Stories about Language from September, 2008
China: Communication Style
Joel from Fool's mountain is collecting feedback from Chinese readers on this description a typical Chinese communication style. The blogger has posted a list of assumptions for further discussion.
Bulgaria, Macedonia: Rapprochement Through Literature
Yavor Mihaylov reports on how Bulgarian and Macedonian bloggers, through literature, have contributed more to the improvement of the Bulgarian-Macedonian relations than the Bulgarian and Macedonian governments from the recent years.
Japan: PM resignation starts Internet buzz, but was it real?
With less than a year spent in office, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda made a sudden announcement on live television last Monday night that he had decided to resign. While the PM's resignation on Monday came out of the blue to most observers, however, the buzz that followed on the Internet was even more of a surprise. Some writing in bulletin boards were asking: was the buzz fabricated?
Jamaica: Proofreading Pandemonium
Jamaican Annie Paul says that the mainstream media “are some of the worst offenders in terms of purveying bad English.”
Lebanese: Kufi Scripts Makes Fashion Debut
Lebanese blog Letters features summer fashions which highlight Arabic Kufi calligraphy patterns in this photo post.
Algeria: What do you call Skinks?
Algerian linguist Lameen Souag poses the following question for his readers: “Are any readers familiar with skinks? What would you call them?”
Where in the world are Global Voices translators?
These days, Global Voices' Lingua translators produce 15 different language editions of this website (18, if you count the up-and-coming Swahili, Russian, and Serbian) so people around the world who don't speak English, can join the global conversation.
Thailand: Protesters misunderstood by Western media?
Most of the online commentaries and news reports about the anti-government rallies in Thailand are not positive. A blogger wonders whether the statements of the protesting groups, and their English translations, are delivered to the global audience correctly.
