Language
This fascinating map shows which languages take the most and least time to learn for native English speakers
• <b>Based on their experience training US diplomats, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) divided all the languages they teach into four distinct categories.</b>• <b><br>The higher the category, the "harder" the language is to learn for a native English speaker.</b>• <b><br>Category I languages such as Spanish and Portuguese are</b> …
Language LearningTrump confused everyone with slurred words during Jerusalem speech
President Trump provoked a Twitter storm after his speech on Jerusalem Wednesday in which he appeared to be breathing heavily and slurring some of …
Donald TrumpSign language interpreter signs total gibberish while police talk about serial killer
Imagine a serial killer has been stalking the streets of your town for nearly two months. One day you find out the police have an important …
Weird‘The Daily Show’ Gives The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Donald Trump’s Year Of Words
“I know words. I have the best words.” With that phrase on April 15th, 2017, Donald Trump convinced 63 million people that he was an expert in linguistics. And in a way, he might be right. No one has words like Trump, and they very well may be the best words. It just depends on the categorization. …
Donald TrumpBerlin police officers must speak German during shifts, state ministry requests
In response to questioning by the far-right AfD, Berlin's Interior Ministry has requested police speak German at work. But it has stressed that the …
European NewsProfane Pencils For Working Moms Who F*cking Love Cursing
Profanities are usually written off as NSFW language, but we just found a sneaky way to bring your favorite four-letter words into the workplace without even having to utter them out loud. Etsy is currently flooded with hysterical curse-word-adorned pencils that would make the perfect holiday …
Harvard Law School‘Saluton!’: the surprise return of Esperanto
Long seen as a hobby for idealistic eccentrics, the constructed language has had a resurgence in the age of Brexit and Trump. And it’s all centred on a small village near Stoke on Trent<p>In the village of Barlaston, just outside Stoke-on-Trent, a strange language can be heard. It’s not the friendly …
LinguisticsThe year in review: 2017’s most-viewed dictionary entry pages
As the year draws to a close, there is only one event on everyone’s minds here at Oxford Dictionaries HQ – and it ain’t Christmas.<p>The announcement of …
Oxford DictionaryThinking & Communicating with Clarity & Precision
<i>This blog post is part of an</i> <i>ASCD</i> <i>partnership with Wonder Media. To see all blog posts from Wonder Media on the 16 Habits of Mind, you can</i> <i>click here.</i> <i></i><p>As …
IncorporatedThe Overlooked Benefits of Learning a New Language
Even with all of the emerging translation technology we’re starting to see, learning a new language is still a worthy investment. The benefits of …
UN moves to protect whistled ‘bird language’ in Turkey’s Black Sea region
ANKARA – Anadolu Agency<p>The whistled “bird language” used by small groups of Black Sea villagers in remote northern Turkey has joined a UNESCO list of …
TurkeyPhony Sign-Language Interpreter Actually A Convicted Fraudster
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Fraud2017 Marketing Word Of The Year: 'AI'
The “Marketing Word of the Year” for 2017 is actually an acronym: AI.<p>That’s the word from the Association of National Advertisers, which just …
Marketingbiggen, v. : Oxford English Dictionary
1652 W. Blith <i>Eng. Improver Improved</i> ix. 53 All waters biggen the further they run.<p>1674 N. Fairfax <i>Treat. Bulk & Selvedge</i> 127 Some bigning or …
Oxford DictionaryMW User Panel
Our fellow word nerds are full of great ideas, and we want to hear them. <br>Have a feature you want to see on Merriam-Webster? Share it now!<br>Want to be …
Etymology'For All Intensive Purposes': An Eggcorn
In a 1546 Act of Parliament, the phrase "to all intents, constructions, and purposes" was used to convey that King Henry VIII had unlimited power to …
EtymologyParents hail Helsinki move to begin language instruction earlier
Helsinki families with children in pre-school are now being asked to decide which foreign language their first graders will begin to study next …
FinlandFederer named ‘sign of the year’ by Swiss deaf society
Following victories in Melbourne, Wimbledon and Basel this year, Roger Federer is “in everybody’s hands”, according to the Swiss Deaf Association, …
European NewsBritish accent voted ‘sexiest’ for men, Israeli for women, survey reveals
Language can indeed be sexy and a recent survey revealed which ones are the most appealing.
ScotlandWhat's Behind Rising Graduation Rates for English-Learners and Native-American Students?
While graduation rates for English-language learners and Native American students are on the rise, educators and researchers are still questioning …
EducationWords We're Watching: Adjectival 'Dad'
The word <i>dad</i> is a 16th century development, presumably literally from the mouths of babes. (Perhaps you've noticed that fad among the wee set in which …
EtymologyFive Things Parents Should Know About Learning To Read
Permission given by Attuned Education<p>Letters represent sounds<p>Most parents want their children to be well educated, to reach their potential and one …
explicitAll the Ways Learning English Will Destroy Your Brain
"Read" rhymes with "lead," and "lead" rhymes with "read," but "read" doesn't rhyme with "lead" and "lead" doesn't rhyme with "read." Following along? …
The Push to Make French Gender-Neutral
Can changing the structure of a language improve women’s status in society?<p>“My homeland is the French language,” author Albert Camus once wrote—and many French people would agree. That’s why any attempt at changing the language is often met with suspicion. So the uproar was almost instantaneous …
GenderAre you guilty of getting these words and common phrases wrong?
If you don't cringe when you hear someone say "a diamond dozen", then this quiz is for you.<p>Below are some of the most common words and phrases that …
How a group of friends created a hit language app
<b>Eleven years ago, one of Thomas Holl's closest friends, Lorenz Heine, wanted to learn Spanish.</b><p>Thomas confidently assured him that there must be several easily accessible online courses to assist him in this quest. But when Thomas turned to Google, the then 32-year-old software engineer was …
Language Learning'Elegy' vs. 'Eulogy'
Most of the time, <i>elegy</i> and <i>eulogy</i> aren't confused. But a person asked to explain the difference between the two might encounter some difficulty as …
EtymologyDad says Google Home helped his boy with language deficits to say his first word
This video shows that digital home assistants that are becoming must-have features in our houses might have an unexpected role in the development of …
Google HomeThe horror and pleasure of misused words: from mispronunciation to malapropisms
When I polled friends for their pet pronunciation peeves, many of them listed those in the Waynespeak collection, while others added examples that …
BrisbaneMap Reveals How Long It Takes To Learn Different Languages
The Romance languages, based mainly on Latin, are among the most approachable, and include French, Spanish, and Italian. Tongues like Dutch, Danish, …
Language Learning