Archive by Author
You’re a language learner. You have grit. Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 27, 2017 in Archived Posts
There’s a lot of failure in language learning. But then, how do you reach success without climbing on top of the failures? I hate to break it to you, but even after you learn your new language, the road is going to be tough. Unless you plan on living in the country for decades, you’ll…
How I Met Your Mother’s Language Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 13, 2017 in Archived Posts
Once upon a time in the Southwest, I fell under the spell of an Italian and her…Italian. This comic is based on a true story. My wife and I were only dating for a few months when I brought her to the USA for the first time to meet my family. I grew up in…
The #1 Hardest Thing About Language Learning Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 6, 2017 in Archived Posts
No, it’s not complicated grammar rules. It’s not making space in your brain for reams of vocabulary. It’s not even sounding like a buffoon. In all my travels, with all the languages I’ve tried to learn (with varying levels of success), I think I would say the hardest thing about learning new languages is being polite…
Dubbed Movies are Silly Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 23, 2017 in Archived Posts
When foreign languages get dubbed in movies and TV, it sometimes gets ridiculous. Then again, sometimes it gets ridiculous anyway. We can all agree that dubbed films and TV shows have their silly moments when it comes to foreign languages. Obviously writers can’t account for their work being re-voiced in every conceivable language, so we…
Why Language Learning is the Best Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 16, 2017 in Archived Posts
There are many things to love about learning new languages. But this is undoubtedly the best one. My absolute favorite thing about language learning happens to be the exact same thing I love about travel in general: it forces you to see the world from another perspective. You might take this for granted. You might…
False False Friends in German Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 9, 2017 in Archived Posts
Germans have a habit of stealing English slang and using it incorrectly. Is that a False Friend? Or something else entirely? Germans are funny. They are proud of their language and culture, but also proud of their ability to speak other languages – mostly English, and to a lesser but still significant degree, French. Quite…
Why You Should Be Annoying on Social Media Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 2, 2017 in Archived Posts
Nobody likes a social media show-off. But are you learning languages so you can be LIKED, huh?! We’ve all got that friend or family member, don’t we? The one who’s learning more languages than you are, or who is further along in the language you’re learning, and boy are they excited to tell EVERYONE…