Chinese, Macanese and… Portuguese? Hundreds and hundreds of languages in China Chinese is the most common term to indicate a range of different languages, among them Macanese. Based on the number of native speakers throughout the world, Chinese is the most spoken language all over the world. It is official in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. However, Chinese-speaking communities can be found basically everywhere. There are Chinatowns across the globe. The most famous are in NY, London and Toronto. Among all the different varieties of Chinese, two standards (spoken and written) exist: Cantonese and Mandarin, and Traditional and Simplified. Our previous blogpost is about some clarification on their differences. Nevertheless, China is a huge land of giant metropolitan cities like Beijing or Shanghai and home to about six thousand small villages. Its people speak more than 200 different languages generally described as dialects of Chinese such as Pekinese, Shanghainese, Xiang, Taishanese, etc. Just Chinese? Not in Macau Meanwhile, there are not only speakers of Chinese and its various dialects in China. Macau is an autonomous territory of 30.5 km2 with a population of 650,900. That is why it is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. Macau was a Colony of the Portuguese Empire from 1557 until 1999. Finally, Portugal transferred the sovereignty to the People’s Republic of China. People consider it the last European Colony in Asia. Although 20 years have passed since then and despite the distance from the mainland, the Portuguese influence is still prominent in Macau, both artistically and linguistically. You can walk on streets ornamented with calçada portuguesa surrounded by red lanterns...
Silbo Gomero is Spain’s Exotic Whistling Language Languages can use so many different forms of sounds. You probably have heard about languages that use clicks like Xhosa in South Africa. It sounds more or less exotic because only rare languages use them. Even more rare if you think about whistling. But that is exactly what Silbo Gomero, a languages in the Spanish territory, does. Languages of Spain Spain is a European country that is home to many different languages. These languages possess a co-official status with Castilian, the standardised language variety in Spain. In Barcelona, the Balearic Islands, and Valencia, Catalan is the co-official language along with Spanish. The same place takes Euskadi in the Basque Country. In the Iberian Peninsula there are many varieties, dialects and even distinct languages:. These are Aragonese, Galician, Valencian (the variety of Catalan spoken in Valencia), Andalusian dialect, Portuguese. Even English is spoken in Gibraltar. But there is another one far from the mainland, plunged in the Atlantic Ocean and close to Africa. On a small island belonging to the Archipelago of Canary Islands, a language exists that is not a spoken one: Silbo Gomero. The History of Silbo Gomero Silbo Gomero or simply, “el Silbo” (the whistle), takes its name from the Island of La Gomera. The primitive inhabitants of the Canary Islands, the Guanches, settlers from North Africa, developed it since needed a way to communicate across long distances, especially among shepherds. In fact, Silbo Gomero is perceptible up to 5 km away. Nowadays, people still use it to communicate because there are places on the Islands that are not covered...
Ever heard of Patagonian Welsh? Down in the South of Argentina, in the Chubut province of Patagonia, you will not only hear Spanish or other native languages associated with Southern Argentina. You will also hear Patagonian Welsh. There are about 5,000 speakers. But, how did it end up there? How Welsh Came to Argentina During the industrial revolution, some Welsh people were afraid of losing their cultural heritage. Therefore, and among other reasons, they decided to immigrate to the US. But there they would be assimilated to a new language and lifestyle. So, they went looking for a better place to conserve their language, culture and tradition. They considered Vancouver Island. But they finally decided on Patagonia as it seemed to have everything required. After a two-month journey by ship, about 200 people arrived on the Argentinean coast in July 1865. They struggled greatly at first because of the very different environment and conditions they had to face. Luckily, after some initial mistrust, they received help from and started trading with the native Teheulche Indians. Finally, they established their first permanent settlement called Rawson at the end of 1965. Ten years later, after discussions about the ownership of the land with the Argentinean government, they received ownership of the populated land. The Welsh made the land fertile. It looked as if their dream had come true with schools, chapels and a local government in Patagonian Welsh. However, more and more people were attracted to the prosperity, Welsh as well as non-Welsh. By 1915 about half of the population was non-Welsh. Simultaneously, the Argentinean government made Spanish the mandatory language...
The Word on the Street Festival During the month of September, Canada is the host of The Word on the Street Festival. It celebrates and promotes Canadian literature, reading, writing, and literacy. This festival occurred for the first time on September 30, 1990 in Toronto. Attendance was surprisingly good and the event quickly became an important event nation-wide. Nowadays it is celebrated in Halifax, Toronto, Saskatoon, and Lethbridge, and there is also a preview event held in Kitchener. It is the largest literary festival in Canada. Get further information here. Who attends this Festival? Every year, authors, publishers and readers from all over Canada and other countries come to The Word on the Street. The festival provides opportunities for authors to promote their work, sign books, do readings, and attend meet and greets. It is also an opportunity for people to meet their favorite authors, buy new books, and celebrate literature and literacy. The festival attracts people of all ages and interests. There, you can find different types of books and magazines of any genre, such as poetry and fiction. This is a win-win situation for authors, readers and publishers. What makes this Festival so amazing? Besides the obvious attraction, the books, you will also find a bunch of activities that will catch your attention and entertain you. You can attend authors’ events such as book signings, giveaways, and conferences. You can also enjoy presentations as part of the Spoken Word Showcase that includes a Q&A at the end to get to know the poets and their stories. On the other hand, if you are interested in buying, there...
Accents in the UK Are you from a non-English-speaking country and want to move to the United Kingdom? If you are and you have decided to go, you need to be aware of all the different British accents. Check out our article about how you can recognize British accents and get familiar with the different dialects and accents in the UK. English as a second language I am from Spain and in my country, when we are in school, we learn English as a second language. The English we learn is the general English (Received Pronunciation English) and many of us believe that this type of accent is the only one that exists in the UK. Then when we move to the UK for work or study, we realize that we were wrong. Depending on where you go, people speak with many different English accents. Check out our English voiceover services. We work with voiceover artists who record native British, American and Canadian accents. In the south, you will find the Received Pronunciation English, Cockney, estuary English and West Country. Further out, you find the Midlands English and Welsh English. And in the north, you will find the Northern England English, Geordie accent and Scottish English accent. Received Pronunciation English Currently I am living in the north, in Leeds to be precise, and I would like to point out the differences between the Northern English and the Received Pronunciation English. The Northern England English is spoken in the area of Manchester, Leeds, York and Liverpool. The features of this accent are: Non-rhoticity, except in some rural areas. The diphthong in words...
Canada and France: are there many differences? We love to discover new cultures around the world. Here are a few cultural differences between France and Canada about the language they speak, the food they like and the sport they play or watch. Differences in Languages The two main languages spoken in Canada are English and Canadian French. English is by far the most spoken language in Canada with 58% of Canadians speaking English and only 22% speaking French. Canadian French is a variation of the French language from France, originating from the 18th century. In France, French is the official language and many people know some English but less are fluent. Differences in Food Canada has a large variety of dishes from East to West. Most of them are based on meat, cheese, and potatoes. First of all, poutine is one of the most famous dishes in Canada and especially in Quebec. It is a delicious meal made with French fries, gravy and cheese curds. In addition, British Columbia salmon, and Alberta beef and bacon are also very much appreciated in Canada. Coincidentally, meat, cheese and potatoes are also much appreciated in French cuisine. For example, Raclette and Tartiflette are typical French dishes composed of potatoes, bacon and cheese. On the sweet side, Canada is famous for its maple syrup and beavertails. Nevertheless, in France, pastries and bakery goods are also very typical with the classic baguette, croissant and pain au chocolat. Differences in Sport The national sport in Canada is ice hockey. However, most American sports, like football and basketball, are also represented in Canada. The National Hockey...
