Stories about Language from September, 2010
Macedonia: Blogging for Proper Language Use
Two professional and licensed proofreaders, Biserka Velkovska and Maja Katarova, recently opened the blog Lektor [MKD] to dispense free advice on proper use of the grammar and other rules of the standard Macedonian language.
Russia: Lost and Found in Translation
Poemless posts a follow-up to her earlier entry about the contemporary Russian literature available in English.
China: Ai Weiwei's English Tweets
A group of volunteers help prominent artist-activist, Ai Weiwei, to translate his Chinese tweets into English.
Sri Lanka: Hearings of the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission
Valkyrie at Groundviews posts translations of reports on the hearings of the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) held in Killnochchi and Mullaitivu that appeared in Tamil newspapers.
Latvia: Translation of Rainis’ 1929 Article
All About Latvia translates an article on “the process of convergence” between ethnic Latvians and Latvia's Jews, Russians and Germans, written by Latvian poet and politician Rainis hours before his death on Sept. 12, 1929.
UK, Romania: “Katalin Varga”
Csíkszereda Musings writes about Katalin Varga, Peter Strickland's film, set and filmed in Transylvania.
Namibia: Teaching English in Namibia
Lynn shares her experience teaching English in Windhoek, Namibia: “English is the official language of Namibia and my understanding is that public school classes are taught in English. I think most pre-school kids hear Afrikaans and/or their indigenous languages in their homes and arrive in first grade without a kindergarten...
Africa: Africa's mobile app marketplace
Welcome to Mobisoko: “Mobisoko is Africa’s mobile app marketplace. It is the place for you to find location and language relevant applications for mobiles, especially geared to the African market.”
China: Redefining the Great Wall
“The Great Wall is not a ‘wall’ but rather an ancient Chinese frontier ‘town'” – DANWEI translates an article that argues for a new definition and translation of China's Great Wall.
CEE: Books and Reading Notes
War and Peace posts a mini-review of Sholem Aleichem's Tevye the Dairyman; Csíkszereda Musings reviews William Blacker's Along the Enchanted Way; Poemless wonders why there are “so few translations of contemporary Russian authors available to the English speaking world.”
Guyana: Gold Rush?
Guyana-Gyal thinks the gold rush must be on again – at least judging from the influx of foreigners – and each of them, she says, “got their own winning technique.”
Guinea Bissau: Bridging Cultures Through Language
The Andorinha [Swallow, pt] project has been promoting for two years the Portuguese language in the region of Cachungo in Guinea Bissau. Macua blog reproduces a text [pt] that describes the community radio and the exchange and correspondence program between schools in Portugal and Cachungo.
Israel: Israeli scientists claim proof that Arabic is “hard for brain”
A recent study claims to have proved its hypothesis that reading Arabic is harder for the brain than reading Hebrew or English. Gabriel Nada brings us reactions from netizens.
China: Is the West Becoming Chinafied?
Stan Abrams from china/divide discusses the trend of the West becoming Chinafied in terms of language, culture and economy.
Africa: Africans Share Childhood Memories Online
That African Girl is a blog with a series of posts written by Africans around the world about their childhood. It is a blog about growing up in an African family and learning to live in two worlds.
