybe if we could look into other languages and cultures with the eyes of a child, and be more accepting, curious, not necessarily agreeing with everything we encounter, but at least not judging and thinking that ours is the best, just because, then maybe we could all be more understanding of others.

I tell my students that you know a language when you can feel it. You know instinctively if you have made a mistake, or something doesn't feel right. It's just the difference between putting words together, when you are learning a foreign language, and suddenly feeling it. You no longer translate everything in your head, you know the words, and you also know when they feel right.

So, EnglisTician brings you a language, but also a culture. I want to bring you the nuances of the English language, British English, American English, Australian English. In fact, many talk about international English. It is said that knowledge is power; I think the more students understand about a language, or languages, and cultures, the better equipped they are in life, wherever they go.
I hope you too will become an Englistician, and will share my passion for languages and cultures.
 

Eva M.D. Ruiz