Archive for 'Archived Posts'
Expats: Learn the Local Language, Or Else Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 9, 2015 in Archived Posts
If you’re living in a foreign country, you should really learn the language. Touring is one thing. It’s okay to be a tourist and not speak a word of the local tongue. In my experience, speaking even a little bit will get you much farther, but it’s certainly not a requirement. You’re just passing through…
The Wrong Kind of Encouragement Posted by Malachi Rempen on Dec 2, 2015 in Archived Posts
A little encouragement goes a long way. In language learning, hearing from a local person, particularly a local with some experience learning languages themselves, that you’re doing well is a big boost in confidence. Different places encourage in different ways, of course, and you have to be mindful of this – Italians will praise you…
The Single Most Important Arabic Word Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 25, 2015 in Archived Posts
Listen, I like procrastinating as much as the next guy. I like to live in the moment, you know? And sometimes that means not doing things that would make that moment boring and unmemorable, and pushing that burden on some future version of yourself that will hate you. I’m not the worst procrastinator in the world…
There is no Arabic Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 18, 2015 in Archived Posts
Indecision. It’s the worst. Just the word sounds nasty. Too close to “incision” for my taste, like something sharp and precise but brutal. Not being able to decide between options is crippling. It’s like being frozen by some kind of cruel ice witch, unable to move forward or side to side or even backward. It…
Why You Should Definitely Be Watching TV for Language Learning Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Nov 16, 2015 in Archived Posts
Have you ever spent an entire Sunday binge-watching your favorite Netflix shows, only to end the day feeling like a useless lump? Now imagine if you could waste away for six hours in front of the TV and instead call it ‘study time’. For language learners, the television can be more than the mind-melting piece…
Nothing in Moderation Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 11, 2015 in Archived Posts
You’ve got to hand it to the Moroccans – or Algerians, or Tunisians, or pretty much anyone from any of the other Maghrebi (Northwest African) countries – they know a good thing when they see it, and they decide to have as much of it as humanly possible. In this case, we’re talking about sugar. Yes…
Is the Internet Creating New Languages? Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 9, 2015 in Archived Posts
With the expanding ability for people all over the world to connect with each other, the Internet has spawned an unprecedented language revolution. According to InternetWorldStats.com, English is currently the most common active language on the Internet. This makes sense, since English is recognized as the predominant language of international business, diplomacy, science, air traffic…