2014/09/04

Tagalog

I work with a lot of Filipinos, so I decided to try learning Tagalog. Unfortunately, resources on-line are scarce. I did find this, but for some reason, Java is not working for me, so I cannot utilize it's full potential. I can always ask in the store if I have a question, though. This is the first language I have had almost daily contact with native speakers.

If only I didn't have such a hard time asking for help. When it comes to languages, I have a hard time asking for help when first beginning because most people and classes will help me out as fast as I can learn. If only I could get our hiring manager to schedule all the Filipinos at the same time so I can hear them all talk to each other. :D

2014/05/24

Omniglot Website

Pretty much my got to place for scripts and links to learning websites. I particularly like abugidas. There are too many pretty scripts to decide which are my favourites. Anyway, omniglot is pretty extensive, though lacking in some learning websites, though that's to be expected of the lesser known languages. I like the way he has the site laid out and you can get to each script in multiple ways - alphabetical by English name, type, and direction.

2014/05/19

Estonian!!

The more I read about Estonia, the more I want to go. I found a linguistics university in Tartu, near the Russian boarder to the east that I want to go to. The university not only provides information on their school and places to eat and whatnot, they also tell you about getting your documents such as visas, tips on how to get a job while studying, entertainment areas, even how to get health and dental insurance! Also, most EU public schools are free to everyone. And I do mean EVERYONE.

I plan on being taught in Estonian. So that means learning the language, but it's proving difficult. Not because of the grammar or pronunciation or even spelling. It's extremely difficult to find a hard copy course here in the States. I don't mind learning online, but unlike in Estonia, I do not have internet access in even the entire city. I want a hard copy grammar, but even that online is hard to find and print out, but in the meantime, here is what I found that has been helping so far:
http://www.memrise.com
https://www.keeleklikk.ee/
http://estonianlanguage.blogspot.com/
I haven't actually looked at any more of my saved links.

2014/01/22

10 Languages Still Spoken

I found this through Facebook the other day. Awesome! I had heard of Xhosa, Pirahã, and Pawnee, but not the others. I want to learn them all, including the whistle one, but not the one where they seem to kill the outsiders without trying to make any contact!

2014/01/09

Tidewater? Hampton Roads?

I finally have the time and a good subject to write!

The area I live in is known to newcomers as Hampton Roads, but to us natives it is, and always will be, Tidewater. I never knew the origin of either name until now. My geography teacher told us the name Hampton Roads had something to do with the waterways as well. This requires some further investigation.