Deconstruction of Turkish

Pronouns Singular Plural 1st Person Ben Biz 2nd Person Sen Siz 3rd Person O Onlar For the Plural Suffix use -ler if the final vowel is front (i, e, ü, ö) and if it is back (a, ı, o, u), use the suffix -lar. Possessive Suffixes The Possessive Determiners ( my, your, his, her, its, our, and their) are represented by this set of […]

Learning Asian Scripts with Youtubers

Listening is one of the four fundamental skills of language learning. Tuning the ear to native stress and intonation patterns facilitates comprehension and translates into accent reduction. Video is one of the best mediums to simulate a realistic immersion experience. Cross-sensory integration enhances connections between new vocabulary and diverse locals throughout the brain. Increased branching […]

100 Days of Cree

As I have been working my way through the rest of 100 Days of Cree by Neal McLeod offline, I thought I would share the rest of this challenge for the curious to reference. Day 1 – Working Together Wicihitok – Help one another Kiskisomitok – Remind each other Kisewatistotaw – be kind and generous […]

OpenCourseware for Language Learning

Opencourseware has produced an explosion of high value language courses accessible for free online. Mooc list, openculture, MERLOT, onlinecourses, opentextbookbc provide searchable aggregate course listing across platforms. The Open Education Consortium in collaboration with MERLOT offers a search engine on OER (Open Educational Resources). Coursera is one of the most comprehensive and popular opencourseware programs. Try […]

Why/When to Use a Professional Tutor and Where to Find One

Tutors are extremely helpful for working out tough grammar points or mastering the nuances of pronunciation. Laymen simply lack the depth of knowledge to explain these concepts coherently to help you past your personal pain points. Professional tutors or classes can also be a crucial source of structure, discipline, accountability and motivation. Exchange partners can […]

Introductions in Bantu Languages

The Bantu language family dominates most of central and southern Africa. English Swahili Zulu Xhosa Sesotho Hello Habari Sawubona Mholweni Lumela How are you? Habari yako? Unjani? Unjani? U phela joang? Good. Good. Okuhle. Kulungile. Molemo. What’s your name? Jina lako nani? Ubani igama lakho? Ngubani igama lakho? Lebitso la hau ke mang? I am… […]

Deconstructing KiSwahili

Swahili is a regional trade language and lingua franca used extensively in East Africa with over 135 million second language speakers. Around 5 million people speak Swahili as a native language. KiSwahili has undergone extensive Arab influence from twelve centuries of contact with Arabic-speaking inhabitants of the coast of Zanj; therefore, Swahili maintains 35% of its vocabulary […]

What Languages are Spoken in Africa?

When I studied geography in school, the only languages on the continent presented to us were the colonial languages. If we want to build bridges, reduce conflicts and decolonize, the true cultures of the land must be known and acknowledged. While the history is somewhat tarnished, the existing colonial languages can serve as bridges between […]

The Ultimate Guide to Finding Language Exchange Partners

Language exchange partners provide real-world exposure with the opportunity to intentionally slow-down and simplify speech. They allow you to actually speak, practice listening, build muscle memory, save money, make new friends, and learn about another culture (including its nonverbal cues). Others learners help you grow in confidence, feel less silly about making mistakes, know what […]

Re-cap of Month 1 Celebrating The International Year of Indigenous Languages by Learning Cree

The United Nations declared 2019 The Year of Indigenous Languages (IY2019) in order to raise awareness. Inspired by the facebook campaign facilitated by LindsayDoesLanguages, I’ve taken to sharing my journey with Cree on social media. I’ve been following along with Neal McLeod’s 100 Days of Cree and pinning away. After a full month of learning, its high-time […]