The Language Feed - October 29, 2004

Fri Oct 29 17:19:46 UTC 2004

The Language Feed
October 29, 2004

This issue and archives can be read on the web at
http://mason.gmu.edu/~smorris2/feed <http://mason.gmu.edu/%7Esmorris2/feed>
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Vietnamese language program ends
Washington Times, October 28
The Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif., has junked its
Vietnamese language program, focusing its resources instead on Arabic.
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20041028-115135-4215r.htm

Teachers of Filipino worry the subject could be driven out of schools
Union Tribune, October 28
Virginia Ferrer's Filipino classes are so popular at Otay Ranch High
School in Chula Vista that enrollment has doubled over the last year. To
handle the demand, she teaches more students than the limit specified in
her union contract.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20041028-9999-2m28filip.html

B'lore is a foreign language IT turf
Economic Times, October 27
As a hunting ground for English speaking Information Technology (IT)
professionals, Bangalore is second to none. The city is emerging as a
fertile arena for those looking at foreign language resource pool too.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/900394.cms

National language policy: Problems and reality
Jakarta Post, October 28
On Thursday, the nation commemorates Youth Pledge Day. In 1928, 17 years
before the country's independence, a group of Indonesian youths pledged
that Indonesia would become one country, with one nation and one
language. During this day, people often talk about the need to protect
the Indonesian language from foreign influences.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20041028.F01

Sign language lets deaf citizens see Kerry’s words
Green Bay Press Gazette, October 27
Beth Urquhart listened to every word John Kerry spoke, turning his words
into sign language for the deaf and hearing impaired.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_18379774.shtml

Case for Bridging Arabic Language Gap
NPR, October 25
Commentator and linguist John McWhorter thinks that we should be making
a greater effort to teach Arabic in American schools.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4125877

Germans prefer belongings to love when it comes to language
Scotsman, October 26
Love lost out to property when Germany chose its most beautiful word
from a list of 22,000 entries.
http://news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1238932004

Google launches Swahili language internet search engine
East African Standard, October 26
Internet search engine Google has launched a Kiswahili language service
to be accessed through the .ke domain name.
http://www.eastandard.net/mags/fs/news.php?articleid=4086

Defining English by word of mouth
Liverpool Daily Post, October 26
The spelling is a nightmare, the grammar is unfathomable, but Melvyn
Bragg is certain of one thing: we should all relish the privilege of
enjoying at first hand the richness and beauty of the English language.
http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=14798614&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=defining-english-by-word-of-mouth-name_page.html
<http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=14798614&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=defining-english-by-word-of-mouth-name_page.html>

Syria launches program to save Aramaic language
ABC Online, October 24
In Syria, the government has launched a program to save one of the
world's oldest and most important languages from dying out.
http://www.abc.net.au/correspondents/content/2004/s1226140.htm

At this church, no language barrier
Boston Globe, October 23
Upstairs at the Second Church in Dorchester, worshipers sway in song and
listen to their pastor, the Rev. Victor Price, preach passionately about
showing Jesus to people in everyday life.
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/10/23/at_this_church_no_language_barrier/

Setting language school standards
The Prague Post, October 21, 2004
If there's anything to which the favorite Czech aphorism about
toadstools applies, it's Prague language schools. And while these
unregulated institutions don't quite pop up like mushrooms after the
rain, they're nearly as prolific.
http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2004/spsect/1021/sp3.php

Karaoke helps immigrant students learn the lingo
Kansas City Star, October 23
(email: language at yahoo.com, password: language)
Everybody wants a shot at that microphone. Lined up two by two, the
waiting singers fidget in line yet keep their eyes on the karaoke
machine, watching for those first words to pop up.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/9993245.htm

Professor says IQ not reflected by words
Daily Mississippian, October 28
People’s choice of words and grammar does not reflect their
intelligence, their educational background or their level of culture, a
linguistics professor said Monday.
http://www.thedmonline.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/10/28/4180e6b94e645

Catching the Sound of the City
Washington Post, October 26
Arrrrrr, mateys. Gather round me if ye dare. What am I, a pirate all of
a sudden? No, it's just my way of announcing that today's column is
brought to you by the letter R, or, more correctly, the sound of the
letter R.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62786-2004Oct25.html

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Watch for the next Feed on November 19.
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