Archive for 'Archived Posts'
10 Most-Read Language News Posts of 2016 Posted by Transparent Language on Dec 28, 2016 in Archived Posts
Happy New Year, language learners! 2016 has gotten a bad rap, but we love to look back on another year of posts. Whether you’re a long-time reader or just stumbled upon the blog in 2016, we hope our posts have been informative, inspiring, and entertaining. By now we all know the importance of reviewing, so let’s…
“Yes,” “No,” and Everything In-Between Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 26, 2016 in Archived Posts
“Yes” and “no” are not as simple as they might at first appear. Here are a few of the ways in which they can vary greatly across languages. You’d think that there would be no simpler words in any language than “yes” and “no.” I mean, those are basically the first words we learn as…
Little Moments of Joy in Language Learning Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 19, 2016 in Archived Posts
Language learning is not easy, we all know that. So it helps to step back and remember the little moments that make it all worthwhile. Well, this year it’s actually unseasonably warm in Berlin. Not a snowflake in sight. I can’t decide if that’s better or worse than a white winter – on the one…
Why and Where to Volunteer Your Translating Skills Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Dec 14, 2016 in Archived Posts
Translating a text is one of the best ways to give your language skills an all-around workout, and you’ll never run out of opportunities to do so: all across the world and the Web, people are waiting to put your language learning efforts to good use. Facing the linguistic pressures of globalization and the digital language divide that separates the linguistic…
Why Kids Make Great Language Teachers Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 12, 2016 in Archived Posts
Young kids often feel no shame. They also feel no pity for shaming YOU. And that’s what makes them the perfect language learning partners. Ah, kids. As one commenter on this comic so wisely put it, “wine and children produce the truth. And headaches.” The great part about kids is that they usually have no filter…
Teaching Languages in Real Time with Major International News Events Posted by Transparent Language on Dec 7, 2016 in Archived Posts
Why just read a textbook when you can learn via the headlines? When it comes to learning languages, particularly at higher proficiency levels, textbooks alone aren’t always enough. Reading a static page of vocabulary engages very few of the senses and involves very little interaction—a necessity for language learning (and effective learning in general). Textbooks…
Perfect Preparation Prevents Poor Performance Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 5, 2016 in Archived Posts
Nobody’s perfect, but some of us are less not-perfect than others. That’s why it’s best to stay prepared when it comes to language learning – for whatever situation you might have to deal with. I had a boss once that I didn’t care much for. I know, I know, it’s unusual – generally speaking, all…