The English Language Day and MAY Day

This afternoon the Gabfest Club’s session (Window on America center in Dnipro, Ukraine) started the session with the introductions of the newcomers who joined the Club recently. The newcomers represented people of different occupations – IT specialists, doctors, engineers. For different reasons they all need to improve their English skills.
 
The official topic of the session was the UN English Language Day. It is observed on April, 23 - the birthday of William Shakespeare. We listened to the video with an English-speaking wordsmith who explained the changes that already took place in the English language and predicted the changes that may take place in the nearest future. The expert commented on the arrival of new words (for example, from the WW soldiers’ lexicon) and the role of English language dialects. The group enriched the vocabulary with derivatives of the word “smith” – black smith, locksmith, silversmith, goldsmith, and wordsmith.
Our American volunteer Mr. Jason received a lot of information on another UN working language – Russian. The UN day of this language is observed on Alexander Pushkin’s birthday. As Mr. Jason studies Russian the Club members recommended him to visit memorial Pushkin places in Dnipro and Odessa.
In the second part of the session we discussed the difference between the Ukrainian Labor Day and the American Labor Day. The biggest surprise for Ukrainians was the date and menu of the American Labor Day.
Moderator and pictures: T. Gavryliyuk
Participants –  28 persons.

Have a look at more pictures, please