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…
Constructed Languages Galore Posted by Malachi Rempen on Nov 4, 2015 in Archived Posts
The great thing about human beings is that we like to make stuff. We build, we construct, we create. That’s pretty much the major difference, aside from feeling sorry for ourselves, which separates us from the animal/plant/fungal kingdoms, and look how far it’s gotten us? I’m writing this, and you’re reading this, on a thing that a walking ape made with…
Never Send a Teacher to do a Machine’s Job Posted by Transparent Language on Nov 2, 2015 in Archived Posts
There’s a line from the Matrix that goes something like “never send a human to do a machine’s job.” Who knew that a dystopian sci-fi trilogy could so accurately summarize the evolution of technology in education? This train of thought was inspired by an article in the Washington Post about Yong Zhao’s news book 5…
Phone Me Maybe: Language Change Right Against Our Ears Posted by janet on Oct 28, 2015 in Archived Posts
Here’s a language question for you to ponder, the next time you’re waiting for enough bars to make a call: Have you ever, at any time, referred to your cell phone as a “telephone”? I don’t think I ever have. In fact, it would actually sound weird to me if someone were to do so……