The Linguist

@Linguist_CIOL FEBRUARY/MARCH The Linguist 13 CIOL AWARDS The CIOL Awards are given each year for exceptional achievement and for inspiring others to learn and use languages. This year the annual awards evening was not possible, but CIOL still wanted to celebrate the great successes that have continued in spite of the difficult pandemic conditions. So we uploaded interviews with the winners to YouTube (bit.ly/2MzOSfl), conducted via Zoom with CEO John Worne. The winners of the Threlford Memorial Cup (BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha), Nick Bowen Award (Lucy Makepeace) and David Crystal Award (Bridget Kendall) are featured on these pages. Awards were also given to the most successful Diploma in Translation candidates: Madalina Onofras (Best Candidate), Heike Kurtz (Best English to German Candidate; pictured) and Mihail Banica (Best Literature Candidate). See ciol.org.uk/awards for details. PRIZEWINNER INTERVIEWS Why Rebeca Encinas Manchado nominated the School of Slavonic and East European Studies for a prestigious prize There are many benefits to learning a foreign language. The most tangible include greater academic achievement and better career prospects. But my journey learning Albanian at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), which started four years ago, went far beyond that: it was the key that opened the door to another culture, history and tradition, it widened my vision of the world and provided me with a sense of empowerment. As a professional translator, I have studied several languages, and I have a fair knowledge of language didactics and acquisition. I was impressed by the quality of the language courses run by SSEES. The classes, run by expert teachers, are focused on learning the language in real scenarios. There is constant interaction with the other students, which keeps the atmosphere dynamic and the students engaged. Authentic texts give an understanding of the culture and current affairs of the country where the language is spoken, and students are encouraged to incorporate their experiences into the learning process. SSEES was also very quick to adapt to the new circumstances imposed on us by the pandemic. Classes were moved online with the same excellent materials and motivation from both teachers and students. The school plays a pivotal role in fostering the knowledge of 18 Eastern European languages and cultures, ranging from Russian and Polish to Bulgarian and Macedonian. For some languages, such as Slovene and Albanian, it is the only place they are taught in the UK. Courses are taught at five levels, and they offer an inclusive environment to diverse groups of learners of various ages and backgrounds. We also benefit from the famous SSEES library, which offers an incredible collection of resources to assist in the study of all matters relating to Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. That's where you could always find me before Albanian class. Languages do not exist in a vacuum; they are intrinsically linked to the culture of the places where they are spoken. This is why I believe SSEES has a tremendous value for our society: it helps to increase the understanding and tolerance of other cultures, some of which have a strong presence in the UK. Expanding the knowledge of Eastern European languages and cultures strengthens international collaboration and relations. The importance of this cannot be underestimated in today's globalised world. For all of these reasons, I nominated SSEES's language programme for CIOL's Threlford Cup. I was pleased that it received the recognition it deserves in the form of a special commendation, which I hope will enable its courses to reach a wider audience. I'd like to thank the teachers that made my Albanian journey possible: Mirkena Shqarri- Palluqi, who helped me lay a solid foundation, and Mirela Xhaferraj, who fuelled my knowledge to an advanced level. Faleminderit! SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE

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