The learn2lingo blog

Where are you going on holiday this year? If you’re going overseas, learning the basics of the local language or polishing up your skills if you can already speak it is a great way to really get the most out of your holiday – here’s why:

1. You will get better deals. If you speak the local language, bargaining in markets and getting local prices will help you make your money go further.

2. It makes travelling easier. If you don’t need to keep getting your phrasebook out, booking taxis, ordering meals and asking for directions aren’t half as troublesome.

3. You will be safer. Being able to understand what people are saying about you puts you in a lot better position when you are travelling alone and makes you seem like a harder target to fraudsters.

4. Get off the beaten track. With the confidence being able to speak the local language brings, you’ll be keen to get out an see things many other tourists don’t.

5. It won’t break the bank. With our Summer Sale, we’re giving away one free lesson with each lesson you buy. Click here to find out more!

Are you thinking of getting away over the next few weeks? Well if so; watch this space as I will be writing a series of blogs over the next few weeks on major Summer Holiday destinations. This week I have put together a list of top destinations and attractions in France as well as a list of essential phrases to make to help you get by and to make your trip fun and enjoyable. You never know, you might develop a passion for French (if don’t speak it already) and start learning further with us here at Learn2Lingo.

1) Paris

The Louvre

The Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums and boasts the highest number of visitors for a museum per year.

Arc de Triomphe

One of the most historic and memorable monuments in the world, did you know that the Arc de Triomphe rests on top of the tomb of an anonymous soldier from World War 1.

2) Strasbourg

Strasbourg Cathedral

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is the highest medieval building in Europe and was the tallest building in the world from 1647 1874 and even today it is one of the world’s tallest churches.

3) Lyon

Ampithéâtre Gallo Romain

This famous amphitheatre was constructed under the rule of the Roman Empire and over the years it has been used for entertainment as well as many executions!

Useful Phrases

Je voudrais un aller simple/ aller retour a Lyon

I would like a single/return ticket to Lyon

À quelle heure le train arrive t-il?

What time does the train arrive?

Quell autobus va à L’Arc de Triomphe?

Which bus goes to the Arc de Triomphe?

Je veux aller au Louvre

I want to go to the Louvre

Blogging is such a great way to practise writing in a second language. It’s relaxed enough that you don’t need to worry about being too formal but there’s pressure on you to write correctly because there will be people reading it.

Keeping a blog can make you more accountable for your commitment to learning a language, too. If you have comments asking where you are and why you haven’t written for ages, it’s certainly an incentive to get online and practise again.

You can even get some free tuition. Native speakers of your new language will often be happy to correct your writing in the comments beneath each post and give you valuable advice on what might be a more natural way to say something.

It’s great fun! You can meet new friends and have fun expressing yourself in your new language. When learning becomes that much fun, you’re bound to reach your goals quicker.

If you are interested in writing a guest article for the learn2lingo blog, please contact us on Twitter.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a quiz here on the learn2lingo blog. So, in honour of the World Cup, we’ve put together this World Cup Mega-Quiz.

It’s time to grab a cup of coffee, take some time out, and put your language skills to the test.

Good luck, everyone and enjoy the World Cup!

Many languages, one nation

Yes, the World Cup is here, bringing with it the dulcet tones of the vuvuzela, the hopes of a nation, and pubs full of catatonic men. Still, whatever your team, South Africa is fascinating for more than just its football.

South Africa is a nation rich with languages – as Wil’s colourful post showed, it has 11 official tongues and a multitude of dialects, third in quantity only to India and Bolivia. Zulu and Afrikaans are the two best known of these languages, although another language, Xhosa (or isiXhosa in the language itself, the ‘isi’ being a prefix relating to language), is the second most spoken language at home in South Africa, with about 9 million speakers.

The language is written in Latin script, but contains some distinctly un-western sounds – there are 18 different types of click sound, although this is comparatively modest if you consider that ǃXóõ (no, I don’t know how to pronounce it), a Botswanan language, has 83 in total!)

There is a linguistic mix within the country, a combination of east and west, of politics, history and culture that makes it unusual and endlessly diverse.

Here are some of my favourite South Africanisms from Afrikaans:

‘howzit’ – ‘how’s it going?’ (greeting)
robot – traffic lights
bioscope – cinema (apparently a little old fashioned, a great word nonetheless)
bokkie – a term of endearment, like ‘honey’ or ‘dear’
chrisco – a disco with Christian music (I admire the specificity)
klankie – bad smell
yoh – an expression of surprise

And to think, that’s just a taste. If you feel like learning a few words in either Zulu, Xhosa or Afrikaans, then here a few links to get you on your way:

Zulu dictionary and language resources: http://isizulu.net/

Afrikaans Dictionary: http://www.freelang.net/online/afrikaans.php and language resources: http://www.openlanguages.net/afrikaans

Xhosa dictionary with links to other resources: http://www.xhosadictionary.com/links.php

Siyakubonana!*

Today’s photo is by Leigh-Ann-Auerswald.

(* That’s ‘See you’ in Xhosa.)