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Lairs
of native speakers of English in
Rome
  
From
observing films to observing life
Web
sites of the places where you can practice
"participant
observation of native speakers of English"
in the city
of Rome
In
our lessons we make a large use of films, because they give you a
chance to learn
to
observe
people interacting in English (even if the "people" are
only actors who are simulating an interaction). This
is an important learning experience, especially if you have
studied English up to now only through books.
Your
goal, however, is to learn to become not just an observer, but a
participant observer. This means
knowing how to interact with native speakers naturally
(that is, being yourself but also being like one of them) in real
life situations.
So
after studying, in our lessons, a certain number of films and
after theorizing and practicing accommodation techniques, you
should start visiting the "lairs" of the Anglo colony
in Rome, to put your ability to "observe" and to
"interact" to the test.
What
are some of these "lairs"? They are, for example:
the
half dozen English and American book stores in Rome*
-- there you'll find notices of the many social events organized
by the Anglo colony: literary readings, English language plays
put on in cafés, etc...;
the
half dozen churches run by English, Irish, Scots and American
religious orders** -- they often
organize social events, too, such as bazaars;
the
theater groups Miracle
Players (principally
during the summer but occasionally in winter) and the Off-Night
Repertory Theater on Fridays at Arte del Teatro Studio (tel 06
488 56 08, Via della Urbana 107). For information on
performances, call 06 444 13 75. For other theater offerings see
In Rome Now or the
What's
On in Rome
Theater Listings web
page;
the
dozen or so associations and special interest groups -- you'll
find the list here
and
here,
and updates on their activities (lectures in English open to the
public, volunteer work, political discussions, sports
activities...) in the magazine Wanted-in-Rome,
available Wednesdays at the book stores just mentioned; some are
in the Time Out
guide
to entertainment in Rome; others can be found in the What's On
in Rome web site listings for fi
the
dozen or so US/UK universities with campuses in Rome.
Some*** use rented offices
for lessons to small groups of art or archeology students
visiting Rome briefly. Others****
have regular university facilities offering year-long classes to
British, American and international students sojourning in
Rome. They also run activities open to the public,
such as films and debates (or open to those who know how to get
themselves invited, such as field trips, parties, holiday
celebrations). Some have strict rules for entry (to
protect the students from wealthy families) so you have two
choices: either ask the Director for permission to enter or talk
to students leaving the building and get their support (they can
get permission for you); others welcome visits: for example, the
University
of Washington Rome Center runs a film series open to
visitors.
two
English language hospitals: Salvator Mundi International
Hospital, Viale Mura Gianicolensi 67 (near the Vatican), tel.
06588961, and Rome American Hospital, Via E. Longoni 69, tel.
06-22551;
and,
last but not least, the many, many pubs run for (and often by)
Irishmen/Brits/Aussies in Rome. The oldest are The
Fiddler's Elbow,
The
Druid's Den, and
Finnegan's
Pub,
all
authentically Irish.*****
Click on their names to see
their web sites with their addresses, opening hours, and
calendar of social events.
In
conclusion, you do not need to spend lots of money to travel
abroad to study native speakers of English in their natural
habitat. As a student/ethnographer of English
living in the city of Rome, you have, for the price of a bus
ticket, unlimited opportunities to observe and interact with
members of the various Anglo-Saxon tribes in their everyday life.
__________
*
The
Open Door Bookshop,
via della Lungaretta, 25 (piazza Sonnino); The
Lion Bookshop
(with a café inside!), via dei Greci 33 (piazza del
Popolo); The
Corner Bookshop,
via del Moro 45 (piazza Sonnino); The
English Bookshop,
via di Ripetta 248 (piazza del Popolo); The
Anglo-American Book Company,
via della Vite 102 (piazza San Silvesro).
**
CATHOLIC.
San
Silvestro Church
(on piazza San Silvestro -- British community); Santa
Susanna Church
(at via XX Settembre 15, near piazza della Repubblica -- American
community); St. Patrick's Church (at via Boncompagni
60, off via Veneto -- Irish Community).
**PROTESTANT.
ANGLICAN:
All
Saints' Church
(at via del Babuino 153, near piazza di Spagna -- English
community); EPISCOPAL:
St.
Paul's Within-the-Walls
(on via Napoli 58, near piazza della Repubblica -- American
community); PRESBYTERIAN:
St. Andrew's Church of Scotland (at via XX Settembre 7, near
piazza della Repubblica -- Scots community).
***
For
example, Notre
Dame University/Saint
Mary's College:
architecture classes are held at via Monterone 76 (near largo
Argentina), humanities classes are at corso Vittorio Emanuele 110
(Hotel Tiziano – just off largo Argentina), while the
residence for Notre Dame students is at via Gualtiero Serafino 8
(near piazza Medaglie D'Oro).
****
For
example: Temple
University,
Lungotevere Arnaldo da Brescia 15 (near piazza del Popolo);
Trinity
College,
via Clivio dei Publici, 2 (near Circo Massimo);
American
University of Rome,
via Pietro Roselli 4 (on the Gianicolo, near piazza San
Pancrazio); John
Cabot University,
via della Lungara 233 (in Trastevere near piazza Trilussa);
Loyola
University of Chicago,
via Massimi 114/A (near piazza Medaglie D'Oro). The
British
School at Rome
and the American
Academy
are residences for post-graduate scholars studying in Rome; they
host frequent cultural events open to the public, the first at
via Gramsci 61 (near piazzale Don Minzoni), the second at via
Angelo Masina 5 (on the Gianicolo, near piazza San Pancrazio).
*****
Three of the many Irish pubs in
Rome:
 Two
other Irish-style pubs: Molly Malone (via dell 'Arco di San
Calisto 17), and Trinity
College
(via del Collegio Romano 6). Two English-style pubs:
John Bull (corso Vittorio Emanuele 107a) and Mad Jack's (via
Arenula 20). Two Australian-style pubs: Ned Kelly
(via delle Coppelle 13) and Four XXXX (via Galvani 29).
Finally , two American-style bars: The Drunken Ship (Campo de'
Fiori 20) and Miscellanea (via delle Paste 110).
These are all young people's places.
N.B.
Any other pubs with prevalently
English-speaking clients
can
email their URL (for free posting here) to:
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