Though Italian is spoken as a first language by over 60 million people and as a second language by many more, the Italian language is perhaps most famous for its non-verbal attributes; namely, its distinctive and expressive hand gestures. But while “talking with their hands” may be a characteristic associated with Italian speakers in general,(…)
How to Keep Your Students Motivated: A Guide for Language Teachers
Motivation is key to learning a language. If your students are genuinely interested in developing their language skills, they’ll improve much more quickly, as well as create a positive classroom environment that’s conducive to learning. Unfortunately, not all students are as excited about learning a language as you are about teaching it. If you’re dealing(…)
4 Common Mistakes Students of Portuguese Make
According to the British Council’s Languages for the Future report, Portuguese is considered to be the seventh most spoken language in the world. Brazil, regarded as the Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) epicenter, is famous for its sunny landscapes, vibrant cities, and beautiful oceanside views. But Brazil isn’t just beaches and sunshine: if you want to master the(…)
6 Common Mistakes That English Language Learners Make
With about a billion English language learners from all over the globe, English is the most popular second language worldwide. Indeed, millions of native speakers of all languages have acquired proficient English skills for business, family, or personal reasons. But achieving fluency in English doesn’t come without its fair share of difficulties. Below, we’ve compiled(…)
The 5 Hardest Things About Learning Italian
Italian is one of the most-studied foreign languages in the world, with nearly 64 million native speakers. But as anyone who’s learned Italian can tell you, it’s no walk in the park. From complicated conjugations to tongue-twisting pronunciations, the Italian language is full of challenges that often give learners a headache. Here are some of(…)
The 5 Most Common Mistakes that Students of German Make
Four cases, six verb tenses, three genders, four plural endings, and two ways of saying “you” — it’s no wonder that learners make a lot of mistakes when speaking German. And while making mistakes is an inevitable part of learning any language, knowing the most common ones can help you fix them before they become(…)
Top Dialects of the Korean Language
South Korea is a small country. At 100,000 square kilometers (around 39,000 square miles), it’s about the size of the state of Indiana. Because of this, you might expect that the Korean language would be fairly consistent throughout the country. However, this turns out not to be the case. Korean features several markedly different regional(…)
9 Surprising Facts About the Korean Language
South Korea isn’t huge: it’s the 109th-largest country in the world. But despite its small physical size, it’s made quite an impact internationally. Its automobiles such as Hyundai and Kia are sold all over the world; its catchy K-Pop tunes are gaining traction worldwide; and its delicious cuisine can be found in restaurants throughout the(…)
5 Reasons Why Argentine Spanish is Like Speaking a Different Language
Ah, Argentina: the land of juicy steak, Malbec wine, and unbridled passion for fútbol; the home of Evita Perón and the best dulce de leche you’ll ever taste. Before I set foot in Buenos Aires — itself an entirely different world; a mischievous lovechild of Paris and New Orleans, slathered in buena onda(…)
Achoo! A Cross-Linguistic Look at Reactions to Sneezing
“God bless you!” In English, we’re used to giving our blessings to people who have just sneezed. However, invoking God (or at least blessings) after sneezing is not common across all languages. When responding to sneezing, other languages often use other themes, such as health, the weather, or nothing at all. Here’s a cross-linguistic look(…)
