Study Another Language on Your Own? Why Not?
I keep telling everyone how useful it can be to learn another language. Actually, I’m not the only one . . . I see reports and news stories all the time advocating a second language. Reasons cited include possible professional advantages, the benefits of learning another culture through its language and literature, and “exercising” your […]
The Tree of Language
Trees are a fascinating way to show relationships between languages. Minna Sundberg, a Finnish illustrator, used a tree very effectively to show how major European and many Eastern languages can be grouped into families. The whole image is dotted with languages, with bigger leaves representing those with the most native speakers. If you look at […]
Superstitions: Our Strange Beliefs
We often find ourselves stopping while we are talking to an exchange student in our group and asking, “do you know what I mean by what I just said? When I say “knocking on wood,” does that mean anything to you?” It’s really easy to just use terms like that and continue on with whatever […]
Time and Language: Can You See the Future?
We recently watched the 2016 movie Arrival, which critics are calling one of the best science fiction movies in decades. We enjoyed it as a film that tries to envision how our planet’s politics might play into first contact with alien visitors. We also liked how the movie focused on how language intersects with culture. […]