Search Blog for "learning-the-lingo"

How much will people spend on learning a new language and why?

December 1st, 2015 by Anna Michaelidou

Being fluent in a second language offers many benefits and opportunities for all ages; but learning a new language takes time and dedication. It is not that it is necessarily a difficult task; it is merely understanding that language skills are a habit that can be developed through discipline and practice. Did you know that there are approximately 7000 languages in the world today? Let's have a quick look at the distribution of world languages by area and origin.

D... Read More »

Benefits of learning British Sign Language

February 2nd, 2017 by Anna Michaelidou

As with learning any new language there are many benefits of learning British Sign Language (BSL). BSL is the main form of sign language used in the UK today.

The Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD) describes BSL:

British Sign language (or BSL) is a visual-gestural language, which makes use of three dimensional space and the movement of hands (and other parts of the body) to convey meaning. It has its own v... Read More »

Learning a language can increase your brain size!Learning a language can increase your brain size!

January 13th, 2015 by Sarah Adams

According to Swedish scientists, learning an additional language can increase the size of your brain. The study focused on a control group of hard working, Medical and Cognitive Science Students from the US. By measuring their brains before and after the language training, a group of researchers had the unique opportunity to observe what happens to the brain when a language is learnt in a short period of time.

The ... Read More »

Language and Thought

April 18th, 2013 by Dexter Findley

Conventional wisdom dictates that learning the language of the country you're travelling in will enhance your experience no end. This is obvious: you can talk to the locals, read public signs, get involved in local news and events, and things will generally go smoother.

But there's a deeper side to the situation, one that is occasionally overlooked. And for people interested in the culture of the place they're travelling to, it's potentially incredibly rewarding. Basically, the langua... Read More »

Commonly Studied Languages

January 19th, 2015 by Sarah Adams

Today's economy is increasingly globalised, and this means that many of us are interacting across cultures in a way we never did before. Learning a new language takes time and dedication. Once you do, being fluent in a second language offers numerous benefits and opportunities. Learning a second language is exciting and beneficial at all ages. It offers practical, intellectual and many aspirational benefits.

In today's world, the... Read More »

Why learn Chinese?

October 3rd, 2011 by Sara

Mandarin is the national language of China and Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. By learning Mandarin you will be able to speak with more people than any other language- including English.

Mandarin is comparatively spoken by fewer non-Chinese than most European languages spoken by non-natives of their respective countries. That means there is a greater demand ... Read More »

Learning Languages through the Movies

July 17th, 2013 by Dexter Findley

It's long been established that 'immersing' yourself in a language is one of the best ways to learn. However, not everybody can jet off and live in their chosen country for a few months. There are various language-learning packages available which claim to simulate this immersion - the most notable of which is Rosetta Stone - but there is another way to experience it: by watching films in the language.

This was my experience. I'd learnt French to AS level at school, but hadn't used it... Read More »

Top 5 Languages You Should Learn in 2014

August 1st, 2013 by Dexter Findley

Congratulations! If you're reading (and understanding) this then you know English, the one language in the world that will get you somewhere everywhere. An official language of a prodigious percentage of countries, it may not be a local tongue but its basics are known almost universally. But say you want to learn another language, one that will be useful, rather than one that just gets you bonus points while on holiday? Which one should you aim for? Here are the Top Five.

... Read More »

Learn to love a language again

April 14th, 2010 by Emily

The English traditionally have a reputation for speaking one language very well - their own! It's a common joke amongst our European cousins that those in the UK don't bother to learn foreign languages. By contrast, many Europeans speak perfect English.

Obviously, this is a great shame, especially if you're one of the many people who learned a language at school and then promptly forgot it the minute you stopped having tuition in that subject. A language is like a muscle. You have t... Read More »