The app marketplace teems with clickables that promise shortcuts to learning. Among these apps, mobile programs to learn a second language have exploded in popularity, as busy adult learners search for methods to educate themselves through easy-to-use formats—in fact, the...
We’ve all heard some variation of the ultra-absorbent, spongy brain explanation that suggests children’s talent for second language acquisition comes as naturally to them as a sugar high on Halloween night. But is it actually true? Empirically speaking, yes. To...
The Gregorian calendar dates back to 1592 when Pope Gregory XIII instituted it as a revision of the Julien calendar. After its introduction, it slowly spread across Italy, then to Portugal, Spain, and the German Catholic states. In 1699, it...
We’re getting close to a new decade (on the Gregorian calendar, at least), and around the world, people are preparing to celebrate the start of the new ‘20s with New Year’s traditions that run donning colored underwear to setting cars...
It’s almost 2020, which means that this year, we’re reflecting not just on all the things that happened in 2019, but on a whole decade of happenings. In this post, we turn our gaze to the many cinematic gems that...
A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at some of the words and phrases that were transformed by the 2010s, taking on new forms and meanings to fit with the changing times. Today, we’re looking at neologisms the...
The modern American portrayal of Santa Claus grew out of traditions surrounding three historical figures: Saint Nicholas of Myra, 16th century Britain’s Father Christmas, and the ancient Germanic god Woden. They hold differing levels of influence in modern Santa Claus-related...
Settle in and get cozy: it’s time for a good old-fashioned guilt-free TV binge. Even a mega-marathon of these shows would be time well spent. After all, developing your listening comprehension skills is crucial to language learning. Just remember to...
The Economist’s 2019 Safe Cities Index is the result of a multifaceted investigation that looks at fifty-seven indicators across these four major categories. The study ranks the top five cities in each category, and winners range from Chicago and Washington,...
A lot has happened in the past decade. Technological advances have created new norms in everything from dating and consumer culture to the organization of political movements. As our cultural and political landscapes continue to shift, the language we use...
In 1979, when the Somoza Regime of Nicaragua was overthrown, the new government embarked on what’s been referred to as a ‘literacy crusade,’ in which various initiatives were implemented to promote reading in Spanish. One such initiative was the creation...
If you’ve ever witnessed an interpreter in action, you know you’ve seen something amazing: how a skilled professional can rapidly process and express ideas in another language—in a flash. Watching such a scene of graceful and rapid interpretation might have...
As humans, engaging in conversation comes so naturally to us that we tend to overlook the complex mechanics of the back and forth ‘dance’ we are constantly performing as interlocuters. You speak, I speak, usually starting my turn just about...
It’s a lesson we’re taught at a young age: What do we say? Say thank you…or gracias…or danke schön. Among world languages, English places perhaps the highest value on the linguistic expressions of thanks. So it’s logical that English speakers...
While many people worry about the world’s endangered plant and animal species, fewer are aware of the plight that endangered languages face. According to Time Magazine, a language dies every three months. Languages die out for a variety of reasons....
In 1940, a chemical engineer working for an insurance company and moonlighting as an anthropology lecturer at Yale University published a paper that became wildly, internationally popular. Benjamin Lee Whorf convinced a generation that the language we learn as our...
The past decade has ushered in an abundance of live radio feeds from around the world. Now, with only a click or two, you can satisfy your cravings for music from faraway lands. International radio offers you a global experience...
You have a big test coming up, and you want to perform well. But if your mind is clouded with anxiety about your performance, it can be difficult for you to focus on the task at hand. Anxiety doesn’t have...
Not every country celebrates Halloween at the same time or in the same way as the USA. Most countries do, however, have a rich tradition of monster lore that reveals cultural norms, behavioral expectations, and methods for reducing wayward children...
On May 30, 1967, just two days before the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a novel came out in Buenos Aires that was destined to sell more copies world-wide than Homer’s The Odyssey, Mitchell’s Gone with the...
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