Today marks the start of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest (more commonly known as Jazz Fest) that celebrates the culture of Louisiana and New Orleans. Named after the Duke of Orléans in 17th century France by members of the French … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: April 2012
Lost In Translation: Funny English to Spanish Movie Title Translations
A few days ago, I was discussing with a student how movie subtitles aren’t usually very accurate.The task of translating a movie script and shortening the words to a minimum amount to fit it each movie caption seems pretty difficult … Continue reading
Japanese Business Card Etiquette
名刺（めいし meeshi), which means business cards, play an important role in Japanese business culture. If you want to network as a professional, you’ll benefit from a lesson on how to exchange business cards. The procedures are not complicated, but you … Continue reading
Essential Arabic Giveaway
Yesterday Living Language released a brand-new Arabic program – Essential Arabic. This first step for beginners includes a course book, audio CDs and access to free online lessons in our Language Lab. We are excited about the launch and want … Continue reading
Italian Government Announces Restoration Project for Pompeii
Good news for the ancient city of Pompeii, home of the world’s greatest archaeological treasures and truly a unique place. Volcanic ash from nearby Mount Vesuvius smothered the Roman city in 79 A.D., leaving it partially buried for centuries. A few days ago, the Italian … Continue reading
Vive La Baguette!
For most, the baguette is an iconic symbol of French culture. The phrase “French bread” evokes an image of a golden-brown, long, thin loaf with a crisp and sweet crust. It’s known for its leaf-shaped surface cuts, the crumb white … Continue reading
A Spanish Song with International Fame: ¿¡Oye cómo va!?
Tito Puente released the internationally famous song “Oye como va” (hear how it goes) in 1963 and after lots of covers and versions by other famous artists, the original version by Tito Puente and his orchestra remains unbeatable one of … Continue reading
Italian vulcano erupts again! It is pretty hot.
Italy is a very diverse country, and not just culturally but also geologically. Europe’s largest volcano [vulcano], Mount Etna, is in Sicily. Another big active volcano Vesuvio is near Naples, which sports one of the highest population density in the world … Continue reading
The Spirit of the South: the Works of Marcel Pagnol
The name of Marcel Pagnol is deeply embedded in the French culture of the 20th century, especially the south of France where most of his works take place. His pastoral films evoke the blazing mediterranean sun, the unrelenting singing of … Continue reading
Mia’s Italian: Fotos Da Italia!
For the past several months we’ve been following Mia as she learns Italian with Living Language Platinum in preparation for her family’s trip to Italy. Mia has touched down in Italia and is sharing photos via Instagram. You can follow … Continue reading