The Language Feed - December 10, 2004

Fri Dec 10 19:55:09 UTC 2004

The Language Feed
December 10, 2004

This issue and archives can be read on the web at
http://mason.gmu.edu/~smorris2/feed

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Botswana Ovambanderu Seek to Revive Language
AllAfrica.com, December 8
Batswana of Ovamban-deru origin are strongly lobbying for the teaching
of their ancestral language in schools here, and if possible an opening
of their own school teaching their language.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200412080285.html

South Korean capital opens 'English village' for language study
The Star, December 7
Officials in South Korea's capital dedicated an "English village''
Tuesday that will give students who can't afford to go abroad the
experience of full immersion in an English-language society.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/12/7/latest/20048SouthKore&sec=latest

Time to stop shouting at Johnny Foreigner
ic Birmingham, December 10
Should the world learn English or should we learn the languages of the
world? Being multi-lingual is an asset that the UK appears to be in
danger of wasting.
http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100localnews/tm_objectid=14963189&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=time-to-stop-shouting-at-johnny-foreigner-name_page.html

German Supplementary School Teaches Culture, Language to Expat Kids
Dateline Alabama, December 10
A little-noticed building on the edge of ten Hoor's parking lot is
helping to keep German-born children in tune with their native language
and traditions while living in Tuscaloosa.
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041210/DATELINE01/41209002/1156/dateline

Parents protest plan to pare bilingual program
Monterey County Herald, December 9
Trudging a couple of miles through cold rain and wind, parents in the
Alisal Union School District marched Wednesday afternoon in protest of
the district's proposal to restructure its struggling bilingual
education program.
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/10375742.htm

Study's focus on Hispanic students
NWAnews, December 10
Northwest Arkansas schools need better atrategies to help immigrant
Hispanic students succeed, according to a report released Thursday by a
California institute.
http://www.nwanews.com/story.php?paper=adg&section=News&storyid=101438

English immersion classes find following, results
Japan Times, December 10
An English immersion school is preparing to open its doors in the city
of Ota, Gunma Prefecture, in the spring.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20041210f3.htm

Taste of China: Language, cultural programs proposed for town's schools
Shrewsbury Chronicle, December 9
The far-away country does not seem that remote now that educators,
students and school administrators are working on a series of projects
to include Chinese culture and language programs in the town's schools.
http://www2.townonline.com/shrewsbury/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=140474

Creating Literature in Native Languages
NPR, December 8
NPR's Noah Adams talks with Kenyan writer Ngugi wa Thiong'o about the
importance of creating literature in small languages in order to
preserve world cultures.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4208978

Glossy English magazines get Japanese ladies talking
Kansas City Star, December 9 (email: language at yahoo.com, password: language)
Magazines written in easy English featuring articles on movies,
traveling and food are becoming popular with women who want to learn the
language.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/10375876.htm?1c

Language tops 'Britishness poll'
BBC News, December 7
Speaking English is the most important British characteristic, a survey
finds.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4074801.stm

Reluctant teachers: 'Why should English be studied?'
Japan News, December 9
With the possibility of English lessons spreading into all the nation's
schools, elementary school teachers are being forced to study the
language -- and some are struggling.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20041209f1.htm

Campaign urges America to learn foreign languages
The Washington Times, December 8
Nearly half of Americans say there is "too little" foreign language
instruction in the nation's public schools, and 50 percent attribute
this to a lack of funding, a Roper Poll has discovered.
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041207-111412-8271r.htm

On the lexicon beat, 'dude' rules
Kansas City Star, December 10 (email: language at yahoo.com, password:
language)
A linguist from the University of Pittsburgh has published a scholarly
paper deconstructing and deciphering the word "dude".
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/nation/10372122.htm

A bilingual America? Not likely
International Herald Tribune, December 9
English remains the language of choice among the children and
grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/12/08/news/english.html

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