Disney Princess Names and their Meaning Almost everyone grew up watching Disney movies, especially in the late ’80s and 90s when Disney produced a lot of great movies. Many of these Disney movies feature a princess character with a name like Elsa or Bella. Did you know that their names have different meanings in different languages? Beauty and the Beast (1991) Bella means beautiful in Spanish and Italian. The story is that Bella falls in love with an enchanted prince. He has been cursed to look like a beast and the only way the spell can be broken is if he learns to love. Bella and the beast fall in love and break the spell at a crucial moment. Frozen (2013) In Hebrew, Anne means grace and in Spanish, Elsa means truth. This movie has not just one but two princesses, the sisters Elsa and Anne, who are part of the Arendelle royal family. Elsa has the power to manipulate ice and snow but ends up hurting Anne who will be frozen until an act of true love breaks the spell. Eventually, Anne defrosts and they live happily ever after. Aladdin (1992) The princess name Jasmine means flower in Persian. A princess in a palace with a pet tiger and a street boy with a pet monkey must be a weird combination, right? They love each other but Aladdin is too poor to be with Jasmine. He finds a lamp with a genie inside. He stops the evil Jafar and saves the sultan. After the sultan sees the love between Jasmine and Aladdin he allows them to get married. Sleeping Beauty (1959) Aurora is Latin for goddess...
“O Canada” Canadians love playing and watching many different sports but there are always favorites! This is our list of the top 10 most Canadian sports. What do you think about this list? Do you agree? Number 10: Golf With its origin in 15th century Scotland, Golf is still popular to this date. The combination of striking a small white ball with a club generates lots of fun, however, because golfing clubs are so expensive to join, it is most easily played by people with lots of money. Number 9: Tennis The origin of Tennis goes all the way back to medieval France. In the 12th century, the French King Louis X was a keen player of an earlier version of modern tennis. The tennis we know today was born in 1958 when two friends used rackets in the old Spanish game of Pelota. The Canadian Open, an annual event, helped the sport gain popularity in Canada. Number 8: Curling Although Canadians dominate Curling at the international level, its origin lies in Scotland. Curling became an Olympic sport in 1998 and since then Canada has won five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. It’s no wonder curling is so popular in Canada! Number 7: Cricket Although Canada is not a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the old English game of Cricket is still quite popular here. Currently ranked at 16th, the Canadian team is not winning any championships yet, but perhaps this will change in the future. Number 6: Baseball Even though Baseball is extremely successful in America, it is also very popular in Canada. Both...
Advertisement Is Hidden Everywhere How do you choose the products when you go shopping? You might think you choose products on your own but you are suggested products subconsciously through advertisement. We just stare at the TV but actually we are being exposed to ads. So when we go shopping, we buy the products that remain in our memory. Today we have prepared the top 14 creative ads you should know. Therefore, let’s see how companies captivate customers’ hearts! It’ll be fun! Trust me. Reality Sucks This is multiplex advertising in Belgium. You probably recognize the first and second photos as famous movie scenes from ‘Titanic’ and ‘Free Willy’. This advertising doesn’t follow traditional methods. Usually, theater advertising tries to express something positive, such as couples or families having a good time at the movies. However, in this case, they are saying, ‘reality sucks’. Weird, right? They should be saying, ‘reality is good’. Here’s what they want to say: ‘reality is not romantic like you think, so just go to the theater’. They get their point across with just two simple words. Really brilliant advertising. “That’s what I want to say! Bring me my cheezy!” Miracle Whip’s advertisement Miracle Whip is a dressing manufactured by Kraft Foods and sold throughout the United States and Canada. This ad is selling a low-fat dressing. Look at the print. In the ad, fries lie on a plate like a seesaw. If something heavy is on one side of the seesaw, that side goes down. But in this ad, the side with the dressing isn’t going down. Because it’s so light! They expressed...
Canada, Korea and Their Differences Have you ever lived in Canada or Korea? Here we compare cultural differences between Korea and Canada. School Life In Canada, school usually finishes around 4 p.m. and then students either participate in after-school activities or go home. But in Korea, especially in high school, students have to stay at school until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Koreans think that students must go on to a good university for a better job and better life. So most Korean students study very hard during their 3 years as a high-school student. Small Talk Generally Canadians like making small talk. You can talk to passerby even if you don’t know them. Canadians are kind so if you say hello to someone, they will reply for you. But small talk isn’t a common thing in Korea. You can small talk with friends, family, etc. but if you talk to someone on the street, it is considered very strange. Tip Culture Usually Canadians pay tips between 10% and 20% in restaurants. Koreans who visit Canada are confused about this because you don’t need to pay tips in Korea. About Alcohol In Canada, if you want to buy some alcohol, you have to visit the “Liquor Store”. You can’t buy alcohol in the convenience store, or any supermarket. And you can’t drink alcohol anywhere outside. But if you are in Korea, you can buy alcohol very easily at any convenience store or market. And you can drink alcohol outside if you want. Lunch Time Usually Koreans don’t bring their own lunch to work. They eat lunch at their company cafeteria or...
Happy Birthday, Canada! On July 1st, Canada will celebrate its 148th birthday. Here is your Canada Day events schedule across the country. Check it out! Origin Canada Day is a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which called the Constitution Act today. Canada Day was originally called ‘Dominion Day’ but it was renamed in 1982. How to celebrate On Canada Day people gather downtown or in central locations in their respective hometowns. They wear red T-shirts with Canadian maple leafs and some people even paint their faces. There are many events like concerts, parades, etc. and you can enjoy eating various street foods. The biggest highlight is a fireworks display! Usually it starts at 10 or 10:30 P.M. This year’s celebrations for Canada Day Here is your complete events schedule for enjoying Canada Day across the country! Canada Day 2015 in Ottawa Parliament Hill 9am to 9:30am – Flag-Raising Ceremony 9:30am to 10am – Changing of the Guard 10am to 10:30am – Carillon Concert 12pm to 1:30pm – Canada Day Noon Show 2pm to 5pm – Swing Dancing, A Flock of Flyers : remix, Ottawa Stilt Union 7:30pm to 10pm – Canada Day Evening Show Major’s Hill Park (There are a lot of activities!) 9am to 3pm – NRJ 104.1 Ottawa – Gatineau 9am to 5pm – Commemorate the 200th anniversary of Sir John A. Mcdonald’s birthday, Historica Canada’s Trivia Challenge, GoodLife Fitness (Get in The Best Shape Of Your Life!) etc. 2:45pm to 3:15pm – Inner City Sirens 2, Fesso the clown 3pm to 3:30pm –...
The Culture Behind Chopsticks Unless you grow up using chopsticks, getting the hang of it can be difficult. Each country in Asia has its own culture and etiquette about using them, as well as different shapes, etc. So today we’d like to introduce you to the interesting world of chopsticks! The Origin of Chopsticks Chopsticks were invented in ancient China as early as 1766 ~ 1122 B.C. The first ones were probably used for cooking, stirring the fire, and serving or seizing bits of food, not as eating utensils. Types of Chopsticks China Longer than other styles at about 25 centimeters, thicker, with squared or rounded sides and ending in either wide and flat tips or tapered pointed tips. The most common type of material in regular households is lacquered bamboo and in restaurants, melamine plastic for its durability and ease of sanitation. Korea Medium-length with a small, flat rectangular shape, and made of metal. Traditionally they were made of brass or silver, with only rich families using silver chopsticks because silver was very expensive. Many Korean metal chopsticks are ornately decorated at the grip and they are used simultaneously with the Korean spoon. Japan Shorter length sticks tapering to a finely pointed end. Traditionally Japanese chopsticks were made of wood or bamboo and were lacquered. It is common for Japanese sticks to be of shorter length for women. Vietnam Long sticks that taper to a blunt point, quite like the Chinese style. Traditionally lacquered wood or bamboo. Etiquette China When eating rice from a bowl, it is normal to hold the rice bowl up to one’s mouth and...
Maybe Asia This Summer? Have you ever visited Asia? Asia has a lot of amazing and awesome places. Here are some suggestions for good places to visit. Let’s take a look! East Asia Shanghai, China Shanghai is the largest city in China by the population. Shoppers should make a beeline for the Fabric Market, where you can have a suit or dress tailor-made for you at bargain prices. Check out the fashionable restaurants, bars, and nightclubs at night! Seoul, South Korea Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea and the world’s second-largest metropolitan area. You can see a lot of skyscrapers and the N Seoul Tower. Go to the historical sites! In Seoul, there are many historical sites like the Gyeong-bok Palace and Changdeokgung Palace. You can also eat Korean food and enjoy the amazing nightlife. Tokyo, Japan Tokyo is the capital and largest city of Japan. You’ll meet many skyscrapers as well as the Tokyo Tower. You can enjoy karaoke and eat lots of Japanese food. Taipei, Taiwan The city of Taipei is the capital and a special municipality of Taiwan. You can eat high-quality food at very cheap prices. Also, it has a beautiful night view and amazing architecture. South Asia Jaipur, India The word Jaipur means “Palace of Jai king”. It is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan in Northern India. You should visit Vidhan Sabha, its view at night is gorgeous. Southeast Asia Phnom Penh, Cambodia Phnom Penh is the capital city and largest city of Cambodia. Beautiful sites like Wat Phnom, Veal Maen,...
Who Is The Fastest? We can’t imagine our life without the internet anymore. Have you ever thought about how your country compares to others in terms of internet speed? Which country do you think has the fastest internet connection in the world? Here are the top ten countries with the fastest internet. See if yours made the list! No 10. Finland In the fourth quarter of 2014, average speeds for broadband internet connection were 12.1 Mbps (megabytes per second), up 33% from a year ago. No 9. Czech Republic Average connection speeds in the Czech Republic in the fourth quarter of 2014 were 12.3 Mbps, up 8.4% from a year ago. No 8. Ireland Ireland was ranked number 8 at 12.7 Mbps. Their average connection speeds increased about 24% from 2013. No 7. Latvia In the first quarter of 2013, internet speeds in Latvia were 9.8 Mbps. But later their internet speeds hit 13.0 Mbps, up 25% from a year ago. No 6. Netherlands The Netherlands had an average broadband connection speed of 14.2 Mbps, up 15% from 2013. No 5. Switzerland In 2013, average broadband connection speeds were 12.1 Mbps. By the first three months of 2014, they rose to 14.5 Mbps. No 4. Sweden Not to be outdone, the Swedes had speeds averaging 14.6 Mbps, up 34% from a year ago. No 3. Japan Japan fell from second place to third, with speeds averaging 15.2 Mbps, up 16% from 2013. No 2. Hong Kong Hong Kong just stole second place from Japan. The average speeds reached were 16.8 Mbps, up as much as 37% from 2013. No 1....
Exploring the Culture Of Vancouver As a translation agency, we are always keen on exploring new cultures, traditions, languages, and the differences and similarities between them. Today, however, we would like to take a look inwards, to our own Canadian – and more specifically Vancouverite – background. We will focus on the habits of Vancouver inhabitants. 15 fun facts about Vancouver and its inhabitants A nice day is a day without rain no matter how cloudy it is. You know the difference between West Van, the West End, and the Westside. You know that there’s a Third Beach and Second Beach but no first beach (it’s English Bay). Going for a hike in the mountains and to the beach on the same day seems perfectly doable to you. Yoga pants are a way of life. Rent and housing prices don’t seem that bad. You can tell when the Canucks are playing by the number of people wearing hockey jerseys on the bus. You consider anything below 5 degrees to be freezing and above 20 to be insanely hot. The city receives a mere sprinkling of snow and you call it a snow day. You know what 4/20 means and why on that occasion you don’t go to the Art Gallery to admire the paintings. You know what UBC, SFU, ICBC, PNE, and VPL mean. You’re tired of eating so much sushi. You know that Vancouver Island is not in Vancouver. You know the proper pronunciation of the Vietnamese soup Pho. Even on the sunniest days, you have an umbrella with you because… you never know. Contact Us! Here at LingoStar,...
Foreigners living in Canada Canada is known to be a melting pot of cultures, languages, and traditions. Foreigners living in Canada come from all over the world for its high standard of living, plentiful opportunities, and beautiful nature. The pros of living in Canada are countless, however, foreigners will always miss something from their homeland, after all, they cannot deny their roots, they can even feel homesick sometimes. We decided to ask people from other countries now living in Canada – from longtime immigrants to aspiring permanent residents, from temporary workers to exchange students – to list the things that they miss most about their home countries. Some ideas of what foreigners living in Canada could miss Onsen and Sentō – Japan Onsen is the Japanese term for hot springs, while sentō refers to public bathing facilities. Therefore, there are thousands of onsen and sentō of many kinds scattered around Japan, outdoor or indoor, ranging from very basic to the utmost in luxury. A great way to relax after a stressful working day. Bidet – Italy Italians feel lost without it! Considered a luxury good in Canada, you will find a bidet in every Italian house, right beside the toilet. Really convenient item, once you get used to it you won’t be able to go back to a “bidetless” routine. Sophisticated online banking – Slovakia For most people, electronic banking means ATMs or direct deposit of cheques, however, the Slovak system allows many more types of transactions, mostly on computers or smartphones, which is the reason why e-shopping is so well-developed and popular all over the country. Christmas markets – Czech Republic Traditional handicrafts, local food and beer, carols...
