A recent BBC article titled Native English speakers are the world’s worst communicators reported on research that found that monolingual English speakers are generally worse than non-native speakers at communicating in international contexts. They introduce confusing language, misunderstand what others are … Continue reading
Now that spring is here and flowers are in bloom all over the northern hemisphere, it reminded us of the powerful gift of giving flowers to brighten someone’s day. But which flowers do you give for which occasion? And do … Continue reading
Sale no mobarak! That phrase—”Happy New Year”—was heard in countless households across the world today. When we welcome in the season of spring (or the vernal equinox) on March 20 each year, Persians welcome in their New Year: Nowruz (which translates … Continue reading
Learning a new phrase every day is a great way to build your vocabulary step by step. Flowers are peeking out all over, trees are budding, so we thought it would be refreshing to welcome the new season today by … Continue reading
In spite of what we tend to see here in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day is about a lot more than green beer and silly hats. A few years ago, we wrote about the customs and traditions of St. Patrick’s … Continue reading
Knowing a second language can improve your life, but it can also save the lives of others. A recent article in Politico by Carl Costas addressed the changing landscape in American demographics that is currently leading to a significant change in … Continue reading
Learning a new phrase every day is a great way to build your vocabulary step by step. What more obvious phrase to learn in another language than… “language”? Language Phrase [Transliteration] Arabic لُغة [lughah] Mandarin Chinese 语言 [yǚyán] Dutch taal French … Continue reading
As immigrants arrive in the United States, they bring with them their language as well as their culture. Just as immigrants and their cultures have become part of the fabric of this country, so have some words from their languages, … Continue reading
March is Women’s History Month (and International Women’s Day is March 8), so we’ve gathered a reading list of wonderful books by and about women. From childhood to adulthood, fiction to nonfiction, cooking to social commentary, we’re covering it all. … Continue reading