8 Rules of Language Learning Etiquette for Non-Language Learners Posted by Malachi Rempen on Jun 19, 2017 in Archived Posts
Etiquette is very important, but not often written down. Is there etiquette for language learners, too? Seeing this vintage comic of mine made me wonder if there is a kind of etiquette for language learners. Are there rules for how to behave, and how not to behave, when learning a new language? After thinking about…
Where Language Meets Food Posted by Malachi Rempen on Jun 12, 2017 in Archived Posts
There are lots of reasons to learn a new language. But one of the best, no doubt, is the excuse to stuff yourself silly. If there’s one thing I love about language learning, it’s the food. What? Well, think about it: when you learn a new language, what are the types of things you learn…
Can foreign languages make America safer? Economically speaking, yes. Posted by Transparent Language on Jun 7, 2017 in Archived Posts
In earlier installments of this series, we’ve looked at the role of languages in keeping America safe diplomatically and medically. Today, let’s get down to business. When you consider your safety, you likely think of your physical well-being, but you might also consider your financial well-being. American’s economic prosperity directly impacts our daily lives—our ability…
The Curse of the Lingua Franca Posted by Malachi Rempen on Jun 5, 2017 in Archived Posts
Life is hard for native lingua francans learning new languages. But why do they do it at all? I mean, the reason for this should come as no surprise. English is the current lingua franca of the world, and so any American, Brit or other native English speaker that wants to learn a foreign language is essentially doing…
Drinking in the sun and tickling camels? In some languages, there’s a word for that. Posted by Transparent Language on May 31, 2017 in Archived Posts
Whether you’re a subscriber to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis or not, it’s undeniable that certain words provide a window into their respective culture. Language gaps and “untranslatable” words exist for a reason: when you have different values, follow a different schedule, or even live in a different climate, your vocabulary reflects those differences. Want unique insight…
Thé Jøy öf Dîáçrïtícs Posted by Malachi Rempen on May 29, 2017 in Archived Posts
Getting to write with new accent dashes, dots and squiggles is part of the fun of language learning. But is it even better when writing whole new alphabets? Well, they’re all real, but a lot of them are just math symbols and not used in any actual language. Still, the heart of the comic is true…
Temptation Bundling: For When Motivation Falls Short in Language Learning Posted by meaghan on May 24, 2017 in Archived Posts
Sometimes willpower and motivation alone are not enough. More and more, we find ourselves working with people for whom learning a language is not optional. They need it to do their job well. But even for those motivated individuals, learning a language is an arduous journey. So how does the average learner—whose job isn’t on…