Does An Accent Count?

As a English learner, or more precisely, a language learner, how we speak a language is within my business. I have been thinking about this question for quite a long time. Since the freshman-year, I have expressly tried to preserve a pro-British English accent for we were taught Received Pronouciation and RP is usually considered as an elegant, noble and gentlemen's English accent. But it turned out not to be that easy to speak English exactly like an Englishman.( It is true at least for me.) Reasons are multiple. E.g., American English has a vehement influence all over the world thanks to its advanced and popular entertainment industry, though American English is, so to speak, the descendant of British English.

For a period of time, my English has been thought as fake or affectatious as I tried to speak like an Englishman, articulate and not to roll my tongue like Americans. But after hanging out and talking with some Americans and sure watching American TV series and movies, I gave up the affectatious pro-Br. accent and my accent became as mixed as those whom I used to scorn sideways. And some say that mine has become quite natural now. Tonight I met a man at the same age as me, who spoke amazing English with nearly pure British English which reminded me of those interviewees in BBC London Night News. He shared his experience of learning English. His pure accent made me really envious and it aroused again my passion within to learn a pure British accent.

Dear friends, what do you guys think of it? Do accent really matter?

My Beloved Chinese Teacher

Just now I opened the blog of Mr. Gou, my Chinese teacher in my high school, who contracted a severe disease which is diagnosed incurable and possibly cost his life. He posted some letters/Emails sent by his students from different places in China. None of them were not expressing their gratitudes to him for being a respectable teacher. Here I cannot search for one single word either in English or in Chinese to describe what kind of good teacher he was. Responsible, qualified, or caring, these words were all to light to bear my admiration and appreciation to Mr. Gou.
When I read their letters, I felt kind of shameful for ignoring Mr. Gou so long. When I entered university, at the beginning, I E-mailed to him with my greetings on every festival. However, with the passage of time, his image little by little faded away in my mind. If I can remember clearly, I have ceased to mail to him for about one year. He was running a blog which I frequented in the past, and on which I left some comment. But now I can't find anything fresh to say to him. Compared with those who Emailed to him, I feel like an unfilial son to him. I used to benefit (this term may not be appropriate) a lot from him. My family wasn't poor to the point where I needed to borrow money from him, but what I got was more than that, something beyond expression. Here, I feel obliged to say, thank you Mr. Gou, sincerely.



Mr. Gou's Blog: http://gzsngzy.blog.sohu.com/

On the 1st of the Year

On the last day of 2008, like many other people, I tried to recall all the important events that happened all through, but I failed to summarize them in a few words. 2008 meaned a lot, in which I experienced a lot. Ecstacy, sorrow, bittersweetness... were all the feelings I had. Before I fell asleep, my roommates asked one another what we harvested in 2008 and what impressed us the most. I searched in my mind for the answer but I didn't share it with them. My 2008 was concluded with a large of messages in my phone.

On the first day of 2008, I got up at 10. Nothing special happened. New year began with a heavy load of tasks. Opening my textbooks, I learned it was not a easy thing to prepare for the finals. Comprehensive English, Spanish, The Biblical Literature, English Literature... I spent 2 hours in the classroom studying. It was too chilly there and then I went back to the dorm.
...

In the last few hours, many people were waiting for the last countdown of the New Year. In the past, I might be one of them, regarding the wait as a kind of ceremony, expecting something surprising to occur to me. But last night, I was wondering the significance of doing such things. I've changed for the better or worse?

IN A MESS...