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2014 World Cup of Languages: Quarter-Final Results Posted by meaghan on Jul 7, 2014 in Archived Posts
And so another round of the 2014 World Cup of Languages is behind us. In the last four days, we watched four great match-ups, but alas, that also means we can only have four winners! Esperanto vs. Japanese: An unlikely winner from the Round of 16, Esperanto played well, scoring 266 points, but was simply no…
2014 World Cup of Languages: Round of 16 Results Posted by meaghan on Jul 2, 2014 in Archived Posts
Behold, the results from the Round of 16 in our 2014 World Cup of Languages! Verbs were conjugated, nouns were declined, victories were celebrated, and, with any great sporting event, hearts were broken. (Clearly, I’m still reeling from the U.S. loss last night.) Check out the bracket below to see your team’s fate. Don’t forget…
Does “use it or lose it” apply to foreign languages? Posted by meaghan on Jun 18, 2014 in Archived Posts
Did you grow up in a bilingual household without ever really learning the second language? Maybe your parents spoke to you in another language while you were little, but you switched over to English at some point and never looked back. You probably think you have absolutely no memory of that language now, and maybe…
Cognates: A Language Learner’s Best and Worst Friends Posted by meaghan on Jun 16, 2014 in Archived Posts
Just starting to learn a new language? Well, what if you I told you that right now, you already know dozens (if not hundreds!) of words in that language? Depending on the language, it’s true! What is this sorcery I speak of? They’re called cognates, and they are your best friend right now. Cognates are…
5 Interesting Careers for Language Lovers (Beyond Translators and Interpreters) Posted by meaghan on Jun 11, 2014 in Archived Posts
When thinking of foreign language-related careers, the first options that come to mind are probably translator, interpreter, and foreign language teacher. Surely, none of those are bad options for a language lover. But linguaphiles aren’t limited to such narrow career paths, and often have interests beyond language learning (blasphemy, I know!) In fact, studying languages…
Get Your Head in the Game: 2014 World Cup of Languages Contest! Posted by meaghan on Jun 9, 2014 in Archived Posts
Imagine if the Super Bowl lasted an entire month, featured teams from every corner of the globe, received more than 3 billion views worldwide, and only came around once every four years. That, friends, is the FIFA World Cup™, with less American “football” and a whole lot more fútbol. Even if you aren’t a fan…
Why on earth would you learn THAT language? Posted by meaghan on Jun 4, 2014 in Archived Posts
Learning a less common language? Chances are someone (or practically everyone) has asked you, completely bewildered, “Why on earth would you learn that language?” Here are a few replies you can choose from. Or, heck, send them all of these fine reasons to learn whatever language your heart desires: 1. I’m making gains with my…