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Top 10 Skills Every New Graduate Needs

Every year, fresh graduates enter the workforce aiming to put their hard-earned degrees to good use. Very often, the graduates tend to rely on the academic excellence to score top positions in top companies. While this might have worked in the past, the global job industry is changing and with that, more companies are demanding a lot more than knowledge gained from a students’ time spent in university.

Here are the top 10 skills that will help you to impress your prospective employers. Put on your Positivity Cloak - game on.

1. Proficiency with computer software programs

It’s no surprise that knowledge of software programs is one of the most sought after skills by employers in every industry. Technology is fast becoming an essential part of every industry. Knowledge in using software that are used in the industry for a job you are applying for can make you the top candidate for many employers.

2. Ability to create and/or edit written reports

Professional writing is a difficult task to master for many. However, if you are a fresh graduate and entering the work force, you are expected to have a decent standard of proficiency in writing and editing reports. These could be simple presentation slides about a product your company is trying to sell, or detailed technical reports explaining a product to the senior management. Good writing skills will boost your chances to score that dream job.

3. Soft skills

Soft skills are looked down upon by most graduates as they believe their ability to carry out specialized job requirements are sufficient to land them a job. However, teamwork, people skills, efficient communication etc. are part of the soft skills that are not only essential in any workplace, they mean you will stay around! It is no surprise that employers look for these in a prospective candidate.

4. Languages

In our increasingly globalized world, fluency in multiple languages will put you at a great advantage. Big companies these days are expanding their operations worldwide and try to appeal to the global demographic and having knowledge of additional languages will make you an attractive candidate for most employers. Even more so if combined with international experience.

5. Coding skills

LinkedIn’s analysis of the 25 most sought-after skills in a recent study revealed a trend: almost every skill involved digital technologies, IT or programming. A ‘solid grasp of the Microsoft Office suite’ probably isn’t enough to impress your employer. Coding is one of the most sought after skills in the job market these days. With plenty of online tutorials available, anyone can become proficient in coding quickly.

6. Work experience

What employers want is hands-on experience. In fact, in an EU survey, almost 90% of employers said work experience was crucial for new hires. One of the best ways to get experience is through an internship. If you choose the right one, it can teach you new skills and could even turn into a permanent position. Try to do your internship in various industries to increase your skill set while focusing more on an industry that could be your future career.

7. Organizational Skills

Management of time and resources is a key aspect of any company. The ability to plan, organize and prioritize work is a necessary skill in any job and for any task. A graduate with good management skills will catch the eye of employers as they prefer tasks to be done quickly and efficiently.

8. Drive

Determination to get things done is essential to climb up the leadership ladder in any company. This is also essential for new employees to make a good first impression. While an interview might be the first encounter with a senior member of the company, exhibiting the drive to excel at what you are required to do will leave a lasting impression on your employer. Keep learning, even though you have left uni, and brush up on new skills you suddenly find you need. The flexibility of online courses is a great to manage this while working

9. Speech

The ability to address a crowd can be a handy skill to have when applying for a job. Good speaking skills and the ability to communicate effectively and politely can make you stand out among other candidates.

10. Leadership Skills

For growth in any company, you need to exhibit good leadership skills. The ability to delegate, manage and lead a group of people is an ideal skill to have to impress the senior management and thereby make you a candidate for promotion.

Last but not least, a huge helping of positivity combined with a willingness to get stuck in with whatever is needed goes a long way. Smile, be prepared to listen and learn, and your new colleagues will welcome you as the asset that you are!

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Which Nationalities are the Best at Learning Languages?

Language learning is often associated with cramming vocabulary and remembering grammar rules. While these are necessary to master a language, there are additional factors that play a role in how fast and how well you can be fluent in a particular language.

Countries across the globe have varying numbers of multilinguals. While some nations have a poor record in mastering languages that are not necessarily their first language, others seem to be gifted in their ability to be fluent in up to three languages.

Here we break down the nationalities that are the most multilingual and discuss what makes it easy for certain nationalities to be multilingual. Is it science or human determination? Or is it a combination of both along with some ‘learning hacks’?

Read on to find out.

Who Speaks What and Where?

Aruba

Dutch is an official language and is taught in all schools. Both English and Spanish are also required languages in Aruba's education system, and most students become fluent by the time they finish school.

India

India is the seventh largest country in the world, and it is no surprise that there are many languages present that are unique to each region. Though English is preferred over Hindi in southern India, each state in India has its own official language(s), most of which differ from English and Hindi. These languages are used in local media and on the street. Most educated Indians are at least trilingual, and people who move between states may have a working knowledge of additional languages. Many Indians are able to communicate and understand four or more languages.

Luxembourg

This tiny European nation's populace is fluent in four languages. When conversing with one another, locals use Luxembourgish. This tongue is related to German, but incomprehensible to native German speakers owing to its large number of French loan words. French and German, both co-official languages, are spoken by everyone and are a required part of every child's education. Official government business is conducted in French. In addition, a fourth language, English, is a compulsory subject in schools.

Malaysia

Malaysia is country with various ethnic groups. Malaysians whose ancestors came from India can speak their familial language in addition to Malay and English. Chinese Malays learn Mandarin in school, but most also speak other dialects (such as Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka) at home or on the street. In big cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru, it is not uncommon to find Chinese Malaysians who can speak two or three Chinese dialects in addition to Malay and English.

Singapore

Singapore has four official languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Signage in this ethnically diverse city-state contains all four of these languages. However, hardly any resident actually speaks all four, though most are fluent in at least two.

South Africa

South Africa is a country with a whole load of languages that are unique to the continent. Many South Africans speak English in addition to a language that is prevalent in their hometown. Some might even have fluency of up to three or more tongues, such as English, Afrikaans and regional languages such as Zulu or Swahili.

Switzerland

The four national languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian and Romansh. All but Romansh maintain equal status as official languages at the national level within the Federal Administration of the Swiss Confederation. 64.9% of the population speak German, 22.6% French, 8.3% Italian, and 0.5% Rumantsch Grischun (Romansh), and all have the right to address the federal assembly in their own language. The Swiss federation consists of 26 cantons, or states, all with much more control over their own affairs, including education and language policy, so who learns which languages depends on which canton they are in.

Although there are differences between the languages and its Swiss version i.e. Swiss German, Swiss French, Swiss Italian, “It’s the same dish but the spices are different,"  as described by Andres Kristol, director of the University of Neuchâtel’s Centre for the Study of Dialects and Regional French.

Plus, although English isn't an official language, it's widely spoken and understood, especially in cities.

What's your next language?

Key Drivers

A Diverse Environment

When you're traveling, you open so many doors for language acquisition by immersing yourself in the local language. Many nationalities that are multilingual often have an array of languages practiced in their local communities. This enables every generation to pick up these languages instinctively and immersively. Studies conducted by various researchers show that the ease with which a language can be picked up depends on the exposure that person has with that particular tongue.

Educational Strategy

In many cases, national educational strategy and finding drives linguistic success, with commitment to the four skills and a required level of proficiency. Any school can say that a language is compulsory, but following this through with engaging, communicative teaching and a required proficiency to be met means that it becomes simple math for genuine multi-lingualism.

Economic Drivers

Where a country has more that one official language for historical and cultural reasons, or where it's economy relies on target markets of specific native speakers, results in organic bi-lingualism.

Practice and Body Language

Consistent practice and then making body language associations were seen to help out those trying to learn a new language. For instance, European Spanish, Italian and French come from different parts of your mouth, and even postures can vary. From tonal modifications to physical gestures, body language plays a key role in picking up a language.

The Science Behind It

Lingual diversity helps people be fluent in multiple languages due to constant practice. This linguistic mixture develops for differing reasons. It can be caused by a complex colonial history, by strong regional loyalties or even by the unavoidable cultural influence of nearby superpowers.

For certain people, genes may prime the brain to be good at language learning. In fact, recent studies are starting to pinpoint a few brain regions that are extra-large or extra-efficient in people who excel at languages. In a linguistic study in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers found better language learning abilities in college students with a larger Heschl's gyrus, an area on the left side of the brain that processes pitch. But that finding only applies to learning tonal languages like Mandarin, said study author Patrick Wong, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

However, not everyone is genetically gifted. For most of us, it's more a matter of being determined and motivated enough to put in the hours and hard work necessary to learn new ways of communicating.

Never fear, help is here! Learn the easy way, with one single login to 160+ languages.

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10 Steps to Get Ready for a Leadership Role

A leadership role is the most pivotal positon in a business. A leader has the power to sink their company or make them soar. Contrary to the popular belief, no one is born a leader. Leaders are made. It takes years of hard work, determination and sacrifice to be a great leader.

What makes a great leader and how can you get ready for a leadership role?

Here are our top tips to get you started.

1. Embrace Failure, But Learn From It

Failure is a stepping stone towards success. Knowing why you failed is even more important as this will help you in the future to avoid or handle such situations. As a leader, failure is your guide to success and the trigger that forces you to become more diligent about your overall approach to better preparation.  Preparation can never guarantee success, but the lack of preparation can certainly increase the probability of failure.

"My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you're moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again."

"Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again."

- Richard Branson

2. Put Your Hands Up

Initiative is the word here. As a leader, you are never told what to do, but to get things done. You need to assume responsibility and lead your team in the right direction. Most groups have far more work than manpower to perform it all. Take on the responsibility and be the person your company can count on to get things done.

"Only the guy who isn't rowing has time to rock the boat."

- Jean-Paul Sartre

3. Follow in the Footsteps of Great Leaders

Over the years, talented leaders have been setting examples in various fields. Observe the people who manage and find someone who you believe is both a great manager and is successful. Your role model doesn’t have to be someone famous. It could be the boss of your previous company or somebody in the family, if they have the qualities of a leader, imitate them. Ask for them to be your mentor and observe how they perform their management job.

"I know of no single formula for success. But over the years I have observed that some attributes of leadership are universal and are often about finding ways of encouraging people to combine their efforts, their talents, their insights, their enthusiasm and their inspiration to work together."

- Queen Elizabeth II

4. Educate Yourself

Management classes and books are available in plenty. Look for ones that are oriented toward the basics and the initial stages of management. This will outline what you need to do in these early days. Online courses are an affordable solution that you can fit around your life and timing. Higher level materials, while interesting, will assume you know these things and won’t go into much detail.

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."

- Margaret Fuller

5. Practice Makes Perfect

The boss will go on vacation or business travel. While bosses take holidays, work doesn’t. They have work to be done while they’re away and you can volunteer to cover for them or minimally to pick up some tasks of theirs. This will give you the chance of getting a feel of running things as a manager. This temporary stint will also help in demonstrating your ability to take on higher-level responsibilities.

"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions."

- Harold S. Geneen

6. Seek Leadership Roles

A great way to get started in management is to take on the role of project management or leader. Many of the needed management skills are used in these situations. You are facilitating a group of people to get something accomplished. To do that you will exercise such things as: planning, directing, communicating, gaining agreement, following up, and so on. Projects are a key way for business to get done and someone needs to lead the effort – that can be you. If you prepare yourself well, your first management position it can be the element that will catapult you into higher levels and greater impact to your business.

"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade."

- Tom Peters

7. Be Accountable

Webster’s dictionary defines preparation as “the activity or process of making something ready or of becoming ready for something.” Be proactive and carry out your responsibility without forcing someone to keep following up on your progress. As a leader, you can never stop being accountable to others and yourself. In other words, when you miss a deadline, lose attention to detail, fail to ask the right questions, etc. –  these are moments when you stop being accountable and inefficiencies begin to rise to the surface. As a leader, inefficiency is your biggest enemy.

“Earn your leadership every day.”

– Michael Jordan

8. Leadership is Not a One-Person Show

Pause and pay attention to your colleagues and employees. Leaders must move and think quickly, but they must also take time to pause and pay closer attention to their employees. As a leader, you can’t prepare yourself to lead more effectively if you don’t know what is happening with your employees, their state of mind, their required resources and the support they need to experience success and fulfilment in their work. Constant communication in the form of sharing sessions or intimate team meetings can go a long way in keeping your employees motivated and strategizing your leadership. You can’t keep moving forward if the things you are leaving behind are dysfunctional and broken.

“Leadership is not just about giving energy ... it's unleashing other people's energy.”

– Paul Polman

9. Tackle Problems Effectively and Quickly

Evolution is a part of the skill requirements needed to be a better leader. You need to be able to adapt to situations and people. As a leader, you might be faced with hurdles occasionally. Some might be straightforward while others, not so much. Evolution is impossible without better preparation. As a leader, you must constantly invest in your own skill-sets and capabilities so that you can improve your approach to problem-solving. Great leaders learn how to use their strengths to better prepare themselves for how to solve problems proactively and most efficiently. Time is money and both are lost when problems rise to the surface; confident decision-making allows you to save both time and money as a leader.

"A C.E.O.'s job is leadership, problem solving, and team building. I've done that my whole career."

- Bruce Raune

10. Keep Listening

Listening is a key element of leadership. Good listening skills enable you to be a good leader. Listening to yourself and ignoring your employees will not work for a leader in the long run. When leaders listen, they can prepare much better. You can’t lead if you don’t listen. As a leader, listening allows you to prepare more intently and solve for things that you otherwise couldn’t if you were only listening to yourself.

"The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority."

- Ken Blanchard

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Top 8 Tips for Business Writing

#1. Be concise

In business writing as in virtually every other kind of writing, concision matters. Ironically, as written information becomes more and more important to the smooth functioning of businesses, people are less and less willing to read. Increasingly, magazines and other outlets that used to run 2,000-word features are cutting back to 500-word sketches. Use words sparingly by avoiding never ending sentences or unnecessary information. Avoid repetition of information and redundant terms that have nothing to do with the information you are trying to convey.

#2. Grammar

Beware of common grammatical mistakes, like subject-verb agreement. The number of the subject (whether it’s singular or plural) determines the number of the verb. Use a singular verb form after nobody, someone, everybody, neither, everyone, each and either. Whenever possible, use active verbs instead of passive verbs. Active verbs help to energize your prose.

Know when to use “that” and “which.” “That” introduces essential information in what’s called a “restrictive clause.” “Which” introduces extra information in a “non-restrictive clause.”

#3. Get your spellings and terms right

Another common error is confusing similar sounding words such as “affect” and “effect.” Affect is a verb meaning “to influence.” “Effect” is a noun that means “result.” Follow our guide for the

most commonly confused English words

to avoid this error.

#4. Curb your enthusiasm

Avoid overusing exclamation points, regardless of how energized or friendly you might feel. Choose professional sign-offs like “Best” and “Regards” over the too-cute “xoxo.” Avoid ending salutations and sentences with ‘!’.

#5. Be Coherent

Make sure your writing is coherent. Ensure that there is a logical flow from each sentence and paragraph to the next. This will guide your reader and help them understand your thought processes. A systematic flow of information will keep the reader on track.

#6. Format and Layout

Formatting and having a proper layout of your written content is just as essential as the grammar aspects. Ensure that there is consistency in the fonts, headings, bullet points or other features you might have utilized in your work. Follow uniform spacing and indentation and practice previewing your work before sending it in to avoid formatting errors.

#7. Check Your Work

Checking and double checking your writing is crucial – a quick glance is not usually enough and good writers spend time not only checking for inaccuracies but also for readability. In order to avoid spelling errors, read your work from end to start. This will help your brain focus on the spelling and not on the logical structure, which usually hides the errors in spelling.

#8. Be Courteous and Respectful

Finally, don’t forget to be courteous to your reader. Respect their time by keeping your writing brief and gauge their level of understanding of the subject matter. Try to translate complex concepts into simple language for non-expert readers but avoid patronizing more expert-audiences through spelling out unnecessary detail.

If you found this useful, now read How to Be Successful at Business Writing.

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Commonly Confused Words in the English Language

In this day and age of autocorrect and spell checks, there is a tendency for even the sharpest amongst us to assume our work is flawless. What we don’t realize is that auto correct and spell checks only check the spelling and there is no intelligent bot embedded in any software or devices (so far) to identify the logical accuracy of sentences we construct. In the English language, there are a handful of words that might sound the same but whose meanings are polar opposites. This can be a costly mistake to have in any official communication. To make sure you are more aware of these words, here is our collection of the most commonly confused English words.

Accept/Except:

Accept (verb) - to agree to receive or take something.

For example: 'Do you accept credit cards?'

Except (preposition, conjunction) -  excluding or not including

For example: 'The dog never listened to anyone except his owner.'

Advice/Advise:

Advice (noun) - to give tips or recommendations in a particular situation

For example: 'The President had plenty of advice during the election campaign.'

Advise (verb) - to tell someone what you think they should do in a particular situation

For example: 'The tour guide advised the tourists to explore the local markets to soak in the local culture.'

Affect/Effect:

Affect (verb) - to influence or make a difference to

For example: 'The injury will affect his performance in the marathon.'

Effect (noun) - a result or an influence

For example: 'The mother’s voice had a calming effect on the newborn.'

Aisle/Isle:

Aisle - a long narrow passage between rows of seats

For example: 'Some passengers prefer the seats closest to the aisle.'

Isle - an island

For example: 'The Caribbean Isles have the most magnificent beaches.'

All together/Altogether:

All together - all in one place, in a group, all at once

For example: 'The last time we were all together was 2 years back'

Altogether - entirely, all told, or on the whole

For example: 'Altogether, I have 15 pairs of shoes.'

Along/A long:

Along - a preposition that means beside or parallel to

For example: 'We walked along the riverbank.'

A long - a phrase used to define the length of an object or a time

For example: 'It is a long time until Friday.'

Aloud/Allowed:

Aloud - an adjective that refers to something said that can be heard by anyone who is near enough

For example: 'I have a bad habit of speaking my thoughts aloud.'

Allowed - an adjective that means having permission to do something

For example: 'You are allowed to go to the dance.'

Assent/Ascent:

Assent - a noun that means agreement

For example: 'We need to reach assent on how to do this project.'

Ascent - a noun that refers to going up or advancing from an original position

For example: 'I watched the balloon's ascent into the sky.'

Bare/Bear:

Bare - an adjective that means without cover or clothing

For example: 'He wore bright green swimming trunks, and his chest was bare.'

Bear - a verb that means to hold up, support, or tolerate, and it is also a noun that refers to an animal

For example: 'The grizzly bear cannot bear to be without her cubs.'

Berth/Birth:

Berth - a noun that means a space adequate for a ship to move, dock, or anchor

For example: 'Move toward the berth so we can dock and get the passengers off the ship.'

Birth - a noun that means the process by which mammals enter the world

For example: 'The horse gave birth to a small bay filly.'

Born/Borne:

Born - an adjective that refers to the process by which a living creature enters the world

For example: 'When were you born?'

Borne - an adjective that refers to something that is carried by something else

For example: 'I contracted mosquito-borne malaria while in Uganda.'

Brake/Break:

Brake - a noun that means a device that is used to stop a vehicle in motion

For example: 'Push the brake if you want to stop.'

Break - a noun that means a pause

For example: 'Go for your break so you can have a coffee.'

Cereal/Serial:

Cereal - a noun that refers to a breakfast food

For example: 'My favorite cereal is Frosted Wheat.'

Serial - a noun that means a series of something, such as a show or a book

For example: 'Charles Dickens is the author of the serial novel The Pickwick Papers.'

Chord/Cord:

Chord - a noun that means a sound made by an instrument when multiple pitches are played together

For example: 'I need to strum an E chord on my guitar.'

Cord - a noun that means multiple threads of thin material woven together

For example: 'The cord connecting the phone to the wall is covered in a protective plastic layer.'

Complement/Compliment:

Complement - a noun or verb, referring to something that matches or enhances

For example: 'The pillow he bought was a complement to the couch'

Compliment - a noun or verb and refers to an expression of praise

For example: 'She complimented her friend on her excellent taste.'

Council/Counsel:

Council - a noun that means an assembly of persons

For example: 'The city council makes decisions about what's best for the town.'

Counsel - a verb or a noun meaning to give advice

For example: 'He asked her to counsel him.'

Cue/Queue:

Cue - a noun that means a signal that should initiate some sort of reaction

For example: 'Wait for the cue to say your lines.'

Queue - a noun that is used to describe a line of cars or people

For example: 'There was a long queue of cars waiting for the train to pass.'

Curb/Kerb:

Curb - a verb that means to keep something in check; a control or limit

For example: 'You really need to curb your spending.'

Kerb - a noun referring to the stone edge of a pavement

For example: 'The cyclist slipped-off the edge of the kerb on to the street.'

Currant/Current:

Currant - a noun that refers to a dried fruit, specifically a dried grape

For example: 'You can buy currants in bulk at the store.'

Current - an adjective that means up to date or most recent

For example: 'What is your current situation at home?'

Defuse/Diffuse:

Defuse - a verb that means to remove pressure from a tense situation

For example: 'Maybe your mother can defuse the situation with your sister.'

Diffuse - a verb that means to disperse within a space

For example: 'The drink powder will diffuse in the water.'

Desert/Dessert:

Desert - a noun that means a dry, arid region

For example: 'The Sahara is the largest desert in the world.'

Dessert - the sweet food eaten at the end of a meal

For example: 'Chocolate ice cream is undoubtedly my favorite dessert food.'

Discreet/Discrete:

Discreet - an adjective meaning judicious or showing prudence

For example: 'He made sure to be discreet when talking to the press.'

Discrete - an adjective meaning separate or distinct

For example: 'Her business had five discrete functions.'

Dual/Duel:

Dual - an adjective that means made up of two parts

For example: 'Bleach and chlorine make up the dual power in this laundry cleaning product.'

Duel - a noun that means a battle with someone, either in a fight or a contest

For example: 'Sir Michael, my good man, I challenge you to a duel'

Elicit/Illicit:

Elicit - a verb meaning to draw out

For example: 'The officer tried to elicit the truth from the suspect.'

Illicit - an adjective meaning illegal

For example: 'He seemed to have no information about the illicit drug ring.'

Emigrate/Immigrate:

Emigrate - a verb that means to leave one country to live in another

For example: 'The family emigrated from the UK.'

Immigrate - a verb that means to move to another country

For example: 'The family immigrated to Canada 20 years ago.'

Envelop/Envelope:

Envelop - a verb meaning to wrap up or to cover entirely

For example: 'She was grateful that her cloak was big enough to envelop her.'

Envelope - a noun that means a flat paper container

For example: 'She mailed her letter in a small white envelope.'

Foreword/Forward:

Foreword - a noun that means the section at the beginning of a book that introduces the content

For example: 'I want to write a foreword to my memoir, but it can't be too revealing.'

Forward - a directional adverb that means coming up or up ahead

For example: 'Move your chair forward so you're closer to the stage.'

Hoard/Horde:

Hoard - a noun that means a supply or a verb that means to accumulate

For example: 'After collecting acorns all summer, the squirrel had gathered quite a hoard.'

Horde - a noun that means a large group

For example: 'A horde of people gathered around the celebrity, asking for photos and autographs.'

Imply/Infer:

Imply - a verb that means to indicate or suggest without being specific

For example: 'I didn't mean to imply that I don't care about you.'

Infer - a verb that means to guess or speculate

For example: 'From his hunched posture and pronounced frown, she inferred that he was feeling very disappointed.'

Loose/Lose:

Loose - an adjective used to describe something that doesn't fit tightly

For example: 'I bought this skirt when I was overweight, and now it is too loose.'

Lose - a verb that means to misplace something

For example: 'I always lose my keys when I put them in this giant purse.'

Pedal/Peddle:

Pedal - a noun meaning a lever that is worked by the foot

For example: 'She pedaled her bike faster to get away from him, but her foot slipped off the pedal'

Peddle - a verb meaning to sell something door to door

For example: 'To earn money, the man decided to peddle his wares on the street.'

Pole/Poll:

Pole - a noun that refers to a long, cylinder-shaped object

For example: 'The pole sticking out of the ground was made of metal.'

Poll - a survey or an election

For example: 'I'm taking a poll: do you prefer white or whole wheat bread?'

Pour/Pore:

Pour - a verb that describes a way to make a non-solid material flow from one container to another

For example: 'Please pour me some more tea.'

Pore - a noun that means a small hole or opening

For example: 'You have pores in your skin that are too small to see.'

Practice/Practise:

Practice - a noun that refers to the use of something, such as an idea, theory, or process

For example: 'Brushing twice a day is a healthy practice.'

Practise - a verb meaning to repeat in the hopes of improvement over time

For example: 'I practice the piano every day.'

Principal/Principle:

Principal - a noun meaning chief or head. It can also be an adjective meaning highest in rank

For example: 'The principal of the middle school was strict but kind.'

Principle - a noun meaning a rule, law, or characteristic

For example: 'Students must follow the basic principles of good behavior.'

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Prom Celebrations From Around The World

In the United States, and increasingly in the United Kingdom and Canada, a promenade dance, most commonly called a prom, is a semi-formal (black tie) dance or gathering of high school students.This event is typically held near the end of the senior year (the last year of high school). Proms figure greatly in popular culture and are major events among high school students.

High school juniors attending the prom may call it "junior prom" while high-school seniors may call it "senior prom". In practice, this event may be a combined junior/senior dance. At a prom, a Prom King and Prom Queen may be revealed. These are honorary titles awarded to students elected in a school-wide vote prior to the prom, and seniors are usually awarded these titles. Read on to find out more about prom and how it is celebrated in various countries around the globe.

The United States of America:

In America, high school graduation and prom go hand in hand. Students don a cap and gown to accept that diploma and dress up later in the evening to reward themselves for earning it. The dances are usually on the school grounds with a student being the DJ and the teaching staff being the chaperones throughout the night. As the night goes on, the music gets louder and the dancing increases. The night usually ends with the DJ playing a slow song, allowing the students to soak in their last moments in high school.

Germany:

German students celebrate the end of secondary school and the passing of their final exams, known as Abitur, with a dance called the Abiball. The Abiball takes place after graduation and, though like in America, students don formal wear and dance the night away, the similarities mostly end there. Many students attend Abiball with parents or siblings and celebrate the night with families, friends, and teachers alike — for part of the evening at least. The dance usually starts with a ceremonial procession of the proud graduates, and sometimes includes speeches, awards, and sketches along with the typical eating, drinking, and dancing. But near the end of the night, family members head home and the students keep the party going, often after relocating to a dance club, where they stay until the wee hours of the morning.

Finland:

In Finland, the big dance isn’t for the recent graduates, but rather the class right behind them — the soon-to-be leaders of the school. When the graduating seniors leave school in mid-February to prepare for their final exam in March, the new seniors celebrate their rising status with a ball known as Vanhojen tanssit. Though the dance is a celebration and the student's don formalwear, the goal is to look and act in a dignified manner. Many students choose to start prepping for the ball several months in advance with an official school class focused on learning traditional dances, like the waltz, the tango, and even some American folk dances. The day of the ball, the new senior students perform those dances with partners of their choosing or potentially assigned partners for an audience (often relatives). If the students want to party in a more informal manner, it happens after the official festivities are over, in the form of dinners or after-parties that they arrange on their own.

Poland:

Poland’s graduating seniors get their celebration started a little early —100 days to be exact. “Studniówka”, the name for Poland’s prom equivalent, is derived from a Polish word meaning “hundred-days,” and the final dance takes place about 100 days before students’ final graduating exams. At the studniówka, students and teachers celebrate together, typically starting with the traditional polonaise dance, and continuing with a shared champagne toast to celebrate the soon-to-be-graduates’ journey into adulthood.

Peru:

In Peru, graduating students celebrate with the “Fiesta de Promocion”, or a pre-promotion dance, typically at a hotel. Like many of the European prom-like traditions, the Fiesta de Promocion includes parents and teachers during the first part of the night. After some dinner and dancing, though, they leave the students to continue the party on their own — often until early the next morning, when they conclude the epic celebration with a group breakfast.

United Kingdom:

Prom is a relatively recent tradition in the U.K.: As writer Sally Williams noted, when she was in school, students used to celebrate with “end-of-exam discos” that were far less elaborate than school dances much of the country’s teens now attend. According to Williams, more than 85% of U.K. schools have proms — referred to as “Debs” in Ireland, a term shortened from the traditional “debutante ball.” Overall, proms in the U.K. seem similar to those in America, many taking place in high-end hotels, with girls in floor-length evening gowns and guys in tailored suits, and everyone enjoying multi-course seated dinners before taking to the dance floor to let loose and celebrate the end of an era with their closest friends.

How is prom celebrated in your country? Is it different from the six countries mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below and we will update this post with your help.

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Where is Chinese (Mandarin) Spoken?

China has the biggest population in the world with approximately 1.28 billion people so learning the language means you will be able to communicate with a gazillion more people. That's just simple math that makes sense, whether you are the next Fermat or not.

One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese. Learning Mandarin Chinese is one of the absolute best investments you can make. Whether you’re looking for a new academic pursuit, new career skill or a new perspective on life, there are few activities likely to have the same huge payoff. Unlike other East Asian languages such as Korean and Japanese, the language is free from complicated grammar.

Apart from China, there are various speakers of Mandarin Chinese spread across the globe. Read on to find out more about these countries.

China

There are as many as 292 living languages in China. The languages most commonly spoken belong to the Sinitic branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family, which contains Mandarin (spoken natively by 70% of the population), and other Chinese varieties. Standard Mandarin, a variety of Mandarin based on the Beijing dialect, is the official national language of China and is used as a lingua franca in the country between people of different linguistic backgrounds

Taiwan

Mandarin is the official national language and is spoken by the vast majority of the population of Taiwan. It has been the primary language of instruction in schools since the end of Japanese rule. As in Hong Kong and Macau, Traditional Chinese is used as the writing system in Taiwan. The 70% of the population belonging to the Hoklo ethnic group speak Taiwanese Hokkien (a variant of the Min Nan speech of Fujian province) as their mother tongue, in addition to Mandarin, and many others have some degree of understanding. Most waishengren speak primarily Mandarin. Although Mandarin is the language of instruction in schools and dominates television and radio, non-Mandarin Chinese varieties have undergone a revival in public life in Taiwan, particularly since restrictions on their use were lifted in the 1990s.

Chinese travel phrases you need to know before you go

Singapore

Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese, and Tamil. Singaporean Mandarin is the language that is spoken as the native tongue by the greatest number of Singaporeans, with 1.2 million using it as their home language. Nearly half a million speak other varieties of Chinese, mainly Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favour of Mandarin and English.

Macau

Macau's official languages are Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese. Macau still retains its own dialect of Portuguese, called Macanese Portuguese. Other languages, such as Mandarin, English, and Hokkien, are spoken by local communities.

Hong Kong

Signs displaying both Chinese and English are common throughout the territory. Since the 1997 Handover, an increase in immigrants from mainland China and greater interaction with the mainland's economy have brought an increasing number of Mandarin speakers to Hong Kong. According to the 2011 census, Mandarin is spoken by 47.8% of the population, with 1.4 percent as a first language and 46.5 percent as a second language.

Fun Facts About the Chinese Language

If you know 1000 commonly used characters, you will recognize 90% of the characters in Chinese newspapers.

Chinese grammar is very straightforward: no plurals, no tenses, no subject-verb agreement, and no conjugations.

Mandarin Chinese doesn't have an alphabet.It is written with symbols.

Chinese is one of the few languages that remains pictographic, with Chinese calligraphy a form of art.

Chinese characters can be written from left to right, right to left, or from top to bottom.

In summary, there are more people speaking Chinese than English.  It’s the number one spoken language in the world.

"To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world."

-Chinese proverb

So if you learn Chinese, you will be able to talk to one in five people on the planet in their own language. Now that's impressive!

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Can You Pronounce These 'Longest Words' From Languages Around the World?

Did you know that the longest English word ever (a chemical name for titin) is 189,819 letters long and takes approximately three and a half hours to pronounce!

Thankfully not all words are as long or complicated. Some are significantly lower with as little as 24 letters.

Here is a list of the longest words in 13 languages from all around the globe

Spanish

The 24-letters spanish word electroencefalografistas meaning electroencephalograph technicians is considered as the usual longest word in Spanish language. Humorously, the longest Spanish word is often cited to be “arroz” (rice), because it “starts with an ‘a’ and ends with a ‘z’, the first and last letters of the Spanish alphabet (also most traditional alphabets).

English

The 45-letter word ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis’ is the longest English word that appears in a major dictionary. It is an invented long word, said to mean a lung disease caused by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust. It is referred to as "P45" by researchers.

Arabic

أفإستسقيناكموها, or “’afa’istasqaynakumuha,” meaning “did we ask you to give it to us to drink.’’ is the longest Arabic word with 20 alphabets.

French

With 25 letters, the longest French word ‘anticonstitutionnellement’ literally means anti-constitutionality.

Russian

Most likely one of the longest originally Russian words is ‘‘превысокомногорассмотрительствующий’’ (prevysokomnogorassmotritelstvuyushchy) which contains 35 letters, in its dative singular form which can be an example of excessively official vocabulary of the 19th century.

German

“donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft,” is a 79-letter word meaning “association for subordinate officials of the head office management of the Danube steamboat electrical services,”. It is the longest published German word.

Tagalog

“Pinakanakapagpapabagabag-damdamin” is a word constructed from 32 letters and is the longest word in Tagalog, meaning “the most emotionally disturbing (or upsetting) thing.”

Swedish

The longest word to appear in the official Swedish spelling Bible is the 28-letter ‘realisationsvinstbeskattning’ which means capital gains taxation.

Afrikaans

The Total Book of South African Records has Afrikaans’ longest word as ‘tweedehandsemotorverkoopsmannevakbondstakingsvergaderingsameroeperstoespraakskrywerspersverklaringuitreikingsmediakonferensieaankondiging’ (136 letters), meaning “issuable media conference’s announcement at a press release regarding the convener’s speech at a second hand car dealership union’s strike meeting.”

Finnish

“Lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas” (61 letters), meaning “airplane jet turbine engine auxiliary mechanic under officer student" in Finnish language.

Icelandic

“Vaðlaheiðarvegavinnuverkfærageymsluskúraútidyralyklakippuhringur” (64 letters), meaning “A ring on a key chain for the main door of a tool storage shed used by road workers on (the hill) Vaðlaheiði” in Icelandic language.

Maori

“Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikomaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu” (85 letters). This hill in New Zealand boasts the longest name in the Maori language and the largest geographical place name in the world.

Polish

The 173-letter “dziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewięćmiliardówdziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewi

ęćmilionówdziewięćsetdziewięćdziesiątdziewięćtysięcydziewięćsetdziewięćdziesięciodziewięcioletni,” meaning “999,999,999,999 years old’’ is the longest word in the Polish language.

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Why Language Exchange Platforms Are Perfect for Language Practice

With the advancement of technology, the line between formal learning and social learning is become blurred. An up and coming trend is the emergence of social language exchange platforms. Requiring only an internet connection and the need for thrill that accompanies language learning, many language learners are turning towards these platforms to practice their classroom knowledge of a particular language.

Read on to find out more about why language exchange platforms are ideal for language practice.

1. Native speakers

The ability of learning and picking up a language has been proven to be a lot more effective when you immerse yourself in an environment that is dominated by the speakers of that particular language. Language exchange platforms offer just that. You can communicate with the native speakers and sharpen your skills and pick up certain attributes such as accents and the manner of speaking that textbooks cannot offer.

2. Experience Unadulterated Culture

Language exchange enables you to interact with members from various cultures. You interact with a person who is a part of the culture whose language you are trying to learn. You could make an expensive trip to the country to experience the culture of the language you are trying to learn. Or, you could experience the same at the convenience of your room without spending anything. An added benefit is the ease with which you can interact with people from across the globe, at the same time. You could be talking with somebody in Japan learning about their tea culture and simultaneously learning about the Carnival de Rio in Brazil with another member.

3. Free

Most language exchange platforms are free of charge. Consider it to be a public library where instead of books, there are people who want to learn or speak a different language. You are welcome to approach anybody at will and strike up a conversation. All this at your convenience and no costs. Talk about a bargain!

4. A Social Network of Language Learners

Language exchange platforms expose you to speakers of different languages. They might belong to a language you are learning, a language you intend to learn or an entirely new language you haven’t even considered learning. These platforms enable you to interact with various individuals at a social level where you can chat, share, learning content or simply engage in discussing language or culture. You can make new friends and in the process, practice or pick up their native tongue.

5. A Community Effort, No hidden Agenda

Crowdsourcing is the process of getting work or funding, usually online, from a crowd of people with the same goals and interests. When it comes to language exchange platforms, the same principle is applied. Members from a community come together, usually online, to start a discussion where anybody can participate. The absence of corporate players or big companies ensure that there are no hidden agendas. The intention is to create a platform for the community to engage in social learning that is void of commercial interests.

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20 Famous People We Bet You Didn't Know Are Multi-Lingual

Learning new languages has been an essential part of many celebrities across the globe. At times it is to fit into a character, communicate with a wider audience, or they may have picked it up while living abroad. Many popular celebrities have discovered the great opportunities of learning a new language. It not only helps them in their line of work, it also gives them a chance to better understand different cultures and directly connect with their fans and followers around the world. Some stars have achieved mastering more than their native languages; they've become fluent in two, three and sometimes even five languages.

Here’s our list of twenty famous people that can speak an array of languages.

#1 Christopher Lee

Recently deceased Sir Christopher Lee was one of the most popular villains in motion picture history. He gave life to wonderful evil characters you love to hate. Lee spoke English, French, Italian, Spanish and German, some Russian, Swedish, and Greek.

#2 Salma Hayek

She has played popular roles in English cinema and has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first Latina to be nominated in the category. Besides Spanish, her native tongue, she can also fluently speak Portuguese, English, and Arabic.

#3 Shakira

Colombian songstress Shakira is a native Spanish speaker who is fluent in English and Portuguese, as well as some Italian, French, Catalan and Arabic. It has been known that Shakira is interested in world history and frequently studies the history and languages of the countries she visits. She is also determined to teaching her son Milan, five languages. Not only can Milan speak some words in Shakira's native Spanish and his dad's Catalan, he is also working on his Russian, German, English, Chinese and French.

#4 Tom Hiddleston

The Avengers star is a very bright man and has shown interest in many different cultures. Besides learning the romance languages Italian, Spanish and French he also knows Greek and some Russian, Latin, German, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese. That’s a whopping sum of nine different languages. He’s often seen using his linguistic skills to try and connect with his foreign fans in their native tongue. For talk shows, press conferences and appearances worldwide he tries to speak to crowds as much as he can in their language as well.

#5 Novak Djokovic

Besides being one of the best Tennis players in the world, Djokovic is a self-proclaimed passionate linguist. The intelligent Serb revealed he is skilled in five different languages: Serbian, his mother tongue, English, German, Italian and French and is keen to learn more. “We have a saying in our country: The more languages you know, the more is your worth as a person,” said Djokovic.

#6 Viggo Mortensen

He is an Academy award-nominated actor, best known for his role as Aragorn in the Lord of The Rings Trilogy. Viggo was raised in Argentina speaking both English and Spanish with his family. He has stated that he feels more comfortable expressing himself in Spanish. He is fluent in Danish, conversational in French and Italian. He also understands Norwegian and Swedish.

#7 Natalie Portman

The 33-year-old actress is a Harvard-grad and a Golden Globe and Academy Award Winning Actress. She was born in Jerusalem to a Jewish family and is fluent in Hebrew. But she is also capable of speaking French, Japanese, German, and Arabic. She’s had a tremendous passion for foreign languages since childhood.

#8 Edward Norton

This incredibly versatile actor is another Ivy League Grad. After graduating from Yale, Norton worked in Japan. In addition to Japanese, he can also speak Spanish and French fluently. If you want to see this treat for yourself you can, as there are videos of Norton wowing a Japanese audience with his linguistic talents.

#9 Gene Simmons

The Kiss frontman can speak Hungarian, German, English, Hebrew and is getting better at Japanese. He was born in Israel and moved to New York with his mother when he was 8 years-old.

#10 Monica Bellucci

Besides being considered one of the world’s most beautiful women, the Italian actress, and fashion model has proven she’s more than just looks. Her ability to speak four different languages: Italian, English, French and Spanish, shows she’s also incredibly smart. She has acted in each of these languages not to mention she’s also had to learn Aramaic for her role as Virgin Mary in the motion picture, Passion of the Christ.

#11 Bradley Cooper

Often rated as one of the sexiest men alive, Bradley Cooper made his name as an actor in the Hangover series of films, and since then his career has taken off. Bradley is fluent in French. Cooper has conducted interviews in French, and he hasn’t made a big deal of his talents.

#12 Emma Watson

The super-intelligent Harry Potter star has made a name for herself as an activist and a speaker, as well as a talented actress. One of Emma’s many talents is her ability to speak French, which is thanks to her French grandmother and an upbringing which involved a lot of time in Paris.

#13 Colin Firth

The quintessential English actor has starred in films such as The King’s Speech, where he overcame a few language problems. However, Firth is more than well adept when it comes to language and he is actually fluent in Italian. He learned the language of love so he could talk with his wife, who is Italian. She speaks English and is fluent in his native tongue, but it seems he wanted to repay the favor by being fluent in her native tongue.

#14 Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis is an American actress who has starred in films such as the Oscar-winning Black Swan, whilst also being a regular on the hit comedy show Family Guy. She is fluent in Russian. She is also very proud of her heritage and practices her native tongue as often as she can.

#15 Ben Affleck

Both an actor and a director, Ben Affleck also speaks Spanish. He is not fluent in the language, but knows enough to get by and learned it all after spending a year living in Mexico with his brother (actor Casey Affleck) when they were teenagers.

#16 Rita Ora

Perhaps best known as an English singer and actress, Rita Ora was actually born in Yugoslavia. She grew up in England, but her native tongue is Albanian, and she tries to speak the language as much as she can.

#17 Gwyneth Paltrow

Perhaps best known for her work in the Iron Man series, one of the surprising facts about her is that she speaks fluent Spanish, with a perfect Spanish accent. She is also set on raising her children in a bilingual household, teaching them Spanish from birth.

#18 Sandra Bullock

The star of Miss Congeniality, Speed, Gravity and most recently, Minions, Sandra Bullock was born to a German mother and is fluent in the German language. She has even performed in a German opera.

#19 Charlize Theron

Although you might immediately think of French when you hear that Charlize Theron speaks another language, the star is actually from South Africa and she still speaks her native tongue, Afrikaans. It has also been reported that she speaks Dutch, which is closely tied to the Afrikaans language.

#20 Penelope Cruz

Penelope Cruz is fluent in Spanish, French, Italian and English. She was born and raised in Spain but went to a French high school, where she became fluent in French. Further while preparing for auditioning for the movie “Non Ti Muovere” she also started to learn Italian.

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10 German Phrases to Make You Sound Like a Local

When traveling to a new country, we often find ourselves holding a dictionary or a language guide that contains phrases that might not necessarily reflect the local lingo. This gives us away when we try to blend in with the local community and culture as we are regarded as tourists. In order to blend in, picking up a few phrases that are frequently used by the locals can be very handy.

Stand out from the crowd with these ten phrases that will make your German sound more like that of a local than a tourist.

1. Darf ich mal vorbei?

Many beginners of the

German language

think it’s proper to say ‘‘Entschuldigung’’ (sorry) when pushing through a crowd on the U-bahn or in a train station. However, you should actually say this phrase, which means “may I pass by?” A polite yet firm manner of making your way through the crowd.

2. Einen Augenblick, bitte!

Augen is eyes. Blick is a glimpse or a sight of something. Einen Augenblick is a moment. If you say ‘‘Einen Augenblick, bitte!’’ you’re asking someone to please wait a moment—a useful phrase when boarding a busy train or bus while visiting the country.

3. Kannst du/Können Sie mir helfen?

This phrase is extremely important for tourists in Germany as well as residents. It means “Can you (informal)/Can you (formal) help me?” Essential for asking for directions or any sort of assistance when needed. One of the most important phrases when traveling alone.

4. Schön, Sie kennenzulernen.

“Nice to get to know you,” or “pleased to meet you”—this phrase is essential for meeting and greeting new colleagues or friends. A key phrase that will enable you to strike up, even more, conversations in German and that too with the locals.

5. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag.

This phrase literally translates as “all that’s good to the birthday,” but of course it really means “happy birthday.”

6. Guten Appetit.

Before digging into their delicious varieties of frankfurters or their well-known Spatzel, Germans say Guten Appetit, an amalgamation of German (Guten means “good”) and French (bon appétit). It simply means enjoy your meal.

7. Stimmt so.

It’s a good habit to tip exceptional hosts and hostesses when they cater to you at restaurants or pubs. While it is not mandatory in Germany, tipping will often portray you as a considerate customer. Should your bill read 18 euros—you can hand your server a 20, then say Stimmt so, which means “keep the change.”

8. Der Zug ist schon abgefahren.

This phrase is roughly equivalent to the American expression, “that ship has sailed.” If a situation is irredeemable, or there’s nothing else you can do to change something, you would use this phrase. In German, it translates directly to “the/that train has already left.” Alternatively, it can be used if you actually miss your train from Frankfurt to Cologne.

9. Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.

This phrase literally means “morning hours have gold in the mouth.” This is basically the German equivalent of “the early bird gets the worm”—a popular saying in English. It means one who wakes up early, gets out of bed and starts working early will be a lot more productive. A very wise advice in any language!

10. Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht.

This Sprichwort (idiom) has an equivalent in English as well: “his bark is worse than his bite.” This means that people who make a big fuss about things or seem fearsome are often not so scary at all. The phrase in German translates directly to “dogs that bark, don’t bite.”

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St. George - The Dragon Slayer

St George’s Day takes place on April 23rd every year, celebrating the patron saint of England, made famous for slaying a dragon and saving a maiden in distress.

If you happen to be in England on this national day of celebration, you will not miss the wave of English flags across the country, lines of stalls selling traditional English food, live performances, and parades of people on the streets, dancing and celebrating the patron saint of England.

However, very little is known about St. George, the annual celebration and if he really slayed a dragon!

History of St. George:

St George is believed to have been born in Palestine in the 3rd Century AD and grew up to be a brave and valiant soldier in the Roman Army. He was later persecuted for his Christian faith and was beheaded for refusing to renounce his faith. His life and suffering have inspired several legends as well as medals for bravery and valor, which are awarded to civilians who have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and courage in the face of terror.

What's he got to do with England?

St. George is not English and he has never set foot in England in his entire life. However, he represents the traditional

English

chivalry and bravery, which is why he is celebrated in England. He was made the patron saint of England by King Edward III in 1350 when he formed the Order of the Gartner in St. George's name. England's flag bears the Red Cross emblem that Saint Geroge wore on his shield, which was adopted by Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century to distinguish his soldiers in the battle from that of the enemy.

What is St George’s Day?

Saint George’s Day is the feast day of Saint George and is celebrated by various Christian Churches and several countries and cities where Saint George is the patron saint, including England. The day is celebrated on April 23 each year and this is the date traditionally accepted of his death in AD 303. Countries around the world including Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Portugal, Lithuania, Romania, Syria, Germany, Greece, Istanbul and Ethiopia also celebrate him.

How is St. George’s Day celebrated?

Traditionally, Saint George’s Day was marked by wearing a red rose on your lapel as it was believed that a beautiful bloom of red roses grew on his grave. The tradition also came from a

Spanish

custom in Catalonia in Spain - of which St. George is also a patron saint - where women were given roses by men in exchange for books on the feast day.

More popular customs include flying the Saint George’s flag, street performances, arts/crafts activities, parades and food stalls selling traditional English food. It is common for cathedrals, churches, and chapels to play "Jerusalem" on Saint George’s Day.

Did he really kill a Dragon?

The earliest legend that features Saint George slaying a dragon dates to the 11th century. The tale may have started simply as a way to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. But, the well-known story mainly comes down to the Golden Legend – a popular collection of saints’ lives written in the 13th century by Jacobus de Voragine.

According to the myth, a small countryside town had a lake inhabited by a dragon infected with the plague. Many of the townsfolk were being killed by the dragon so they started feeding it two sheep a day to appease it. When the town ran out of sheep, legend has it that the king devised a lottery system to feed the hungry dragon, local children, instead. But, one day his own daughter was chosen and as she was being led down to the lake, Saint George happened to ride past. The story goes that St. George arrived just as the princess was about to be eaten by the dragon and like a true hero, saved the princess and slayed the dragon, in the nick of time!

The King is said to have built a church of Our Lady and St. George in his honor and the brave act.

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What Happens on April Fool's Day Around The World?

History:

April Fools’ Day (sometimes referred to as All Fools’ Day) is observed the world over. While most countries celebrate it on the first of April, there are some countries that celebrate it on different dates. Though historical evidence is ambiguous, most believe that when the Gregorian calendar was adopted in the late 1500s, the New Year was moved from April 1 to January 1. Those who kept to the old tradition and the old date were termed as fools, hence the association.

Read on to find out how the day of pranks and jokes is celebrated across the globe.

France

In France, the holiday is also known as Poisson d’Avril, which translates to April Fish, and is also celebrated in Italy as Pesce d’Aprile. Historically, schoolchildren will stick an image of a fish on the back of an unsuspecting victim and wait for the transgression to be discovered. So if you do get stuck in a fishy situation, you can always learn from the French and Italian!

Scotland

The people of Scotland celebrate making a fool out of their comrades so much that they’ve extended the holiday into the second day. April 1 was traditionally Hunt the Gowk day, although the name is fading out. Gowk means cuckoo, and sending a mate on a fool’s quest is the name of the game: One should ask someone to deliver a sealed message asking for help, the contents of which instruct the recipient to pass it along and continue the chain. The second day is known as Taily Day, which seems to have spawned the infamous “Kick Me” sign, and numerous posterior jokes. Better watch your back if you’re traveling to Scotland this holiday!

Iran

The 13th day of the Persian New Year is called Sizdah Bedar and usually falls on April 1 or April 2. Pranks have reportedly been played on this holiday since 536 BC, making it perhaps the oldest known joke day. It’s customary to spend the afternoon outside, celebrating the new season and indulging in food, laughter, games, and good-natured jokes. After a picnic, you throw away green vegetables, known as sabzeh, which represent any potential illnesses or bad luck for the coming year.

Spain

In Spain, the day of jokes and prank is celebrated towards the end of the year on December 28 as Holy Innocents’ Day or Childermas. The celebrations are also spread across Latin America. Though it technically is a Christian feast day, the pranking tradition that it’s now known for is strictly a cultural invention. Victims are instructed not to be upset because the jokesters are considered to be innocent.

Portugal

The Sunday and Monday, prior to Lent is when the Portuguese celebrate April Fools’, and they have embraced one prank as their own: throwing flour on someone. Some could say it is better than having a fish stuck behind you.

India

India’s Holi festival is celebrated on March 31st and is a day to play jokes, toss colored dust and wear face and body paint to inaugurate spring. While it is not really a day to celebrate jokes or pranks, the Indian culture embraces happiness in various forms of which jokes and pranks carried out in good spirit is a part of it.

Denmark

The Danish and the Swedish have a day each in two different months to let themselves loose and have some fun. May 1 is Maj-kat (May cat), a joke day, although bother Denmark and Sweden also celebrate April 1 as April Fools’ Day. The Scandinavians definitely know how to bid adieu to a long gloomy winter and welcome brighter spring in good spirits.

Brazil

April Fools’ Day in Brazil is known as o dia das mentiras, literally, the day of lies or dia dos bobos, a day of fools. It is a day for pranks that are playful and spirited. April 1st became popular in Brazil after a satirical publication called A Mentira, dedicated to stories about the “ephemeral life”, wrote its first spoof news headline on April 1st, 1828, announcing the death of Don Pedro, Emperor of Brazil. The periodical lasted for quite a few years, but eventually, it ran into financial difficulties. Fittingly, on its last number dated September 14th, 1894, A Mentira communicated to all its creditors where they could go to get the money they were owed. The only problem was that this too was a prank and the place at the published address did not exist!

Greece

Protos Aprilis, (protos = first + Aprilis = April) was absorbed into Greek culture very fast. The basic idea remains the same like everywhere else: on April 1st, everyone tells innocent lies in order to trick the “victim”. It is so widespread that one finds different customs in different parts of Greece. In some parts, it is considered good luck for the prank to be successful. The person who manages to trick another is going to have a fortunate year, as opposed to the person who gets fooled. In Naxos, an island in the Cyclades, they still take part in pranks, only on March 1st.

Germany

The tradition in Germany is exactly the same as it is in the US, though with a slightly bigger overall importance. On April Fools’ Day, you play a prank (called an “Aprilscherz“) on family members, co-workers and friends-even solid lies are customarily excused on that day. Newspapers, TV and radio stations typically have at least one story which is generally harmless, but “out of this world” and completely made up. To reveal the joke, Germans say April, April: literally April, April. The Germans definitely take their pranks seriously! Here’s hoping your pranks are successful and should you be a victim of one, plan ahead for the next year!

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Which Countries Have the Most English Speakers?

An estimated 840 million people speak English around the world. Known as the global business language, there are 335 million people on the planet who speak it as a first language, and 505 million who speak it as a second language.

Read on to find out where these speakers come from - the results might surprise you.

#1 United States

United States of America is the world’s largest English-speaking country.  Approximately 225 million Americans speak English as a first language, while 43 million speak it as a second language. That’s a grand total of 268 million English speakers which makes USA, the country with the largest number of English speaking population.

#2 India

India is next on the list, with 125 million English speakers. But only 226, 449 of those speak it as a first language. For the rest, it’s a second language. However, as BBC reporter Zareer Masani noted in a 2012 article, the patchwork state of English education means that many Indians speak “not so much English as Hinglish’’, which is a mix of Hindi and English.

#3 Pakistan

Surprised?  English is one of Pakistan’s official languages, along with Urdu. Although virtually nobody in Pakistan speaks English as a first language, around 49% of the population do speak it as a second language. That accounts for almost 94,321,604 English Speakers.

#4 Philippines

The Philippines has two official languages: Filipino and English. Only around 37,000 Filipinos speak English as a first language. However, a little over 92% of the population can speak it as a second language. Out of the latest Filipino population, it is estimated that there are 90 million English speakers in the island nation.

#5 Nigeria

Ever wonder why so many sales emails came from Nigeria, as opposed to Kenya or Zimbabwe? There are a lot of reasons, but the relatively high percentage of English speakers is probably one of them. Around 53% of the population (79 million people) can speak English in Nigeria, and a small percentage has awesome native proficiency in the English language.

#5 United Kingdom

It’s about time, right? We bet you didn’t expect to find the United Kingdom so far down this list! 98% of people in the UK speak English. But the UK’s comparatively small size and small population mean that larger countries like Nigeria and the Philippines actually have more English speakers. The UK has 59.6 million speakers owing to its relatively small population and that what makes them 6th in this list

While quantity matters, quality also plays an essential role, especially when it comes to languages. The proficiency required to communicate and comprehend the language matters and the countries that boast the highest number of speakers may not necessarily reflect that. Not surprisingly, Europe has the strongest English proficiency of any region in the world, and even though the UK's role as part of EU behind us, there will not be a massive change that soon.

Countries with the Highest English Proficiency

Using the English Proficiency Index (EPI), the proficiency of English speakers in various countries can be determined. Excluding English-speaking countries like the US and the UK, here are the 5 countries where professionals are most proficient in English:

#1 Netherlands

15M English Speakers

90 percent of people in the Netherlands speak English, and their EPI score is 73.8, which is the highest of any country that was tested.

#2 Denmark

4.8M English Speakers

The Nordic countries are known for their English skills. The following countries in this list are all from the Nordic region. Denmark has a slight edge over the other three, with an EPI score of 72. 91% of the population speaks English as a second language.

#3 Sweden

8.2M English Speakers

90% of Swedes speak English as a second language. The country has an EPI score of 71.7.

#4 Norway

4.5M English Speakers

90% of Norwegians speak English as a second language. Their EPI score is 71.3.

#5 Finland

3.8M English Speakers

70% of Finns speak English as a second language, with an EPI score amongst professionals of 69.2.

#6 Philippines

90M English Speakers

The only country to rank in the top 5 for both numbers of English speakers and English proficiency, the Philippines has an EPI score of 67.4.

That's not to say there are not other countries on the list. They just haven't made the top 6!

Have fun learning American English, Australian English, Canadian English, Cockney English (Londoners!), Indian English, plus UK English.

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Arabic - Who Speaks It and Where?

Arabic offers a blend of critical language skills and is useful in over 20 countries with around 300 million native speakers. There's no doubt that those who learn Arabic can live, work, and interact with a more diverse set of countries. As the Arabic saying goes, 'awwal alshshajarat bidharr (“A tree begins with a seed.”)

A trend can be seen in the private and non-profit sectors as businesses seek to better understand developing markets, and organizations work across borders to develop institutions, improve economies, and educate young people in the Middle East and North Africa. Yet the demand for Arabic-speaking professionals in most non-Arab countries exceeds the supply.

Read on to discover the countries where Arabic plays a key role.

Egypt

The official language of the Republic is Modern Standard Arabic. Arabic was adopted by the Egyptians after the Arab invasion of Egypt. The spoken languages are: Egyptian Arabic (68%), Sa'idi Arabic (29%), Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic (1.6%), Sudanese Arabic (0.6%), Domari (0.3%), Nobiin (0.3%), Beja (0.1%), Siwi and others.

In Egypt, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is "izzayyak".

Morocco

Morocco's official languages are Arabic and Berber. The country's distinctive group of Moroccan Arabic dialects is referred to as Darija. Approximately 89.8% of the whole population can communicate to some degree in Moroccan Arabic, or Maghrebi Arabic. The Berber language is spoken in three dialects (Tarifit, Tashelhit and Central Atlas Tamazight). In 2008, Frédéric Deroche estimated that there were 12 million Berber speakers, making up about 40% of the population. The 2004 population census reported that 28.1% of the population spoke Berber.

In Morocco, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is '"la bas?"  

Algeria

Berber and Modern Standard Arabic are the official languages. Algerian Arabic is the language used and understood by the majority of the population, and is also called locally ‘Arbiya or Dziriya. Algerian Arabic is part of the Maghrebi Arabic dialect, which fades into Moroccan Arabic and Tunisian Arabic along the respective borders.

Colloquial Algerian Arabic is heavily infused with borrowings from French and Berber. Algeria emerged as a bilingual state after 1962. Colloquial Algerian Arabic is spoken by about 72% of the population and Berber by 27–30%.

In Algeria, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is "wac rak?"  

Sudan

Approximately 70 languages are native to Sudan. Sudanese Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the country, an Afroasiatic language of the Semitic. The dialect has borrowed much vocabulary from local Nilo-Saharan languages (Nobiin, Fur, Zaghawa, Mabang). This has resulted in a variety of Arabic that is unique to Sudan, reflecting the way in which the country has been influenced by Nilotic, Arab, and western cultures. Few nomads in Sudan still have similar accents to the ones in Saudi Arabia.

In Sudan, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is "Inta kwayes?" for a male and  "Inta kwayes?"  for a female.

Iraq

Arabic is the majority language; Kurdish is spoken by approximately 10–15% of the population; and Turkmen/Turkoman, the Neo-Aramaic language of the Assyrians and others, by 5%. Arabic, Kurdish, Persian, and Turkmen/Turkoman are written with versions of the Arabic script, the Neo-Aramaic languages in the Syriac script and Armenian is written in the Armenian script. Prior to the invasion in 2003, Arabic was the sole official language. Since the new Constitution of Iraq approved in June 2004, both Arabic and Kurdish are official languages.

In Iraq, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is "Shlonak?" for a male and  "Schlonech?"  for a female.

Saudi Arabia

The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. The three main regional variants spoken by Saudis are Hejazi Arabic (about 6 million speakers), Najdi Arabic (about 8 million speakers) and Gulf Arabic (about 0.2 million speakers). Saudi Sign Language is the principal language of the deaf community. The large expatriate communities also speak their own languages, the most numerous of which are  Tagalog (700,000), Rohingya (400,000), Urdu (380,000), and Egyptian Arabic (300,000).

In Saudi, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is "Keef halak?" for a male and  "Keef halik?"   for a female.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a Constitutional Federation of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, and Arabic (Emirati Arabic) is its the official and historical language.  This is the language of the Emirati, with English as a second language. For example, most signs are in both Arabic and English e.g. road signs. The United Arab Emirates has a very diverse population, of which 10% are UAE nationals and the remainder is made up of expatriates.

In the UAE, the colloquial expression for "How are you?" is"shakhbaarak" for a male and "shakhbaarik" for a female.

Ready to learn Arabic? So, yallah, let's go.

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Training To Whet Your Learner's Appetite

As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. Same with learners. So how to whet their whistle, and make sure that your learners can't wait to dive in?

It’s important for learning and development professionals to keep learners and their desired experiences at a premium while tailoring their training.

Read on to find out how to make sure you are offering tasty morsels that will satisfy a learner’s cravings.

The intertwining of technology and education has been a boon to many learners out there. Not only has technology made education more accessible, it has also increased the quality of content that is available to users all across the globe.

This is made possible by Learning Management Systems developing methods to ensure the students engage in self-paced training as part of their learning experience.

1. Visual Aspects

Use of videos and animations can keep the learner interested in lessons for a lot longer than content with plain text. Using info-graphic, animations, short videos and other visual aids can make for an interesting learning experience, and speak to the way we live our lives - through a lens.

With the current generation of learners having short attention spans, using video as their go to choice, these visual features will make it easier to gain their uninterrupted attention and "speak their language".

2. Quizzes

Quizzes and other retrieval exercise keeps the learner interested in the product as they are able to check their progress. A sense of accomplishment will be instilled into the learner upon completing a quiz or a review exercise at the end of a module.

This will make the learner more likely to return and be motivated to try out more lessons as long as they feel they are making progress.

3. Focus on Course Content and Layout

A really sound and well thought out course structure will make the learner’s experience hassle free. An organized library of learning resources, synergized review exercises, and additional learning material all help to increase the quality of the learning experience.

A smooth interface that allows the learner to browse easily and intuitively through the multiple content available, and practical features like bookmarking a lesson, are tiny aspects that make learning easier and attractive. Learners will be able to keep a track of their progress and will have the option of coming back to partially completed lessons they once stopped.

78% of Cudoo clients say that easy interface is a top priority for their B2B online training.

4. Multi-Platform

Make sure that your training programs are responsive, and learners can sync between devices. Multi-platform use is the norm across all age segments today, (mobile, desktop and tablet), while mobile-only use is becoming more prominent.   Virtually all 18-34 year old Millennials (97%) are mobile users. While 20% don’t’ use a desktop at all, and this trend is only going to continue for Gen Z.  According to Insight from comScore 2016, the demographic 35-54 has the highest % of multi-platform users (82%).  

If the average of 5.6 hours a day on digital media in the US, 2.8 on mobile and 2.4hours on desktop, and this is fairly consistent in locations where internet penetration is above 50%, it's key that your learners are in the driving seat when it comes to devices.

5. Keep Your Learners Close

Maintaining occasional contact with the learner is an ideal way to keep a track of how they are doing and what more can be done from your side to improve their learning experience. These can be in the form of short surveys, a rating and /or review or simply a quick chat that checks up with the learner upon completing of a lesson or the beginning of a new one. Blog and vlogs also help to add value, as long as they are relevant to what they are learning and have real learning tips rather than promo content.

Ensuring that you have these tasty morsels on the table makes the learner feel they are receiving true "concierge" style treatment, where the

training

is participative is participative, collaborative and delivers both in terms of content and user experience.

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5 Habits of Seriously Successful Language Learners

Just as learning is for everyone, everyone can learn a language. Check out our famous polyglots as you read the blog! (A polyglot is a person who speaks multiple languages fluently.) While a multitude of factors might hinder you from learning a sport or a musical instrument, language learning is a path where obstacles are seldom present.

First remember this - it’s all in your brain

We are not talking about extraordinary people with out-of-this-world intelligence or brains the size of watermelons. Like you and me, a polyglot would have been a monolingual at some stage of his/her life until they decided to explore the universe of language learning. And from there, there was no turning back.

After extensive research and digging into the brains of well renowned polyglots, we have developed our own list of 5 habits of a successful language learner.

We are born with a language instinct. Our brains are naturally wired for language. They have the innate ability to process complex information in the form of sounds, gestures and context.

This capacity for language extends throughout life. Which means you can learn any language, at any age. This is possible because the brain is plastic. Plasticity is the brain’s ability to make new neural connections. Continued research has found that this happens all throughout a person’s lifetime. Your brain today is not the same one as it was last month. Neural connections are created regardless of age.

So much so that Researchers claim languages should be a requirement for any kind of degree as bilingualism could protect the brain in later life. Studies have shown that certain types of dementia appear up to five years later for people who speak a second language compared with monolinguists. It's thought that bilingual people have a cognitive reserve that delays the onset.

So now that we have covered the science part, let's get on to those seriously successful tips.

1. Less means more

The Pareto principle states that only 20% effort is needed to acquire 80% comprehension while learning a language. What this means is, studying particular words of a certain language will allow you to comprehend and converse in that particular language with a fluency of 80%. This is possible because almost every language has a core bundle of words that makes up your daily conversations. For instance, in English just 300 words make up 65% of all written material. We use those words a lot, and that’s the case in every other language as well.

Prioritize your learning content using the Pareto principle. You may well be capable of understanding 95% of a language within a short span of three months. This is applicable for conversational fluency as well as comprehension and writing. Although you might plateau at the point, the view down the mountain will be great! To improve from there and make it to the top, it might take you years as you dwell deeper into the language and aim to reach the level of native speakers.

Queen Cleopatra V11 (Reputed to have spoken 9 languages, including her native Greek, as well as Egyptian, Syrian, Persian, and Arabic)

2. Make your Goals Specific and Attainable

It simply means you should know why you are learning a particular language and the content you want to excel in. Never set your targets too low or too high. Always be self-aware of your strengths and limitations. This prevents complacency and loss of interest in learning. Make your learning a great experience by taking incremental steps rather than a steep climb.

Queen Elizabeth 1 (10 languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Latin, Welsh, Cornish, Scottish, Irish)

3. Measurable

This is the ability to check your progress. It could be a self-reflection after completing a lesson or testing yourself with quizzes and conversational exercises. For information to be retained in the brain, it must be recalled at least 14 times. This phenomenon of testing yourself on an idea or concept to help you remember it is called the “testing effect” or “retrieval practice.” People have known about the idea for centuries. Sir Francis Bacon mentioned it, as did the psychologist William James. In 350 BCE, Aristotle wrote that “exercise in repeatedly recalling a thing strengthens the memory.”

Natalie Portman (6 languages: English, Hebrew, French, Japanese, German, Arabic)

4. Relevant

Most languages evolve over the years. Make sure you are up to date with the most relevant language content. Learning an extinct or endangered language can be exciting but also tough if you find the content difficult to source. Be aware of your constraints, and check you can access enough stuff and resources to keep you motivated and learning.

JRR Tolkien (Author of Lord of the Rings - 13 languages, including Latin, French, German, Greek, Italian and Spanish, Middle English, Old English, Old Norse and even Medieval Welsh.

5. Time-bound

This is the most important aspect of successful learners. Every successful learner sets a timeframe to achieve his or her goals. Maintain a schedule while learning and stick to it. Colin Powell, the first African American appointed as the U.S. Secretary of State, once gave a powerful TED Talk on the importance of instilling structure in children. It is the same with adults. Routine provides a sense of structure and familiarity. Structure is a way of organizing your life so that it makes sense to you. You wake up with a sense of ownership, order, and organization of your life.

Christopher Lee (French, Italian, German, Spanish, and English, plus knowledge of Swedish, Russian, and Greek.)

So the shortcut to success?

Choose wisely, focus, set timescales and stick to it!

We hope our famous polyglots have inspired you to get learning and be seriously successful at learning your next language!