 A pineapple by any other name
tastes just as sweet
For one summer in high school, we volunteered to host a student who was visiting from France. When we picked up François at the airport, he seemed nervous. His English was fine, but I think he was a bit stunned by the idea of suddenly coming to a new country, living with a new family, and trying to fit in.
I had taken a few years of French in high school, and while I was okay at the tests and homework, I wasn't sure how much of it was sinking in, and didn't make much of an effort to welcome him in his own language for fear of embarrassing myself (a big deal, when you're in high school).
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Do you have a language story that you'd like to share? Submit your experiences to us at livinglanguage@randomhouse.com. We'll pick our favorites and post them in this newsletter.
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Similar words
One of the most frustrating things about learning a new language can be memorizing all that new vocabulary. After creating your 500th or so flashcard (and after your fifth run to the drugstore for index cards), it can be difficult to stay motivated.
However, if you're ever feeling frustrated, it might be helpful to take a break and think of this: similar words.
Here are some examples to get you started.
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"You might want to consider looking into using this type of evidence in your paper," said my professor.
Really?! With so many verbs (exactly four: "might," "want," "to consider," "looking into") between me and what I needed to do ("use a certain type of evidence to make my paper better"), I did not feel particularly compelled to do anything about it at all. In my mind, my professor was making a rather vague suggestion and naturally, my reaction was to take little notice of it.
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 Arabic and its many variations
Even for native speakers, Arabic is a complex language. The intricate and extensive grammar and pronunciation can be daunting for beginners, but all Arabic speakers also face the difficult task of understanding someone who speaks a different regional dialect.
Basically, there are two varieties of Arabic: Modern Standard (also known as fusha) and colloquial (‘ammiyya). Fusha refers to literary Arabic; the language used in newspapers, textbooks, classical literature, etc. The colloquial language, or the language used in everyday, informal conversation, differs from region to region in the Middle East and other Arabic-speaking parts of the world.
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