The British Council?s language clinic with ?Dr Danny?

Hello and welcome to our language clinic. Looking back, we have covered much ground on our journey into the English Language. We have talked about words with similar meanings (synonyms), similar words with different meanings (false friends) and words with confusing meanings (idioms). This week, I want to focus not on meaning but on an idea: that of a ?voice?. Whether it is expressed through language, movement, music or visually, our individual and collective voices are how we communicate with and attempt to make sense of our world. Sometimes our voices communicate a specific message; sometimes we use them to explore ideas and emotions.

As I am writing, I am sitting in the KLC at the British Council, in the company of an amazing collection of voices. To my left, a Scottish piper, foot tapping, pipes droning, fills the space with a powerful yet subtle voice. To my right, a collection of hip-hop and performance artists, poets and vocalists; combine their voices with the pipes, fusing traditional and contemporary forms. In front of me, Creole, Indian and African musicians, on drums, acoustic guitars and electric bass, draw influences from across the globe. In the centre, swaying to the voice of the collective, a freestyle violinist of Chinese origin weaves her voice into the fabric of this incredible expression of diversity and unity. Quite a heady mix for one o?clock on a rainy Tuesday afternoon! Upstairs hangs the work of someone who has expressed his voice visually. The gallery houses prints and paintings exploring the individual?s relationship to the whole, perceptions and perceived realities. This real sense of creativity and possibility in the air is invigorating and vital, and I feel very privileged to experience it! How do you express your voice?

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