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...
Disasters happen all over the world. These disruptive, dangerous events require an immediate response. While an appropriate response can save lives and help those affected, the wrong response can be calamitous. Because disasters happen suddenly, disaster relief organizations must plan...
On January 1, 2018, a New York City-based academic came forth with allegations of having been sexually harassed by her adviser during her years of study in Beijing. Inspired by the growing movement in the United States, she wrote a...
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