Featured stories about Language
Stories about Language
25 September 2018
A new indie film festival features the struggles and triumphs of indigenous Papua, Indonesia
The film festival "highlights the issues of the indigenous people of Papua through documentary films as well as to build public awareness of the important issues impacting them.”
10 September 2018
Jamaica finds new appreciation for beloved cultural icon and language activist, ‘Miss Lou’
"Underneath her wily comedic style, she forced the society to face unpleasant truths. But it is the unapologetic championing of the Jamaican language that so endeared her to many Jamaicans."
3 August 2018
No Shame: How an online initiative in Kazakhstan is helping youth protect their sexual health
UyatEmes.kz is out to tackle the stigma that surrounds sex education in the former Soviet republic.
26 June 2018
During the World Cup, Mexico gets in trouble when their fans’ chants are called ‘foul’
"In addition to being considered a homophobic scream, the “EEEEEH P…” could cause serious problems for the Mexican National Team" according to FIFA rules.
31 March 2018
How English-Language Pronouns Are Taught Around the World
Globally, close to 1 billion people are learning English as a Foreign Language and all of them encounter binary gender pronouns from the earliest lessons.
27 March 2018
A Muslim Scholar Seeks to Link Israel and Indonesia Through the Hebrew Language
"I told my family that what I'm doing might have uncertain consequences, but it's something that needs to be done."
21 March 2018
On World Poetry Day, Some Verses Straight From Persia's Heart
"The sadness in my heart, like a mountain/The heart under your chest, like a stone."
7 March 2018
WordFrames: Are ‘Teens’ Getting a Bad Rap?
What do you think when you hear the word "teen"? In this post, we explore English-language media conversations around teens, adolescents, and youth.
5 March 2018
Language Lessons: Kazakhstan Still Torn Between Tongues
"Unfortunately, it has become a habit for us to speak in Russian because of a few folks who don't speak Kazakh. If we speak Kazakh those who don't should learn."
4 March 2018
Lantern Festival Riddles Outwit and Enrage Chinese Censorship Authorities
By posting riddles, Chinese netizens have found a way to safely criticize the recent constitutional amendment proposal regarding the abolition of the two-term presidential limit.
3 March 2018
Iran's Ahwazis Continue to Suffer as Two More Disappeared Activists are Executed
The cruelty, injustice and lack of due process against Iran's Ahwazis continue: several deaths remain shrouded in mystery, with the added horror of families being denied burial rights.
26 February 2018
Twitter Thread of Observations and Surprising Moments in Japan Goes Viral
When a user experience designer traveled to Tokyo he was surprised and amazed by the small details of daily life. His observations about Japan then went viral on Twitter.
24 February 2018
These Sámi Women Are Trying to Keep Their Native Skolt Language Alive
“Adults and children are enthusiastic to learn the language, but we should make a situation where Skolt Sámi is becoming a normal language to use in everyday life.”
10 February 2018
Taiwan Literature Award for Migrants Makes Space for Different Narratives
Since 2014, the Taiwan Literature Awards for Migrants has provided a platform for foreign-born people in Taiwan to share their stories.
8 February 2018
Searching for ‘indios’ in Ecuador and Venezuela: A Lesson in Language and Data
What happens when the data doesn’t support the story we first set out to tell?
13 January 2018
Japanese Media Struggles to Translate Trump's “Shithole”
"Fascinating that media outlets find it easier to print "shithole" than 'racist' or 'racism'."
8 January 2018
What's In a (Nick) Name? Ask the Caribbean!
"Acid". "Leech". "Totee Muff". Caribbean people love to rename things. Check out a few of their most spectacular sobriquets...
30 December 2017
In 2017, Stories of Resilience, Creativity and Love Were Plentiful
Injustice abounds, but the human spirit is alive, kicking, and as beautiful as ever. Take a look at these highlights of Global Voices' coverage in 2017.
27 October 2017
Kyrgyz People of Central Asia Shocked to Be the Bad Guys in New Japanese ‘Tokusatsu’ Movie
In Japanese, the 'kyr' in 'Kyrgyz' sounds a lot like 'kill'.
13 October 2017
The Crowd-Sourced Faroe Islands Answer to Google Translate
What do you do when your national language doesn't show up in Google Translate? If you're the Faroe Islands, you just crowd-source your own solution.
