Learning Latvian as a native English-speaker

The English language has become more and more inescapable in Latvia in recent years, and many if not most Latvians now speak it to a high level of proficiency - although unsurprisingly, given the many contrasts in structure and internal logic, Latvians tend to use it in quite a different way from those who grew up speaking it as their native tongue. But how does it look from the other side? How does Latvian strike a native speaker of English - what seems logical and what seems tricky? What is funny or beautiful, and what is simply baffling?

Will Mawhood was born in London and has lived in several different parts of England, as well as in multiple European countries. He now lives mostly in Kurzeme and works as an English-language proofreader, consultant and translator from Latvian and Latgalian. He will be sharing some of his experiences getting to fluency with a language he knew literally nothing about prior to his mid-20s, observations about the differences between English and Latvian, and the way that cultures reveal themselves through language - as well as some completely arbitrary linguistic likes and dislikes.

The talk will be in English - knowledge of Latvian not necessary, but probably somewhat helpful. There will also be time for questions and discussion.