58 English Words of Spanish Origin
A Albatross – from alcatraz, see below. Alcatraz – (meaning “gannet”) from Arabic غطاس al-ġaţţās (“the diver”) Alligator – from el lagarto, “the lizard” Armadillo – from armadillo, “little armored one” Avocado – alteration of Spanish aguacate, from Nahuatl ahuacatl which also means “testicle” in that language. B Barbecue – from the Chibcha word barbacoa [...]
Click here to continue reading10 Tricky Interview Questions That Could Trip You Up
For the long-term unemployed or those workers looking for a change, getting an interview in today’s market may feel like a win in itself. But once you’re in the door, interviewers often put you through an obstacle course of deceptive questions with double meanings or hidden agendas. Do you know how to read the subtext? [...]
Click here to continue reading50 Words of Arabic Origin
IN SCIENCE AND MATHS: ALCHEMY and CHEMISTRY (الكيميـــــــــاء.) ALCOHOL (الكُحُـــــــــول.) ALGEBRA (الجبــر: More on the eponymous founder of Algebra as an independent mathematical discipline here.) ALGORITHM (خوارزم: More on the eponymous founder of algorthimics here.) ALKALINE (القلوي: Meaning “non-acid, basic.”) ALMANAC (المنــــــاخ: Literally meaning “climate”) AVERAGE (From Old French avarie, itself from the Arabic term عوارية, meaning “damaged goods”, from عور meaning “to lose an eye.”) AZIMUTH (السمــــــــت: This concept is used in [...]
Click here to continue readingHow Cartoons Help You Learn Another Language
Nation of polyglots The complexity of slovenščina (the Slovenian language) isn’t the main reason few try to learn it; the real reason nobody tries to learn it is that Slovenians usually speak your native language. Within Europe, Slovenians come in third in speaking a foreign language. Europeans proclaim they’re all polyglots, but 44 percent of EU citizens [...]
Click here to continue readingMind Your Language: Why We Must Learn Foreign Dialects
We are growing progressively closer to cementing Britain’s reputation as an insular, monolingual country once and for all; what’s more, such a reputation is well-deserved. Michael Gove, despite shamefully half-hearted displays of “concern” at dwindling numbers of British linguists, recently drew attention to Britain’s “perverse pride” in not knowing any languages, and to a nation [...]
Click here to continue reading5 Tips for Learning a Foreign Language
1. Motivate yourself Every new language you learn will give you the opportunity to access an unlimited source of new information, meet more people and find better job. Studying is not an easy task but if you keep yourself motivated and try to enjoy the lessons, then this language adventure will turn for you into [...]
Click here to continue reading3 Revealing Questions to Ask in Your Next Interview
These questions give you real insights into the company and the job. One of the most important steps in preparing for an interview is creating a list of the questions you want to ask. Even professional interviewers like me can do with a little interview planning. Remember that an interview is a conversation, and even [...]
Click here to continue readingAce Your Interview by Scripting the Perfect Stories
Simple tips for how to rehearse yourself into a winning interview. Ever walk out of an interview and know you blew it because you fumbled how you answered a question? Interview nerves can strike the best of us, but there is a simple way to feel and look confident in interviews or any kind of [...]
Click here to continue readingJoin the Cult of the Hyperpolyglot
Many people want to speak a second language, but for some people two can never be enough. Welcome to the world of the hyperpolyglot. Ray Gillon speaks 18 languages. To be precise, he only speaks eight fluently. His grasp on the other 10 is merely conversational. Throw anything at him in Portuguese, Thai, Turkish, Russian, [...]
Click here to continue readingCan Facebook and YouTube Save Languages?
Facebook, YouTube and even texting will be the salvation of many of the world’s endangered languages, scientists believe. Of the 7,000 or so languages spoken on Earth today, about half are expected to be extinct by the century’s end. Globalisation is usually blamed, but some elements of the “modern world”, especially digital technology, are pushing [...]
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