Watch Your Language Blog

Belgian Beauty Queen Booed

A Belgian beauty queen becomes the face of the current political tensions in Belgium by admitting on stage that she doesn’t speak Dutch. (SUZANNE)

Tags: Belgium, Dutch, French
December 18, 2007

 

Feud endangers language

The language of Zoque may die because two men in the Tabasco region of Mexico refuse to speak to each other.

In 1960, according to a Mexican Government survey, there were 367 speakers of Zoque from Tabasco. In the early 1970s, linguists could only find 40 people who spoke the language. And now there are apparently only two: grumpy old men.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports on a team of scientists traveling the world to document endangered languages. (SUZANNE)

Tags: endangered languages, language, mexico
December 14, 2007

 

When babies get “habituated”

Like the rest of us, babies get bored when they hear things over and over. The pervasive feeling that overwhelmes them when they are repeatedly exposed to the same stimulus is technically called habituation.... More

Tags: bilingual, Hindi, newsletter
December 14, 2007

 

Yes, but does it protect Sweden?

I spent my Junior Year Abroad in France, which means that it was a year full of heroic linguistic triumphs as well as embarrassing (but funny) linguistic gaffes. ... More

Tags: France, French, newsletter, story
December 14, 2007

 

Turn up your radio!

Music is a language nearly everyone can understand, and you’d be surprised how great it can be for language learning. Find an online radio station, or scan the dial. ... More

Tags: language, newsletter, radio
December 14, 2007

 

Let’s eat some wikipedia

Apparently in Beijing, some restaurant menus offer stir-fried wikipedia, with wikipedia being another name for flat, crispy mushrooms. You can even order it with pimientos and it’s quite delicious. I don’t know about you, but I’d be up for some wikipedia with steamed eggs, html, and salmon. (ELHAM)

Tags: language, where food and web 2.0 collide, wikipedia
December 7, 2007

 

Language coincidences: when “dog” means “dog”

A list of words that happen to be the same — or have polar opposite meanings — in two completely unrelated languages. (via kottke) Not sure I’d go so far as to call them “amazing,” but certainly “interesting.” (SUZANNE)


December 4, 2007

 

Mr. King of the Wolves

The New York Times published an article recently about exporting hockey to China. Of course, translating sports terms (icing, power play, etc.) is a huge issue when trying to telecast in Mandarin. The Islanders might find it useful to take some tips from the NBA, who also expanded their program in China. My favorite bit is the translation of player names into Mandarin: Kevin Garnett in Mandarin is “Lang Wang,” which means “King of the Wolves.” There’s also Dirk Nowitzki who’s “German Racecar,” and Kobe Bryant, who’s “Little Flying Warrior.” Pretty cool, don’t you think? (ELHAM)

Tags: language, Mandarin, translation
December 3, 2007