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• Do you speak this language fluently because of your origins or because a teacher inspired you to learn?

  I speak Italian fluently because I was born and raised in Italy until three years ago, when I moved to the UK to study at University.

• Can you name a living, historical or fictional character that you think is the emblematic representative of the language's culture?

  I consider Dante as the most emblematic representative of the Italian language and culture. During his time, there was no common language spoken in Italy, as every region had their own dialect. Moreover, literary works were usually written in Latin, meaning that only the most highly educated families could read them. However, Dante wrote his masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, in the dialect of Florence, making it accessible to a wider population. As subsequent Italian authors followed Dante's language, this was accepted as the national Italian, bringing together all the different regions and dialects. As a matter of fact, the Italian Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini named Dante the Father of the Italian Language.

• Is there a typical word, phrase, tradition or behaviour in the language that you particularly like?

  There are several Italian phrases I like and that cannot literally be translated into English. One I particularly like is 'leccarsi i baffi', which literally means to 'lick your moustache', and we would say it when we have just eaten something delicious. So, make sure to mention it to the waiter of a good Italian restaurant next time you go!

• Why does speaking this language matter to you?

  I deeply love my country, the traditions and language. Speaking Italian to me means to keep the culture alive, and it makes me feel even more connected to my home country. I strive to teach the Italian language and culture so that everyone in my classes can momentarily forget about their daily duties and come with me on a journey to explore the beauty of this melodic language.

• What is the main difficulty in learning this language and what can help the process of learning?

  I think the main difficulty of Italian is its complicated grammar, especially verb tenses and prepositions, as they can be very different from English. Many Italian natives have a hard time learning the grammar too, so it is completely understandable that foreign students find it a bit challenging. As sometimes learning the theory may be overwhelming, I believe the key to improve is to do a lot of exercises and just keep practising. After some time there will be no need to think about the rules all the time, they will just come naturally!

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your language learning or your days at school.

  When I was a kid, I dreamt of knowing all the languages of the world, so that I would be able to travel to each country and speak their mother tongue. This motivated me to study several languages and their literature at High School, among which Italian, English, German and Spanish. At first, it was very hard to get to grips with their different grammar rules and pronunciation, but thanks to my consistency and desire to learn, I managed to become fluent both in English and Spanish, and reach an intermediate level of German.

• How has travel or a specific trip helped you to increase your skill and knowledge of the language?

  Although I was studying all those languages at school, I would have never reached a proficiency level without travelling to their countries and talking to native speakers. Moving to England allowed me to improve my pronunciation, my understanding of the language and enrich my vocabulary. Similarly, undertaking several trips to Spain and Germany allowed me to learn some colloquial phrases and master the language.

• What makes you a Superprof in language?

  As languages have always been my passion, I started teaching them since I was at school. I started by helping younger students to learn English and Spanish. Then, after moving to England and taking a teaching course, I decided to teach Italian. My experience in studying several languages allows me to empathize with the students, understand their difficulties and give valuable advice to overcome their challenges. Also, I highly praise students' goals and feedback, so I give my best to tailor each class to the students' needs and meet their expectations. Of course, the fun part is never missing, otherwise who would want to learn a language in a boring way?