21 Language Facts
Some old, some new, some obvious, some quite cool! Did you know that… 01. There are between 6000 and 7000 languages in the world – spoken by six billion people divided into 189 independent states. 02. There are about 225 indigenous languages in Europe – roughly 3% of the world’s total. 03. Most of the [...]
Click here to continue readingSo, Which Foreign Language Is Most Difficult To Learn?
Many of those who study foreign languages wonder which language is the most difficult one in the world. Linguists say that there is no precise answer to this question because everything depends on which language you speak. Neurophysiologists believe, though, that the Chinese or the Arabic could be described as the world’s most difficult languages. [...]
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 reading35 Cool Language Facts
1. French was the official language of England for over 300 years 2. Italian is the fifth most taught language, after English, French, Spanish and German. 3. German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe 4. English speakers will be able to recognise over 3,000 Spanish words 5. Portuguese has 178 million native [...]
Click here to continue readingThe 8 Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn
On an increasingly international planet, multilingualism is fast becoming a desired trait in employees, meaning today’s college students enjoy an advantage if their degree plans require a second (or even third!) language. English speakers in America particularly find this possibility challenging, as far too many schools downplay the importance of learning to speak something additional. Fortunately, [...]
Click here to continue readingDoes Bilingualism Have a Downside?
The Dark Side of Bilingualism: the Number of Official Languages Grows, But Problems Do Not Decrease Representatives of pro-Russian organizations in Ukraine often allude to some “European tradition” or “global experience” as they build up arguments in favor of bilingualism. In reality, it is exactly this tradition and experience that show it is better for [...]
Click here to continue readingFlemish Schools Going Trilingual – French, Dutch AND English
New rules ordered by the Flemish government will put English on the same level as French as a required “second language” as early as next year. This was decided on July 26th, when the Flemish government approved a new language proposal from Pascal Smet (SP.A), the Flemish minister of education. Minister Smet, a man on [...]
Click here to continue readingHamburgers, Beer and Bayern Munich: Facebook Rankings Reflect National Stereotypes
Users of the social networking site Facebook often obsess over numbers of virtual friends and update their status on the hour. But the popularity contest is no longer limited to people’s profiles. Companies are paying close attention to countries’ most popular Facebook pages for brands which often reflect national stereotypes. Take a look at the [...]
Click here to continue readingRosetta Stone Now Offers On-the-Go Coursework Capabilities on the iPad
New Mobile Platform Maximizes Organizations’ Language-Learning Investments Rosetta Stone, a leading provider of technology-based language-learning solutions, today announced that its latest innovation, Rosetta Stone TOTALe Companion HD, an app for the iPad device that supplements and enhances the company’s comprehensive language-learning experience, will be available to Rosetta Stone Enterprise TOTALe customers later this summer. Rosetta [...]
Click here to continue readingFirms Ignore the Foreign Language Internet at Their Peril
When Pepsi launched in China, so the story goes, the translation of the slogan, ‘Come alive with the Pepsi generation’, promised consumers something a little different. Could Pepsi really bring their ancestors back from the dead? The result was apparently a dip in sales. While this has never been properly substantiated, according to urban legend-busting [...]
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