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…
Don’t Put Learning a Language on your To-Do List Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 8, 2017 in Archived Posts
“To-dos are pipe dreams. Scheduling is a game plan.” – Larry Kim A to-do list is an effective way to keep track of the things you need to, well, do. It’s a lesson in organization, but not in productivity. How many times have you pushed that thing—go to the recycling center, fix the leaky faucet…
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…
Online English Courses for Elementary ESL Learners Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 30, 2017 in For Educators, For Learners, For Libraries, Learning Material Updates
We are thrilled to expand our English language offerings to reach younger learners. ESL students in grades 3-5 will love our Elementary Conversations in English Course. Elementary Conversations in English is uniquely suited to guide elementary school students along a fun and effective English language learning journey. The course focuses on facilitating natural conversations among…
Learn Nahuatl in Transparent Language Online Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 25, 2017 in For Learners, Learning Material Updates
Thanks to Tlahtoltapazolli and 7000 Languages, you can now learn Nahuatl in Transparent Language Online for Libraries. Nahuatl is the language of the Aztecs, the 14th century Mexican empire you probably learned about in your high school history class. While the empire may have fallen to Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, the language lived…
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 the Anti-Mistake Culture is Detrimental to Foreign Languages Posted by meaghan on Oct 18, 2017 in Archived Posts
What’s the best thing you can do to improve your language skills? Make mistakes. The Problem With Anti-Mistake Culture In an article on Medium, entrepreneur Catalin Matei describes what he calls the “anti-mistake culture”, the societal expectation that making mistakes is a bad thing, something to punish. One vivid example to which anyone can relate…