English is a major lingua franca, but that doesn’t mean native speakers of other languages around the world don’t put their own spin on English. Generally, if English has been introduced into a community (through colonization, missionary work, what have you), that community will find completely unique ways to use and reinterpret it, to make it “local.” India is a top contender for using English …
English is a more varied (and delicious) melting pot than you think … English—is one of the most incredible, flavorfully-complex melting pots of linguistic ingredients from other countries that’s been left to simmer for (in some cases) centuries. These linguistic ingredients are called loanwords that have been borrowed and incorporated into English. The loanwords are oftentimes so common now, the foreign flavor has been completely …
Dictionary.com’s United States of Diversity by Taneesh KheraIn April, 2018 I traveled to India for a college friend’s wedding. When I came back, I read part of this essay to two friends, and we began to discuss borders and what they’ve become today. That conversation was inspiration for this episode, so grab a cushion and get comfortable for the United States of Diversity: Borders. Communication …
Most people recognize Ancient Greek and Latin as the primary donors to the English language. However, some of the most ancient words in English actually trace back to Ancient Egypt. Distinct from the contemporary Egyptian Arabic spoken today, Ancient Egyptian is a unique Afro-Asiatic language that doesn’t really share similarities with other languages in the family (like Arabic, Hebrew, or Berber). Its 5,000 year-old …
One way to get to know a country is through its food. Another way is by using the country’s public transportation. Some unique modes of transportation are just for fun, like dog-sledding trips in Norway and zorbing in New Zealand (which involves rolling down a hill inside a giant inflatable ball, just saying). Other means of transportation are more practical . . . here’s a …
There are different types of travelers, and we’ve created some names for a few of them. Whether you’re a minimalist, budgeter, collector, storyteller, or germophobe, traveling is your game, right? But, which type of traveler are you? Think you know—well, take our personality test just to be sure . . . . Don’t forget to share your results (so your friends and family will know …
Most people know a handful of official languages in countries around the world—French in France, Italian in Italy, Russian in Russia, Spanish in Spain. But, those are really easy, and with 195 countries and 7,000 different languages, the handful you think you know is really only a teeny-tiny sampling! So, try your hand at guessing the official languages of these 20 countries. Some of them …
What makes certain accents sound sexy and others harsh? “The RINE in SPINE fawls MINELY on tha PLINE!” In the song “The Rain in Spain” from the musical My Fair Lady, phonetics professor Henry Higgins (“’enry ’iggins”) pleads with Eliza Doolittle to say “Ay not I, O not Ow.” By the end of the song, Eliza’s “AY-ing” and “O-ing” and pronouncing all her H’s. The …
Why does France hate English loanwords? France has a très rich literary and linguistic culture. So, it’s not surprising that their government takes a dim view to any intrusions made to it by, er, outside influences. As an article in The Guardian notes, “France’s identity has long been bound up with its language, more so possibly than anywhere else.” They also add that “France is …
Welcome to this very silly quiz. Can you figure out what these English look-a-likes mean in their native language? Things will look a little foreign, but our obvious distractors will help you reach the right destination. Bon voyage! If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser.
