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 readingTranslators Earn Millions from UK Government
Millions of pounds in taxpayers’ money is being spent providing translation services for benefit claimants. If you need to claim welfare benefits but the only language you speak is Nigerian Pidgin, you are in luck. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can deal with claimants in 165 languages, providing translators at taxpayers’ expense. Among [...]
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 readingShopkeeper Upsets Jobseekers by Demanding Polish Language Skills
Shopkeeper Naveed Hassamin has infuriated jobseekers in Cornwall by turning away anyone who doesn’t speak Polish. Mr Hassamin placed an advert in the window of Costcutter in Bodmin, Cornwall, stating that a “knowledge of Polish” was “preferable” for the position. But he has been forced to withdraw the advertisment after a string of complaints from [...]
Click here to continue readingAu Revoir le francais? adeus português? до свидания России? وداعا عربية?
Au Revoir le francais, adeus português, до свидания России andوداعا عربية… At this time of year it is a common course of action across the media to try and predict events that are likely to occur within the coming year. This year however the BBC went a step further and has attempted to try and lay down some [...]
Click here to continue readingHow Does Language Influence Likes On Facebook?
How do you like this: Some languages might be more conducive to Facebook likes than others. Cultural factors are a much larger determinant, however. So says online translation portal Bab.la, which has tallied up the use of the famed Facebook like button in different languages. Now, let’s qualify the data: These statistics show how often speakers of different languages like Bab.la’s [...]
Click here to continue readingMPs Spend Thousands of Tax Pounds on Learning Languages
MPs spend thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash to learn foreign languages TORY tycoon Jeremy Hunt is using taxpayers’ cash to learn Mandarin – after marrying a Chinese woman. Mr Hunt, who earns £134,565 as a Cabinet minister on top of his multi-million-pound personal fortune, wed Lucia in her home city of Xian two years [...]
Click here to continue readingNorthants Police Spend £1.2m on Interpreters in Three Years
Police in Northamptonshire have spent £1.2 million on foreign interpreters in the past three years. Wootton Hall bosses have revealed the force is having to spend around £400,000 a year on employing a vast array of foreign language speakers to help officers interview increasing numbers of criminals, as well as witnesses, from countries across Europe, [...]
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