The Language Learning Specialists
Learning a language can sometimes be fraught with problems when you try to put your new-found skill into action (like ordering the wrong thing in a restaurant), but even if you really are fluent in a language it can still backfire on you. Some 25 years ago, when I was finally fluent in Modern Greek … Read more
In June 2010, I began a six-month journey through Asia, and my first day saw me crashing into Chinese culture. I arrived in the hutongs of Beijing (traditional closely grouped houses) where I was met with the foreign smell of uncovered meats being cooked on narrow streets, the noisy chatting of families sat on the … Read more
I spent nine months studying translation in Barcelona in 2003, so the other night, I watched the film Pot Luck (the original title: L’Auberge Espagnole) for nostalgic reasons. Alongside the memories, another thing that struck me about this film was the variety of languages that were spoken. You had English, French, Spanish and Danish – … Read more
Recently I set myself a mid-year resolution. I graduated in Hispanic Studies back in 2004, but haven’t really spoken Spanish since, and when recently a colleague needed me to talk to someone on the phone, I struggled to keep the conversation going. Thinking back to some of the experiences I had during my year living … Read more