Watch Your Language Blog

Learning a native language could possibly stop extinction of species…

This fascinating article explores how native and indigenous cultures identify and classify species yet to be discovered by scientists.... More


April 30, 2007

 

But is he any good at the piano?

This man can write Arabic numerals using all 10 fingers at once. (SUZANNE)


April 27, 2007

 

Know your grammar

Thinking about teaching English abroad? You should be able to tell the difference between the present simple, past simple, and past difficult, claims John Hughes at the Guardian. (Via Link) (ELHAM)


April 26, 2007

 

Not so much to do with language, but…

A praying mantis: Literally. (Via Boing Boing) (ELHAM)


April 26, 2007

 

BBC builds “Dictionary of Man”

Aims to provide the most complete picture of humankind. People working on the project were driven to catalogue human history, after realizing “that 300 African languages had already vanished”. (ELHAM)


April 26, 2007

 

We’re staying out of this one

There’s a bit of a linguistic smackdown going on over an article published in The New Yorker about Dan Everett and his research with the Pirahã Indians, and Everett’s theory that the language of the Pirahã may challenge the concept of Universal Grammar. ... More


April 25, 2007

 

Language of the Blogosphere

The language of the Blogosphere is not English, but Japanese! Technorati’s State of the Blogosphere report finds Japanese as the number one blogging language. Maybe we should blog in Japanese instead. (ELHAM)


April 18, 2007

 

Writers in Translation Awards

PEN announces Writers in Translation awards : Albanian, Chechnyan, Algerian, and Turkish authors are the lucky recipients. (Via The Guardian) (ELHAM)


April 18, 2007

 

Keeping Michif and Hawaiian alive

Keeping languages alive : Hawaiian now boasts approximately 2000 speakers, when it was almost extinct in 1983! Métis educators received federal funds to revive Michif, an endangered language. Michif speakers primarily reside in North Dakota, and some parts of Canada. Click here and here to learn more about Michif. (ELHAM)


April 18, 2007

 

Wear your pun on your sleeve

“War and peas” tees. (via Largehearted Boy) (SUZANNE)


April 17, 2007

 

“That girls if iffy.”

Avril Lavigne releases her new single “Girlfriend” in Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Japanese, and Mandarin to mixed reviews over at MTV.com. Apparently, she rocks the Chinese version. (SUZANNE)


April 17, 2007

 

China cleans up its language

We could all use a little mouth soap: In preparation for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games, China is trying to clean up its language. ... More


April 17, 2007

 

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan

Nickelodeon branches into the world of Chinese language with its new children’s program, in the vein of Dora the Explorer. The New York Times interviews the creator. (SUZANNE)


April 16, 2007

 

Saving Oneida

The Gazette Xtra reports on a website trying to preserve the Oneida language.... More


April 16, 2007

 

Sign language for toddlers

Speaking before you’re spoken to: Using sign language to communicate with toddlers.


April 15, 2007