The Language Learning Specialists
Linguist Brian Loo Soon Hua helps answer the question. Walk along the streets of Beijing and listen carefully to the little toddlers calling for their mothers while out on an evening stroll and what do you hear? 妈妈 or māma. On the other side of the world you’ll hear Spanish children crying for mamá while … Read more
English speakers should be wary of receiving ein Gift from a German! That’s because Gift just happens to be the German word for “poison”! And more incredibly, both the English and German meanings stem from the exact same Proto-Germanic root – giftiz! Our friend and language guru Brian Loo Soon Hua explains all: The word … Read more
By our multi-lingual friend Brian Loo Soon Hua aka uTalk’s Language Guru Did you know that Canada was almost named Efisga? Or, even more unusual, Hochelaga? Imagine the jokes Americans would have been making about their Efisgan or Hochelagan neighbours to the north! Thankfully, “Canada” came into official use in 1791 when the Province … Read more
Malaysian steamed buns – what a passer-by might offer you in a rural village. Brian, who grew up in Malaysia, is embarrassed at any suggestion that he’s a high-achiever. The 37-year-old, who works as a language translator, educator and blogger, is more interested in helping others learn languages than bigging himself up. “Where … Read more