ordinary-languages

[ordinary-languages]

Crazy how every language fully understood cats when they named them. Cat, Gato, Neko, Chat, Katze, Qitta, Mao... Like yeah all of you are just 100% correct

[ordinary-languages]

Learning German & Staying alive

☄  https://german.net/ - free online resource with some tests, text, and planty more. Great for reading and reading comprehention;

☄ https://germanwithlaura.com - great course that explains grammar a bit more manageable;

☄ https://www.clozemaster.com - somewhat of a duolingo-copy, gamification at ift greatest. From 100 to 50 000 common words in context, can be used for free;

☄ https://wunderdeutsch.com/uk/grammatik-null-u/ - grammar, but in ukrainian. Helpful;

☄ https://golernen.com/ - more grammar, with ukrainian language avaliable;

☄ https://piracywhiskeypoetry.tumblr.com/post/136460408137/language-resources-masterpost - masterpost with multiple language;

☄ https://mein-deutschbuch.de/grammatik.html - another damn grammar

☄ https://www.quia.com/web - tests, some fun stuff.

sheesh I would need to make it pretty, but for now will do

[ordinary-languages]

Language Resources Masterpost

[ordinary-languages]

Favorite VERY BASIC Comprehensible Input Sources I’ve Found (all free)

These are all for Italian and Arabic (MSA + Levantine dialect) and suitable for A1! I’ve found the very early stages are the hardest to find stuff for but also when it’s the most boring to be confined to flashcards and memorizing so hopefully this helps. Also it keeps me from losing these links.

Italian:

Curioso come George (Italian Curious George, honestly a lot of kids shows can get tiring but Curious George doesn’t hit that “annoying” pitch while still being simple) (link is to one episode but you can find tons in the related vids) (also segments are themed so you can find ones that roughly correlate to a unit of vocab like weather or clothes)

Ardea Digitale Schoolbooks (schoolbooks for children that you can download as PDFs along with workbooks/worksheets)

Arabic (MSA)

Read Learn Play Arabic (cannot speak highly enough of this one it’s so good and there’s so much and idk how it isn’t talked about more)

Cartoon Network MENA (good just because the material is recognizable, obviously usefulness of vocab/level is gonna vary by show)

Arabic (Levantine Dialect)

Sesame Street! Aka Ahlan Simsim. (Some segments are more advanced than others obviously but it’s incredible for learning the sound of the dialect and is also not grating for adults imo) (free on YouTube)

Lingualism Diaries (not nearly as beginner friendly as Read Learn Play but definitely doable within a few weeks assuming you know the alphabet) (also has audio versions)

I highly recommend lingualism.com for a ton of Arabic materials in all sorts of dialects/levels but they’re mostly paid (not expensive! But not free) and this post is meant to compile free stuff.

[ordinary-languages]

Language Resources Masterpost

Today I am sharing with you guys all my collection of language textbook pdfs :D They are mostly for Russian and Mandarin, but I have a few Korean resources too. Please note that I have not personally used all of these books, so I cannot vouch for their quality. If any of the links are broken, please let me know! All links are to dropbox files.

Mandarin

A Kaleidoscope of China (advanced)

A New China (intermediate)

All Things Considered (advanced)

Anything Goes (advanced)

Basic Chinese (workbook)

Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar (grammar)

Chinese: An Essential Grammar (grammar)

Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar (grammar)

Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar (workbook)

Reading to Write: An Advanced Textbook of Chinese (advanced)

Schaum’s Outlines: Chinese Grammar (grammar)

The Routledge Advanced Chinese Multimedia Course (advanced)

The Routledge Course in Chinese Media Literacy (advanced)

Russian

Ultimate Russian (advanced)

Using Russian: A Guide to Contemporary Usage

A Comprehensive Russian Grammar (grammar)

A Russian Grammar Workbook (workbook)

Colloquial Russian 2 (intermediate)

Russian Verbal Prefixes (grammar)

Glossika Guide to Russian Pronunciation and Grammar

Intermediate Russian: A Grammar and Workbook (intermediate)

An Advanced Russian Tabloid Reader (advanced)

A Living Russian Grammar (grammar)

Basic Russian: A Grammar and Workbook (beginner）

Russian in Exercises (beginner)

Russian Verbs of Motion

Using Russian Vocabulary (vocab)

The Big Silver Book of Russian Verbs (vocab)

Live From Russia Stage 1 Volume 1 (beginner)

Live From Russia Stage 1 Volume 2 (beginner)

Korean

Basic Korean: A Grammar and Workbook (beginner)

Intermediate Korean: A Grammar and Workbook (intermediate)

Korean: A Comprehensive Grammar (grammar)

Korean Grammar in Use (beginner)

[ordinary-languages]

Regional greetings in Germany

[ordinary-languages]

Translation & Linguistics BOOKS in English

Disclaimer: I haven’t read them all, but I wish I had! And the more linguistic books may be centred around the English language since they are in English. I’ll do a Spanish one too, and possibly a French one.

(These are Amazon links)

Translation

-  The Prosperous Translator: Advice from Fire Ant & Worker Bee, by Chris Durban.

-  In Other Words: A Coursebook on Translation, by Mona Baker.

- Introducing Translation Studies: Theories and Applications, by Jeremy Munday.

- Is That a Fish in Your Ear?: Translation and the Meaning of Everything, by David Bellos.

- Found in Translation: How Language Shapes Our Lives and Transforms the World, by Nataly Kelly and Jost Zetzsche.

- Becoming a Translator: An Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Translation, by Douglas Robinson.

- Translation: An Advanced Resource Book, by Basil A Hatim and Jeremy Munday.

- The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies, edited by Jeremy Munday.

- Mouse or Rat?: Translation as Negotiation, by Umberto Eco.

Linguistics 

- How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die, by David Crystal. 

- The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, by David Crystal.

- Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages, by Guy Deutscher.

- The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind’s Greatest Invention, by Guy Deutscher.

- The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language, by David Crystal.

If you have any more suggestions, please don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments or as a reblog and I’ll add them!

[ordinary-languages]

In Italian we don’t say “please return this item that you’re borrowing from me”, we say “si chiama Pietro (e torna indietro)”, which roughly sounds like “its name is Jack (’cause it’s got to come back)”, and I think that’s both vaguely ominous and absolutely exhilarating.

[ordinary-languages]

[ordinary-languages]

[ordinary-languages]

[ordinary-languages]

adventure

[ordinary-languages]

Colloquial French verbs, from the dreamy, to the quaint, to the ridiculous

Gribouiller : scribble, make doodles/squiggles 

Dégouliner : trickle down/along

Éclabousser : splash, splatter

Câliner : cuddle

Mitonner : cook slowly and with care

Sautiller : jump up and down, hop

Grelotter : shiver with cold

Emmitoufler : wrap up well/warmly

(se) Ravigoter : perk (oneself/sb) up, reinvigorate

Grignoter : snack, nibble

Babiller : babble, prattle (esp. babies)

Chantonner : sing softly, absentmindedly 

Fredonner : sing softly, hum

Siffloter : whistle softly, absentmindedly

Papoter : chat, natter

(se) Rabibocher : vtr: patch (sth) up; make up with (sb)

(se) Pelotonner : curl up, nestle, snuggle

(se) Débarbouiller : clean up, clean (sb) up (esp. the face)

Chatouiller : tickle

Somnoler : doze

Rêvasser : daydream

Fabuler : make (sth) up, fabricate

Embobiner : hoodwink, bamboozle

Emberlificoter : lit: tangle up; fig: bamboozle

Gigoter : wriggle

Barboter : slosh in, splash around

Patauger : wade, flounder 

Buller : laze around, do nothing

Lézarder : lit: crack; fig: bask, laze around, lounge

Musarder : dawdle

Lambiner : straggle, linger behind

Chambouler : turn upside down, shake up, upset

[ordinary-languages]

In response to the @metsew ordeal:

I made this list for people who learn ethnic languages in order to better appreciate a group of people. Please understand that some cultures would rather encourage their community learn the language than people with no relation.

Enjoy

*I didn’t include any national official languages as far as I know because I think you can learn those without being disrespectful due to the language being implemented throughout an entire nation that most likely includes people of varying ethnicities.

If you learn these languages you risk being disrespectful tp the ethnic community you are trying to appreciate, I encourage you to learn about these languages but unless you plan on living in a community in which one of these languages is the majority tongue, you probably shouldn’t learn them:

Tigrinya

Romani

Neapolitan

Lakota (not much info but from what I’ve read it seems that they want to keeo there language grounded in their community)

Cheyenne

Sandawe (most Khoisan Languages)

Navajo (couldn’t find a lot on this one but I see no official sites that offer lessons to non-natives

Oromo

(Can’t find much on the languages of Italy but I’m leaning towards believing that they are off limits)

Sámi (can’t find much on it but from certain comments made by Sámi people, I think it belongs in this group, please correct me if I’m wrong)

The following languages are ones that natives encourage people of different ethnicities other than theirs to learn:

Cherokee

Welsh

Catalan

Choctaw

Yoruba

Inuktitut

Igbo

The following are Indo-Aryan languages I could not find much native input on, but there is a federal Indian website which teaches you each of these so I assume it’s okay. If you are a speaker of one of these languages and want your language taken off, please shoot me a message and I’ll be happy to edit the post for you.

Angika

Assamese

Awadhi

Baghelkhandi

Bhojpuri

Bishnupriya

Bodo

Bundelkhandi

Chhattisgarhi

Garhwali

Garo

Gujarati

Haryanvi

Jaintia

Kannada

Kashmiri

Khasi

Konkani

Kumaoni

Maithili

Malayalam

Manipura

Marathi

Marwari

Mizo

Nagamese

Nepali

Oriya

Punjabi

Rajasthani

Sindhi

Sinhala

Telugu

Tulu

Keep in mind that this list is a work in progress. If you are a native speaker of any language on this list who disagrees with how I grouped it, please tell me and I will edit. Or if you have any languages you would like to add to one of the groups please tell me. In particular I couldn’t find much info on Tamazight and Corsican, and I would really like to know because they are both languages I’d be interested in studying.

*Also for most of the languages that you can speak respectfully, there are courses, lessons, etc. put on by websites made by natives of that language. I strongly encourage you to support these resources.

[ordinary-languages]

Something for which the Germans can not agree on a word

Griebsch

Knust

Grubsch

Apfelgnatsch

Krubber

Krubbs

Apfelkauz

Apfelstummel

Knutsch

Appelpietschen

Apfelpietsche

Appelpatsch

Apfelgnözel

Apfelnüsel

Bolle

Hüske

Hünkel

Hunkepeil

Hunkepiel

Hünkelbein

Apfelhünksel

Apfelkinkel

Kröps

Appelnürsel

Strunk

Krose

Kröse

Apfelkippe

Apfelkitsche

Nüssel

Apfelschnüssel

Apfelpik

Maas

Grotze

Marzel

Masel

Mäsel

Nesel

Nösel

Gritze

Grütz

Grebs

Gäiz

Krotz

Krotze

Körschte

Stronk

Knotz

Grötz

Krömbel

Kröps

Gröbsch

Knost

Kitsche

Apfelknössel

Kitsch

Appelkrotz

Meubbes

Apfelkrips

Apfelgrips

Apfelgrütz

Knirbitz

Appelkriwwitz

Äbbelbutze

Äbbelkrotze

Apfelbatzen

Aapelbaaz

Ääpelbaazen

Appelkrutz

Apfelgripsch

Gnutze

Appelkrutze

Abbelgrutze

Abbelgrutz

Appelgrotze

Apfelbutze

Öpfelbutzen

Apfelpuler

Apfelstrunks

Krötsch

Apfelkrebs

Apfelschnerps

Apfelschnirps

Krüpps

Butzen

Knerzel

Opfibutzn

Apfelgruzl

Bütschgi

Gräubschi

Bätzgi

Bitzgi

Gigertschi

Gürbschi

Grüschi

Gütschi

Öpflbotza

Apfelprobscht

Obfübuhtz

Apfelputzen

Apfelpurzen

Apfelbietz

Apfelkrunsch

Pesek

Pesenk

Apfelkrause

Apfelrest

[ordinary-languages]

Translators’ Telephone Game: what happens when you translate a phrase 18 times

This linguistic experiment was conducted by the newspaper “Nedelya”: 18 translators, each one with an excellent knowledge of two languages, was to translate the phrase given to him/her by his/her colleague and pass it on to the next person to do the same. The passage for the experiment was taken from Nikolai Gogol’s "The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich” – the description of a character Agafya Fedoseyevna:

Она сплетничала и ела вареные бураки по утрам и отлично хорошо ругалась – и при всех этих разнообразных занятиях лицо ее ни на минуту не изменяло своего выражения, что обыкновенно могут показывать одни только женщины.

(She gossiped, ate boiled beetroots in the morning, and swore splendidly; and amidst all these various occupations her countenance never for one instant changed its expression, which phenomenon, as a rule, women alone are capable of displaying)

The translators took the text and set to work.

In English hardly any changes were made; in German, however, the neutral “gossiped” turd into an evocative “talked scandal”, and the character’s face “had no expression at all, in a manner known to every woman”.

The next stage was Japanese. Its characteristic politeness made the translator change “talk scandal” into a more neutral “chatter”, and “swear” became “use bad language”.

In Arabic the character already “tattled” instead of “chattered”, and “uttered appalling curses” instead of merely “used bad language”. 

A Frenchman took up the baton: “She was in the habit of gossiping, when eating her beetroot soup; a flood of the most appalling curse words would leave her mouth – all that without a single change in her countenance. That’s what all women do.”

Although by this point the passage had changed quite a bit, its misadventures were only beginning.

The phragment went through Indonesian (where there is a single pronoun for both “he” and “she”), Dutch, and Turkish: “When the woman was hurling insults, eating a thin concoction of beetroots, the man occupied himself with gossip. Both of them were doing that without expressing their feelings, in a commonly female manner”

Hardly anything changed in Spanish, except that “throwing” replaced “hurling”. A creative Sudanese translated the phrase from Spanish into Yoruba: the more concrete “concoction of beetroots” was replaced by the more vague “fruit/vegetable concoction”, and the more broad “gossip” changed into “showing off his imaginary feats”.

The next person translated the passage into English once again, adding his own corrections. In his version of the text the woman drank “fruit concoction” and “threw bad things about” ; the man’s behaviour was described with the help of the English idiom “to blow one’s own trumpet” .

The extract then went through the Bambara and then the French language, changing “things” into “stuff”; in Italian it sounded as follows: “She drank compote and threw unnecessary stuff away from the house, and he sounded the horn with an almost feminine excitement.” The causes of the transformations are clear – isn’t it simpler to say “compote” instead of “concoction”, and you can understand “trumpet” literally!

The following changes were all pretty reasonable: the Czeck version had “junk” instead of “unnecessary stuff”, a more concise “enthusiastically” replaced “feminine excitement”, and, apparently, under the influence of the horn “house” became “hut”. The Norwegian changed “enthusiastically” into “jubilantly”, and the Swede made the phrase more orderly by adding a participal turnover: “After drinking her compote, she…” etc.

And finally, there came the last stage of translating the passage back into Russian: 

Выпив компот, она выбросила из хижины старье, а он радостно забил в тамтам*.

(After drinking her compote, she threw away junk from the hut, and he sounded the horn* jubilantly)

*see here for notes

(From a popular science linguistics book “Путешествие в слово” by Э. А. Вартаньян)

[ordinary-languages]

me with every foreign language