Don’t give up: New Year’s Resolutions

We’re now a week and a half into the New Year, and it’s safe to say a lot of people will already have given up on the promises they made to themselves when the clock struck midnight on January 1st. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, quit smoking, learn a new skill or save money, … Read more

Join the revival – learn Cornish

Today we have a guest post from Elizabeth Stewart, from the Cornish Language Partnership, on why Cornish is a great language to learn. The Cornish language, or Kernewek as it is known by those who speak it, is enjoying a hugely successful revival.  Those who are fortunate enough to live in the Duchy, or visit … Read more

Don’t be shy, get talking!

A recent poll has found that only one in ten British travellers learn any of the language before they visit another country. Some claimed this was because English is now so widely spoken, while others blamed shyness and a fear of saying the wrong thing. I understand the second excuse much more than the first. … Read more

The beginner’s guide to London

As London welcomes visitors from all over the world this week, we’ve put together our own guide to the city, with a selection of hints and tips to help you feel like a local… While you’re here – Why not take the River Bus from Putney to Blackfriars, then on to Greenwich? It’s a fast and comfortable … Read more

A feast of languages: Shakespeare as we’ve never seen it before

Last Monday, 23rd April, was the 448th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare, and marked the launch of Globe to Globe, a series of Shakespeare’s plays performed over six weeks in 37 different languages at the Globe Theatre on London’s South Bank. On Monday, Troilus and Cressida was performed in Maori by New Zealand’s … Read more

The uncertain nationality of The Artist

On 26th February, The Artist swept the board at the Academy Awards, winning five of the twelve categories it was nominated for.  This included Best Picture, Director (Michel Havanavicius) and Actor (Jean Dujardin). However, something has bothered me since the release of this picture. It is a film with French actors in the two leading … Read more

Encouraging English learners in Ethiopia

Our guest post today is by Elizabeth Horsefield, a volunteer with the VSO in Ethiopia. Ethiopia was perhaps not the intended market for a EuroTalk Interactive Learn English CD-ROM. But it’s going down a storm. I work as a VSO volunteer in a Teacher Training College in a rural area of Western Oromia, Ethiopia. We … Read more

Valentine’s – it’s not all flowers and chocolates…

Valentine’s Day is here again, and like a lot of people, I’m a bit fed up with it. I’ve lost count of the number of emails I’ve received over the last few weeks, inviting me to use Valentine’s as an excuse to buy everything from chocolates to an iPad – I even got one suggesting … Read more