· May, 2010

Stories about Language from May, 2010

China: lost in translation

  31 May 2010

The machine translation of Chinese character into English can be really hilarious. PH from veggie discourse has a few examples.

Causes of Hatred in the Russian Blogosphere

Lj-user blondycandy received [RUS] more than 400 comments on the question “Why there's so much hatred in the Russian blogosphere”? Evgeny Gorny summarized [RUS] the most often suggestions: general ‘offline’ unhappiness, inferiority complex, impunity, lack of education, envy, specific ‘Russian mentality’ and so on.

East Timor: Portuguese Language in Debate

  23 May 2010

A heated discussion is taking place in the Timorese blogosphere regarding the implications of the adoption of Portuguese as one of the official languages in East Timor, along with Tetum. Kirsty Sword Gusmão, Goodwill Ambassador for Education, and spouse of Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, reacts showing her concerns about education...

East Timor: Short Story Competition in Tetum

  21 May 2010

Istoria Timor Short Story Competition in Tetum language is running until the end of June. The concept notes from the previous edition offer an overview to literacy and language in East Timor and can be found in this post.

Middle East: “Blood Borders”

  20 May 2010

Martin W. Lewis from GeoCurrent Event blog reviews Ralph Lewis’ “Blood Borders” article on the idea of a complete reshape of Middle East borders in order to fit more appropriately the ethnic and religious affiliations of the region.

Philippines: The jejemon craze

  16 May 2010

As millions of Filipinos closely followed the recently concluded elections, another phenomenon by the name “jejemon” is stealing the spotlight for other Filipinos, especially online where jejemon enthusiasts and haters compete for attention

Pakistan: Internet and the challenge of language

  4 May 2010

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet. Pakistan today would seem primed for rapid growth in internet use. The country has had explosive growth of FM radio, satellite and cable TV set in motion by regulatory changes that allow non-state ownership of mass media. Cell...

Trinidad & Tobago: CRB Online

  4 May 2010

“At long last the trail-blazing online version of the Caribbean Review of Books is on stream!”: Trinidad and Tobago's Pleasure calls this “a very, very pleasing development.”

Jamaica: Red

  3 May 2010

“The term ‘red'…has had a long and dishonorable reputation in the Americas”: Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp seeks to change this through a poem in which “the speaker…turns away from the extremes of racial conflict and embraces his ‘red'ness.”

Guyana: Articulate Voice

  3 May 2010

Signifyin’ Guyana blogs about Guyanese writer Grace Nichols and her poetic tongue, saying that in her work, she “continues to produce articulate speakers who tell the stories of women’s lives…”