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Category: Language and Culture

Top U.S. Translation Schools: Online Programs

Looking to start your career as a translator or interpreter, but can’t seem to find a good program in your area? There are a number of certificate and master’s programs offered entirely online, allowing students to set their own pace...

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What does it mean to be “Fluent” in a language?

Many people dream of becoming fluent in a foreign language. Whether you want to land a new job, travel abroad, or understand what your new in-laws are saying, becoming fluent in a foreign language has its benefits. What are the...

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What is the Difference Between a Translator and an Interpreter?

In our increasingly global society, it is often necessary to communicate to an international audience, whether it’s communication from a multinational corporation, an event that is being broadcast around the world, or an author who wants to translate his or...

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The Rise of Invented Languages, From Klingon to Dothraki

Oel naati kam? That’s ‘I see you’ – a typical greeting in Na’vi, the Avatar language. Yes, I’m talking about the big blue people, though if you’re a science fiction fan, it probably doesn’t surprise you to know that an...

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The Importance of Cultural Competency

My German friend, Klaus, did an exchange program in Mexico during his third year of undergrad. After a couple of weeks in the bustling metropolis of Mexico City, he had made a few friends. One night, over some beers in...

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A Cup o’ Joe and a Heart Attack on a Rack, Please – The Delicious History of American Diner Lingo

Along with Uncle Sam, Civil War daguerreotypes, and hot apple pies on Thanksgiving, diners are one of those nostalgia-inducing cultural artifacts that somehow get under the skin of millennials and baby boomers alike. Diners have long been a quintessential element...

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Cinco de Mayo: A Minor Mexican Holiday Turned Major American Drinking Day

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is a day synonymous with tequila, recurring ethnic and culturally charged controversies, and more tequila. Long regarded by Americans as the boozy day in which both we and Mexico celebrate the independence of...

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Esperanto – The Language of International Peace

Bonan matenon, kiel vi fartas? That’s Esperanto for ‘good morning, how are you?’ If you’re trying to remember what country Esperanto is spoken in, don’t flex those brain muscles too hard. Because while around two million people from more than...

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Could Texting Be Making Us Linguistically Smarter?

Communication via complex language is perhaps the single most defining characteristic of humankind. But if the birth of spoken language was charted as hour zero on a twenty-four-hour clock, and the moment that you’re reading this article represents twenty-four-hundred-hours, written...

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Why Do We Change the Way We Speak Depending on Whom We’re Speaking to?

In a recent BBC article, subtle changes in Meghan Markle’s accent following her marriage to Prince Harry were brought into question. The Duchess of Sussex hails from California, but linguistics experts have noted that, recently, she has begun slipping in...

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Top U.S. Translation Schools: Specialized Programs

With the nearly exponential growth of the translation and interpretation industries over the past few decades, unique new language studies programs at universities seem to be cropping up all the time. Finding a program or degree that’s right for you...

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The Best Languages to Study for Government Jobs

In today’s global job market having bilingual skills can help you stand out among the masses to advance your career goals. According to the Center for Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at Ohio State University, the U.S. Government has greatly expanded...

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