Languages

California, Canada, The Bronx. Between cities, states, countries and continents, we know hundreds of place names like the back of our hand. But have you ever stopped to think about origins of those place names?

Check out some of these places to discover the linguistic origin behind the names. Some of them might surprise you!

» Read More of 10 Unusual Origins of Place Names

The Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film is awarded for excellence in world cinema and is considered one of the most prestigious awards for feature-length, non-English films produced outside of the United States.

Which foreign language film will win the Oscar this year?

» Read More of 2010 Foreign Language Film Oscar Nominees

The 2010 Academy Awards had surprise winners in several categories, including Best Foreign Language Film.

The winner of the foreign language film category was “El secreto de sus ojos,” or “The Secret in Their Eyes.” The Argentine film beat out four other nominees, including the front-runner from Germany, “Das weisse Band” (“The White Ribbon”).

» Read More of 2010 Foreign Language Film Winner

You might find that language programs or a set of tapes is the method that works best for you, but you don’t need these (sometimes costly) language learning tools to get you started. There are resources that don’t cost a dime in your community and online.

Try these four free language learning tools the next time you want to practice your language skills.

» Read More of 4 Free Language Learning Tools

Learning another language is an exhilarating trip into a new world – and it can take some effort to get there.

Luckily, there are a few easy ways to make your trip go a lot more smoothly. Making your own materials, watching films, and chatting with friends are all ways you can learn another language – and have a great time doing it!

» Read More of 6 Tips for Learning Another Language

The recent release of James Cameron’s cinematic juggernaut Avatar has focused attention on fictional languages – specifically on Na’vi, the artificial language created for the film.

Dozens of fictional languages have appeared in literature and film, but only a handful of these artificial languages were fully developed enough to be spoken day-to-day. Have you heard of these fictional languages?

» Read More of Artificial Language: Na’vi, Elvish & More

Schools in Manchester, England banned slang in schools last month, as professors claiming the slang language is hampering students’ abilities to decide what language is appropriate for certain environments.

But how can we tell when language is slang? Many words that used to be considered slang language have now become accepted as a common addition to English lexicon, and would be considered acceptable on any occasion.

» Read More of Banning Slang?: Language in Transition

On Veterans Day last week, US citizens remembered all those who served for their country – including the translators. And some of the most celebrated translators were responsible for Navajo translation: the code talkers of World War II.

Navajo code talkers reported for duty at the beginning of the war, sending military messages over radio using a system based on Navajo translation. Their work helped lead US troops to victory in the Pacific.

» Read More of Breaking the Code: Navajo Translation

Languages have played an important role in the Malaysia court system over the past few weeks, raising questions about language barriers and the need for accessible legal translation in the justice system.

Some citizens, notably Ibrahim’s lawyer, renowned politician Karpal Singh, are urging Malaysian officials to reconsider the ruling and revisit Malaysia’s language legislation in general.

» Read More of Debating Languages in Malaysia Courts

This month, a debate has been brewing across the pond over the importance and relevance of Irish language translation.

Irish language- sometimes known as Gaelic, Gaeilge or Erse – is the first of Ireland’s two official languages. The other, English, is far more commonly spoken, prompting debates over whether the government should bother with Irish language translation at all.

» Read More of Do We Need Irish Language Translation?