language
BBC Asks If Afrikaans Is In Danger Of “Dying Out”
18 May 2020 by Carrie / No Comments
The BBC looked into language politics in South Africa to determine whether or not Afrikaans was in danger of “dying out”.
Five Of The Weirdest Ways That Scientists Have Tried To Communicate With Aliens
08 Nov 2019 by Carrie / No Comments
Over the years scientists have tried to solve the problem of interstellar communication in some incredibly weird and wonderful ways.
Eight Words With Double Meanings That Show How Odd The English Language Can Be
11 Sep 2019 by Carrie / No Comments
If you’re a first-language English speaker, you probably take the language for granted. Have you ever stopped to think about just how weird it actually is?
Today’s Word Of The Day Is ‘Kakistocracy’
11 Feb 2019 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Looking to expand your vocabulary and learn a new insult perfect for our political climate? You’re in luck, my friend.
Our Exposure To AI Is Making Us All Talk Like Machines
07 Dec 2018 by Carrie / No Comments
In 2018, Google, Microsoft, and Instagram have unveiled AI programs that mimic their users, and now we’re mimicking them.
You Follow This English Grammar Rule Without Even Being Aware Of It
13 Aug 2018 by Carrie / No Comments
Learning a language often requires following a number of rules. Sometimes, it turns out, we’re not even aware of those rules.
SA Students Are Now Learning French As An African Language
09 Oct 2017 by Sloane Hunter / No Comments
As an increasing amount of Francophiles move to South Africa, local perceptions of the once Eurocentric language have shifted. So has the way its being taught in the classroom.
This Is Where The Phrase ‘Knock On Wood” Comes From
25 Apr 2017 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
It’s one of those sayings many of use very regularly, but do you have any idea where the phrase originated from? We’re here to help.
Shit’s Going Down At Sans Souci In Cape Town [Video]
02 Sep 2016 by Sloane Hunter / No Comments
Girls at Sans Souci have joined in the nationwide stand against discriminatory codes of conduct, highlighting some ridiculous rules at their school.
Get To Know What Your Kids Are Talking About Online. e.g. GNOC Stands For Get Naked On Camera (And IWSN = I Want Sex Now) – More Here
07 Sep 2015 by Sloane Hunter / No Comments
Parents, it’s going to be okay. Thanks to the UK, here’s a guide to what your teens are saying online when they write in all caps.
“Who The Hell Are You Talking To?” Watch Parliament’s Deputy Speaker Completely Balls It Up [Video]
14 Nov 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
When in the National Assembly, it seems participants should be reduced to school children and have to hold the “talking stick”. Also, language should be kept to a respectful level.
Schabir Shaik “Has To Carry Around A Jar Of Vaseline Because He Gets Fucked All The Time”
03 Nov 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Schabir Shaik is our country’s favourite fraudster. If he isn’t lying about his qualifications, he is staying at private game lodges instead of being in prison. Now he can add this to his list of amazingness.
The History Of Swear Words [Video]
12 Sep 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Ever wondered where those crude swear words originated from? Swearnet founders Trailer Park Boys provide an educational journey through the history of those naughty sayings.
English Man Teaches Japanese How To Use The Word ‘Fuck’ Correctly [Video]
24 Jun 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Swearing isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies sometimes, so an Englishman has traveled and decided to help out some of the locals get their F-bombs out.
ATT: Game Of Thrones Fans, This Is A Must-Know [Infographic]
30 May 2014 by chelsea / No Comments
For those of you that are just SO SICK of reading the subtitles when the Dothraki people speak in their mother tongue, then this may just be the answer you’ve been waiting for. Travel search engine, Cheapflights.com.au, has created a useful guide for Game of Thrones fans that teaches them how to speak basic Dothraki. The infographic is categorized into […]
This Gibberish Talking Teen Has Gone Super-Viral [VIDEO]
20 Mar 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Who knew talking gibberish on YouTube could change your life? The latest viral YouTube sensation is Sara Maria Forsberg. Since posting her video titled “What Languages Sound Like To Foreigners,” she has become an overnight hit.
Praat Die Taal? The Brain Benefits Of Speaking More Than One Language [INFOGRAPHIC]
24 Feb 2014 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
If english isn’t your home language in South Africa, there is a very high chance that you speak more than one language. And if you do, take this moment to bask in the glory that is your superior brain.
STOP EVERYTHING: Fake Interpreter Wanted For Kidnapping, Rape, And Murder
13 Dec 2013 by Jasmine Stone / 2 Comments
SHUT. UP. eNCA has broken more amazing details pertaining to Thami Jantjie, the sign language interpreter who played air guitar through Nelson Mandela’s Memorial on Tuesday. eNCA reports that Jantjie faced charges of kidnapping, rape, attempted murder, and murder.
This Dog Knows Over 1,000 Words And Is ‘As Clever As A Toddler’ [Video]
07 Nov 2013 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
If you think this is a story about a talking dog, you’re wrong. This is a groundbreaking story about what researchers at Duke University are calling “the most scientifically important dog in over a century.”
Radvertising: Gangnam Style Psy’s ‘WikiKorea’ Is Awesome [VIDEO]
01 Jul 2013 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Tourism agencies across the globe are kicking it in to high gear lately. Holland kicked a whole lotta ass recently with their “Original Cool” campaign, and South Korea has come to the party, enlisting Gangnam Style gift-giver, Psy in the creation of YouTube spots to promote that country. ‘Psy’s WikiKorea’ has been translated in to […]
Scumbag Arsenal Fan Teaches Three-Year-Old Son To Sing Rape Chant [VIDEO]
07 Nov 2012 by Jasmine Stone / 2 Comments
British moral fabric eroded further on Monday when a video was uploaded to YouTube showing a man teaching his three-year-old son how to sing vile chants about Robin Van Persie.
Students Develop Gloves That Translate Sign Language Into Speech [VIDEO]
10 Jul 2012 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
A group of Ukrainian students are deservedly receiving a large amount of attention for a very impressive student project that has seen them qualify as one of the six finalists at this year’s Microsoft Imagine Cup. They’ve invented a glove that can translate the movements made by sign language into speech.
Google Out To Save 3,054 Endangered Languages
21 Jun 2012 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
We sometimes underestimate the importance of language, especially when swimming in the ubiquitous sea of English. Language is bound tightly with identity, and when you imagine a language going the way of the Dodo, it is scary to think what else is lost with it. Google’s philanthropic arm, Google.org, has launched the Endangered Language project, a website devoted to preserving languages that are close to dying out.
Tasting Notes: Useful, Or A Waste Of Letters?
17 May 2012 by Jasmine Stone / 3 Comments
This is going to be one of those columns that is more useful if you get involved. That’s why I’m telling you now, right at the start, that it would be fantastic, absolutely bloody marvelous in fact, as wonderful as a ham sandwich and a cup of tea on a bright spring day, if you add your two cents once you have finished reading. I’ll try to keep it short, so you have more time to type your comments. This column is about tasting notes.
Obama Answers Deaf Student In Sign Language [VIDEO]
22 Mar 2012 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Here is a great example of how easy it is to ensure yourself a long, celebrated career in politics. After attending a conference in Washington recently, Barack Obama greeted some audience members. A deaf student in the crowd signed to him: “I am proud of you.” Not missing a beat, Obama signed back: “Thank you.” Video after the jump.
Local French Government Bans The Word “Mademoiselle” Due To Sexism Claims
09 Jan 2012 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
Well, this is the fight against sexism taken to a whole new level. The word “Mademoiselle” has been banned from all official documents in the French suburb of Cesson-Sévigné, in Rennes. Formerly regarded simply as the title given to an unmarried woman, the term is now considered sexist, apparently.
Brits Weigh-In On Their ‘Favorite’ Americanisms
21 Jul 2011 by Jasmine Stone / No Comments
BBC News Magazine recently ran a feature on American words and turns of phrase which have entered into language in the UK. This prompted hundreds of responses from people who gave further examples and naturally complained about most of them. Some, in true British style, were truly scathing and really rather entertaining.
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