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Très Cool! Babies Cry in Their Native Language
I've always found it fascinating that dogs "bark" in different languages. Though we say "ruff ruff" in English, that same noise is expressed as "ouah, ouah" in French. Now here's something even cooler: German researchers have started to think that babies' wails sound different depending on what language their parents speak.
Geek Tip: Learn Language Basics With an App
You already know that you can brush up on a language by changing the settings on your gadgets, but what if you need to start from the beginning and learn the basics of a new language? The good news is you don't have to drop a fortune on one of those learn-at-home courses, but instead, you can download the Byki app for your iPhone and study up on the basics of 15 languages so you can be prepared for your next trip abroad.
Using flash cards, quizzes, phrasebooks, and a Perfect Recall program that tracks which words you're having trouble with, then gives you those words more often, you're sure to impress the next time you visit a foreign country.
Do Tell: What Language Do You Wish You Could Speak?
I'm always very impressed by people who can speak multiple languages fluently. In my battle to learn French, which started in high school, I've often felt like Joey from Friends, who struggles to learn French for an acting part. In that episode, which I've posted for you here, Joey tries his best, but can't do better than speaking French-sounding gibberish.
Change Gadget Settings to Help You Learn a New Language
I've heard that the way to learn a language quickly is to immerse yourself in it, and although you may not be able to move to the country of your choice, adjusting small things in your everyday life can help you learn and remember a language more efficiently. For example, did you know that PetSugar speaks Italian? Neither did I, until she told me she changed the default language on her iPhone to Italian.
Sarah Palin: Poet?
No matter how you feel about Sarah Palin, you have to admit the woman has an awfully strange way of expressing herself. I've heard her tortured syntax and odd word choices described as a "word salad," but one writer goes further. Palin's speech is likened to a verbal Armageddon because of her unique ability to turn a simple idea into near incomprehensible gobbledygook.
Can Cursing Be Good For Kids, Too?
Barnacles! Fiddlesticks! Boiling engines!
Vocabulary Test Time! Can You Speak (New) English?
Every day editors of the Merriam-Webster dictionary spend hours reading books, magazines, newspapers, and online publications to find out how people are using the English language. Eventually, if a word is used enough, it gets added to the dictionary! This year, Merriam-Webster added 100 new words, including frenemy, ginormous, smackdown, sudoku, and speed dating.
Gay-Married: A Term of Exuberance or Ignorance?
Some gay people may get married now, but do they get "gay-married"? Not so sure. The term is popular among a gaggle of campy gay (and straight) people to signify that they like something a lot.
Mommy Dearest: Potty Mouthed Parents Cursed Playdate
Mommy Dearest,
I am at a loss for words after a playdate at the park with a few of my two-year-old son's friends and their families. One set of parents used four-letter words so frequently and freely that a child (not their own) started repeating one of the words, even screaming it, for attention. The cursing couple thought it was funny. I told them that my husband and I try to curb the use of swearing in our home and don't focus on it if we do slip up so our kids don't pick up the poor language choice. The mom and dad still didn't get the hint and kept using profanity in front of the children.
Origins of PC Abbreviation "Ms." Not So Feminist
Using Ms. instead of Miss or Mrs. has become the norm in business. I've always thought we use it not only because we don't know a woman's marriage status, but also because ultimately it doesn't matter.
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