International Cursing: A Look at Cuss Words in Different Languages
Dirt on your head! Son of an owl! Hit your head on a corner of tofu and die! If you clicked on this article, you’ve probably already surmised that the above phrases are – at least some place on earth – considered swear words in different languages. They would, in fact, probably be censored if […]
The Power of Words in a Pandemic
When the coronavirus pandemic hit and stay-at-home orders were issued, isolation and loneliness set in. We faced the difficult challenge of staying connected with our loved ones while traveling and social gatherings were limited. Luckily, creativity struck, and we started to realize the true power of words in a pandemic. Let’s look at some of […]
4 Difficult Sounds for English Speakers
There’s already a lot to take in when learning a new language – vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar rules, and so on. But one of the most challenging aspects of learning a new language is grappling with speech sounds that do not even exist in one’s own language, such as these four difficult sounds for English speakers. […]
How to learn more about another culture without traveling
Visiting a new place gives you a new perspective on the world. When you travel, you have the chance to engage with different cultures and learn about unique traditions, customs, and languages. But recently, travel has come to a halt. When we are staying inside our homes or only traveling within our neighborhoods, it can […]
What Is Aviation English?
If “pilot speak” sounds like another language to you, you’re not far off. Aviation English is the internationally-established language of the skies, consisting of about three hundred terms that are a combination of professional jargon and plain English. With the expansion of air travel during the 20th century, concerns about the ability of pilots and […]
The 5 Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn
If you’re thinking about learning a new language, it can be tricky to know where to start. Do you want to go for something that’s widely spoken like Spanish, a business-relevant language like Chinese, or a language that’s interesting to you based on personal heritage or ancestry? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the vast choosings […]
8 Examples of Outdated Slang We Should Bring Back
Don’t get salty, but slang isn’t new. You might think the idioms you use today are the GOAT, but they could easily go out of fashion in just a few years. Phrases, just like fitness or food trends, come and go. Let’s look at 8 vintage slang terms that no one uses anymore. Some of […]
Want to Enhance Your Listening Comprehension? Turn on Your TV Captions
Watching foreign language programming can feel like swimming against the current. The unfamiliar words keep coming and coming, and just when you feel like you’re beginning to get the hang of it, a particularly speedy bout of dialogue sends your head spinning again. If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of moderate to utter confusion while […]
The Language of COVID-19: Masculine or Feminine?
If you have ever studied French, Spanish, or German, you’ve learned about a tricky linguistic nuance that makes learning these languages difficult: noun gendering. In these languages, each noun has an assigned grammatical gender. In Spanish, for example, a mug is feminine. But the coffee you would pour into the mug is masculine, while the […]
3 Tips for Making the Transition to Remote Interpreting
The COVID-19 pandemic has moved many American workers out of their offices. In early March, an estimated 16 million U.S. workers switched to working remotely. Many experts suggest that remote work will remain long after the pandemic is over. Tech companies like Facebook, Square, and Twitter have announced that a portion of their workforce will […]