No, that’s not a mistake.
I’m aware it’s the end of May, not December.
But I’ve just published another free Italian ‘conversation lesson’, and hey, why NOT talk about
Natale e Capodanno in the summer??
After all, conversation practice is conversation practice, right?
And if you want to speak better, chuck that grammar book in the trash can and get to it!
Today’s new lesson is here.
If nothing else, you could read through it and note down the unknown words.
But ideally you’ll find someone to practice with.
Pour yourself a cold beer, don those sunglasses, and chat away in Italian about Christmas and New Year!
(Or pick something more appropriate from the sixteen topics on our Conversation page.)
A lunedì.
P.S.
G.D.P.R. and all that?
From today, you have loads of new rights regarding how your data is managed. Congrats!
But I confess, I haven’t updated our privacy policy and so can’t give you a link to where you can read all about them.
That said, if you don’t want to get emails from me each Monday, Wednesday and Friday (and on other days too, when we have a promotion on), the simple solution is to click the ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of any email you get from the club.
People do this all the time, so no need to be shy. Once ‘unsubscribed’ no more ‘club’ emails will be sent to you.
And each week, I fire up the system and delete the data of everyone who has chosen to unsubscribe.
So, if this type of email is an irritant, or if this just isn’t your thing, do go ahead and unsubscribe.
Oh, and there’s another link at the bottom of the emails.
That one says ‘Change subscriber options’.
Clicking on it will get you to a page which shows you any other lists you may be on that are managed from my account.
For example, our Italian school, or our new online shop at easyreaders.org. I don’t copy emails from one list to another, but you may have signed up for different things. People do.
With the ‘Change subscriber options’ link, in a matter of seconds you can get your email off of all the lists.
Just click the radio buttons next to the list, or lists, you think you can live without.
Then click on the blue ‘Save My Subscriber Settings’ button to save your choices.
One more thing…
I use ANOTHER email list management service (as a backup, and for various technical reasons.)
So if, sometimes, you get two different emails with the same content, that’ll be why.
That OTHER system also has an unsubscribe option.
So you may have to unsubscribe twice, which is a drag and unprofessional to boot.
But that’s it, promise.
Or… Or… G.D.P.R.!
One of your new rights is that you can write and ask what data I have on you, and for it to be corrected or removed.
So, if all that unsubscribing seems like too much hassle, just write to me and I can do it for you!
Obviously you’ll need to tell me your email address so I that can locate it in the mailing list systems and anywhere else it may have ended up and delete it.
But I’ll forget it immediately afterwards!
(‘Off of’)
Carol Nichol says
Grazie Daniel. I always love your emails. Except…..Off of….it’s so American. Here in Australia, it’s just off or from. No need to speak Double Dutch.
Thanks again for the laughs and education.
Carol
Daniel says
Languages vary, Carol. Geographically, culturally and in particular, throughout the many sub-cultures that surround us.
Personally I enjoy seeing how English has mutated and continues to do so, and how these variations thrive or die.
One thing is sure – change is a constant.
A lot of the ‘rules’ I have taught students in the last 25 years are now said to be no longer appropriate: I spent years correcting ‘less people’, for instance, but the tide turned against me.
When I encounter a non-standard usage in a text, I assume that the writer had their reasons (especially if they’re hinted at in a footnote).
“Get off of my property right now or I’ll fill your worthless hide full of buckshot!”
(Get off of my list if the occasional pop culture reference in U.S. English ain’t your thang!)