· February, 2009

Stories about Language from February, 2009

Martinique and Guadeloupe: Vocabulary of the general strike

  28 February 2009

le blog de [moi] [Fr] discusses how a new vocabulary has entered into the creoles of Guadeloupe and Martinique since the beginning of the general strike: “What was really surprising (and for me, I admit, a little unsettling) was to see how in interviews, men and woman on the street...

Jamaica, Guyana: Action or Reaction?

  26 February 2009

Both Active Voice [Jamaica] and Guyanese blogger C.D. Valere (writing at Baiganchoka) continue the discussion about recent attempts by the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission to “clean up” the airwaves.

Bangladesh: Remembering The Language Martyrs

  23 February 2009

Desherchobi posts a photo essay describing how Bangladeshis commemorate the martyrs who gave their lives for their mother tongue Bangla on 21st of February, 1952, now recognized as the International mother language day.

Russia: Endangered Languages

  23 February 2009

Window on Eurasia writes that, according to UNESCO, “19 languages spoken on the territory of the Russian Federation a half century ago have ceased to exist, and 117 more are either in a position UN experts say is “unsafe” (21 languages), “definitely endangered” (47), “severely endangered” (29), or “critically endangered”...

Worldwide: 2,500 Languages Disappearing

  20 February 2009

An interactive map of endangered languages, showing 2,500 out of 6,000 tongues at risk, has been released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The international organization asks users to contribute comments to a project that has many bloggers worried about preserving cultures.

Jamaica: Explicit music banned

  16 February 2009

The long-standing controversy over the appropriateness of certain music for public airplay has once again reared its head in Jamaica. Bloggers make their voices heard.

Bahrain: The importance of Arabic in advertising

  14 February 2009

Bahraini blogger aMaL laments the poor Arabic used in advertisements: “As an Arab country, and in the face of the capitalist global campaign to “blend” all cultures together and implant a consumerist heart in their core, it is our duty to preserve one of the few identity symbols we have...

China: Grass Mud Horse

  12 February 2009

Joel Martinsen from DANWEI explains the popular online term, Grass Mud Horse, which originally is a legendary beast and recently used as a political parody for the harmonious society.

Japan: Message translation service brings heartbreak

  11 February 2009

Commenters at Japan's popular bulletin board service 2channel are responding to the story [ja] of a Japanese girl (ID tomochan) who, reportedly through the “enjoy JAPAN (KOREA) translation service” run by Korean search portal Naver, became close friends with a Korean guy. Naver plans to end the service on February...