Language Feed - November 18, 2004

[Harold F. Schiffman]

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City gets C+ in 'language ambush'
Chicago Sun Times, November 18
I am proudly trilingual. OK, two of the languages are Pig Latin and Urtig.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-lang18.html

Alternative Congress Celebrates Linguistic Diversity
Inter Press Service News Agency, November 19
Many people realise that legendary Latin American revolutionary Che Guevara's name was actually Ernesto, and that "Che" was a nickname given to him by his Cuban comrades.
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=26350

Corruption of the English language through "management speak" The Star
Online, November 19 The English language is being destroyed by a “deadly
virus of management speak” which h as infected the mouths and minds of
politicians like Tony Blair and George W. Bush, a leading British
journalist.
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/11/19/features/9418559&sec=features

Mcdonald's Facing Probe over 'English Language Only' Rule The Scotsman,
November 18 Fast food giant McDonald’s could be in trouble with race
watchdogs for asking its staff to speak English, it was revealed today. An
outlet in Manchester put up a sign ordering employees to use English at
all times in the store – including the staff room.
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3774142

Fear Is Spread by Body Language, Study Says National Geographic News,
November 16 A menacing body posture can be as threatening as a frightening
facial expression, according to new research.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/11/1116_041116_fear_posture.html

Dual-language school lauded as national model Seattle Times, November 17
When Principal Karen Kodama enters a kindergarten c lassroom in Seattle's
John Stanford International School, the students pause from learning
numerals, greet her in Japanese and enthusiastically bow to her as a
"sensei," or teacher.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002091980_stanford16m.html

Language Programs Popular
 Korea Times, November 16 Despite the economic slowdown, big-ticket items
for language training programs are capturing the lucrative attention of
consumers.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200411/kt2004111615461510230.htm

Tone Language Translates To Perfect Pitch: Mandarin Speakers More Likely
To Acquire Rare Musical Ability Science Daily, November 15 Could it be
that cellist Yo-Yo Ma owes his perfect musical pitch to his Chinese
parents? While we may never know the definitive answer, new research from
the University of California, San Diego has found a strong link between
speaking a tone language - such as Mandarin - and having perfect pitch,
the ability once thought to be the rare province of
 super-talented musicians.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/11/041114235846.htm

The language of school Baltimore Sun, November 14, 2004 (username:
langfeed, password: language) A Howard school program helps immigrant
parents fill out forms, assist with homework, and better understand their
rapidly assimilating children.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-ho.pace14nov14,1,2442282.story?coll=bal-local-howard

Tongue-twisting Urdu is language of choice Times Online, November 15 In
less than three months, Thomas Watters has mastered 38 letters of the Urdu
alphabet, twisted his tongue around unfamiliar vocabulary and learnt to
write in script. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1358978,00.html

Windows software in Inca language Gulf Daily News, November 13 Microsoft
will translate its blockbuster computer software Windows and Office into
Quechua, the language of the indigenous Inca, for Andean nations from
Argentina to Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecu ador and Peru, where it is
spoken,
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=96428&Sn=WORL&IssueID=27238

Teens use language skills outside of class Post-Crescent, November 6 These
days, Anna Linskens isn’t using her Spanish-English dictionary just for
homework.
http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/news/archive/local_18518005.shtml

Internet jargon, acronyms enter English language Lumberjack Online,
November 18 BRB. AFK. TTYL. ROFL. If you can recognize any of these
acronyms, chances are, you have chatted online.
http://www.lumberjackonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/11/18/419d7cbc89372

Language "trees" provide window into the past Scoop, November 17 An
Auckland University researcher who stunned academics worldwide by tracing
origins of the English and all other Indo-European languages back 9000
years to farmers in Anatolia, now Turkey, has turned his attention to the
Mayan and Aztec language families of Mesoamerica.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0411/S00 052.htm

Workers fighting English-only rules Denver Post, November 18 While still
rare, cases brought against employers who limit language have grown 612%
since 1996. http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2541943,00.html

Must the Whole World Speak English? Forbes, November 12 The French
educational world is convulsed by a report on the future of its school
system. A commission headed by education expert Claude Thélot has
recommended that the teaching of English be mandatory in all French
schools and that it be accorded the same importance as the French language
and mathematics.
http://www.forbes.com/columnists/free_forbes/2004/1129/039.html

It's vital where you put your 'but' The Age, November 12 Ending a sentence
with the word "but" has been hailed as a distinctive Australian linguistic
trait. Not that you'll find it in the grammar books, but.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Its-vital-where-you-put-your-but/2004/11/11/1100131134199.html?oneclick=true

Newsc asters speaking in "-ing" are creating a tense situation Chicago
Tribune, November 10 Milk sales are up, reported NBC's Peter Alexander
last month on "Nightly News." What Alexander said was this: "America's
favorite drink at home now becoming a popular choice for families on the
go." Not "is becoming," but "now becoming."
http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/tv/mmx-0411090366nov10,0,5906844.story?coll=mmx-television_heds
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