Our catch phrase is on its way.
Dear Fellow Earthlings,
(This blog was compiled in Santiago, Chile on 17 August 2013 local time.)
In installments 54 and 55 (July 19th and 20th , 2013) I listed the five reasons why I was going to the Falkland Islands. Here I comment on those reasons after the fact. My first reason was to pay my respects to those who were killed and injured in the 1982 Falklands War. I accomplished that – even to speaking with that young man at Goose Green (See Installment 76.) who, as a 7-year-old, had endured internment for 30 agonizing days. I offered him comfort. I also visited many graves of the brave men who fell as they defended the Falklands. In addition, I visited memorials to those who were killed and injured in the struggle. I was not able to visit all the graves or memorial sites – but I visited a great many of them. As for my second reason, I WAS able to gather a great deal of linguistic data from various locals and will now be going through that data as I compose some Falkland Islands English jingles. For people interested in helping protect the cultural identity of the Falkland Islanders, those jingles will help learners at least come close to sounding like native born members of the Falkland Islanders’ community. Reason number three for visiting the Falklands was to taste nature there – and I did! I saw the natural beauty of Carcass Island, penguins both at Port Stephens and on Carcass, looked into the huge eyes of elephant seals, saw the multitudes of birds, saw the vast expanses of tussock covered plains, felt the cold winter wind massage my face…The list is endless. I must say that I hope the Islanders either stop or, at least, reduce the amount of smoking that they do. And I hope they can find better ways to deal with litter and trash. I was very pleased with the wind turbines – but concerned that if the local people are not careful, their old ways of life will disappear. And I see the future of the Falklands as being full of hope. You can see that hope in the inquisitive, warm faces of the children of the Falkland Islands. I mentioned to many Falkland Islanders that I hope that better transportation and communication infrastructure can help the Falklands secure a place on the world stage. I also mentioned the possibility that the Falklands could become a center of English language learning in the southern hemisphere.
Steve Walker, Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.