The Thrill is Gone: Arabic, Italian, and Blissful Ignorance Posted by Malachi Rempen on May 12, 2014 in Archived Posts
Certain languages have a charm or magic about them which only exists so long as you have no idea what they’re talking about. I personally find Arabic to be the most aesthetically pleasing written script. There are a number of beautiful Asian alphabets, including ornate Hindi, swirling Burmese, and precise Chinese. But to me, written Arabic exudes an…
Get the Slang of It—A Sweet Sampling of Foreign Language Idioms Posted by meaghan on May 7, 2014 in Archived Posts
As important as it is to learn proper grammar in a new language, it’s equally important to keep up with how people actually speak. If you ask me, there’s no better form of colloquial speech than idioms. So, eager language-learning beavers, let’s jump in feet first, swing into action, and get waist deep in some…
Why Learning Languages Gets Easier Each Time Posted by meaghan on May 5, 2014 in Archived Posts
Ever heard that less is more? That may be so when it comes to applying makeup, but not when it comes to learning languages. The best way to become a great language learner is to learn more languages. For those of you learning your second language from scratch right now, this probably sounds extremely discouraging…
Ground-Apples, Glow-Pears, and Go-Wheels: Enjoying Etymology in Your New Language Posted by Malachi Rempen on Apr 30, 2014 in Archived Posts
I find words fascinating. That might be part of why I enjoy learning new languages so much: so many new words! And so many new ways of looking at the same words; that is to say, different words with the same meaning. As I detailed in another one of my comics, I felt like some sort…
Let’s Get Physical! Using Gestures to Learn a Foreign Language Posted by mtaulier on Apr 28, 2014 in Archived Posts
According to experts, human communication is divided into three distinct parts: 55% is attributed to body language, 38% comes from the tone of your voice, and only 7% is based on the words you speak. What this means is that over half of what we say is determined by our body language, not by our…
9 Ways to Raise Globally-Minded Children at Home Posted by meaghan on Apr 23, 2014 in Archived Posts
Our children will inherit a far more diverse and interconnected world than the one we live in today. Globalization is rapidly deepening international connections, not just in economics and business, but also in technology, politics, fashion, scientific research, security, disaster relief, entertainment, and beyond. Without the proper preparation, our children risk falling behind, failing to…
Let’s All Gang Up on the Multilinguals: Three Ways to Combat Language Learner’s Envy Posted by Malachi Rempen on Apr 21, 2014 in Archived Posts
When I lived in Morocco in 2012, it was in Al Hoceima, a seaside town on the Mediterranean coast. Built by the Spanish in the mid-1920s, Al Hoceima became Moroccan in the 1950s after independence, but as such a young city, it retained a lot of its international influence. The majority of locals in Al…