Tag Archives: Spanish
Mistaking Welsh For Hebrew in Libya
Outside of Wales, Welsh is a profoundly obscure language, to the point that some may think it extinct or invented. In Libya, Welsh is no more real than Elvish. That linguistic obscurity led to two British journalists being detained in … Continue reading
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A trip around America’s languages with Elizabeth Little
At some point during Elizabeth Little’s gargantuan road trip, she realized that her book, A Trip of the Tongue: Cross-Country Travels in Search of America’s Languages, was morphing from something whimsical to something serious. Perhaps it was in Florida, where … Continue reading
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Chinese Orphans to Get Names That Don’t Set Them Apart
The number of orphans in China stands at about 100-thousand. That’s the official number. Some child advocacy groups believe it’s much higher than that. Life can be extremely trying for orphans in China. There is, of course, the trauma of … Continue reading
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Bolt, Crook and Payne: What’s in A Name?
Usain Bolt bolts, Anna Smashnova was a tennis pro, Bob Flowerdew is a gardening expert. Coincidence? In this episode of the pod, criminal defense lawyer Frances Crook and vicar Michael Vickers discuss their own names and vocations with John Hoyland … Continue reading
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Re-learning Spanish, Super-Injunctions, and UK hearts Obama
Thousands of kids from the United States are enrolling in Mexican schools. The reason: their Mexican parents are moving back from the United States. There are many reasons for this. Among them: deportation, fear of deportation, the poor economy in … Continue reading
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English-only in the US, translating tweets in Japan and satire in Egypt
The English Only movement in the United States is always active during times of high immigration (check out my previous interview with US English lobbyist Tim Schultz). Now, the movement has got a shot in the arm from the Tea … Continue reading
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From Cicero to Lynne Truss with Robert Lane Greene
As soon as I saw the new book by Robert Lane Greene You Are What You Speak, I know he and needed to speak. Not just because we both speak Danish (we didn’t even talk about that). It’s mainly because … Continue reading
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The English-only movement in America
A conversation about making English the only official language in the United States. Tim Schultz, lobbyist with Washington-based US English makes the case for this, ahead of an English-only vote in Oklahoma. This is not the usual fare on The … Continue reading
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Speaking in Tongues and Dreaming in Chinese
A new PBS documentary, Speaking in Tongues, follows four students and their families at dual immersion schools in San Francisco. The film offers evidence that the study of math, science and other subjects in more than one language gives students … Continue reading
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Learning in two languages, and new Zulu words
A back-to-school edition about learning in a second language. We spend some time in the classroom with fourth grade teacher Stephanie Blanco of Gauldin Elementary School in Downey, CA to explore the challenges of teaching English language learners. ELL came … Continue reading
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