Category: Culture
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World English or a world of Englishes? A case against ‘native-speakersim’
More and more linguists are stepping away from the distinction of native vs nativised speakers of English. Many practitioners have stated the advantages of non-native teachers as they are, among other things, more sensitive to the existence of English as an International Language. English is an official language in 68 countries. However, very few countries…
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Can our language and culture shape the way we see the world?
elsa o’brien lópez Languages give us categories to define an otherwise messy world, says linguistics professor Panos Athanasopulos. As these categories change depending on the language we speak we can say that language shapes the way we see the world. This can largely explain why things are done culture in a certain way in different…
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Do men and women speak differently?
elsa o’brien lópez Although differences in the language areas of boys and girls have been observed in babies, some differences in the way men and women do seem to be attributable to differences in their upbringing as part of different subcultures embedded in one same big culture. Fortunately, using a gender neutral language has become…
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The benefits of bilingualism
elsa o’brien lópez Despite the value attributed to learning certain languages, the cognitive benefits of bilingualism tend to be overlooked. This can lead to parents’ choosing a monolingual education for their children when a bilingual option is also available and to the loss of a family’s heritage language. The benefits of bilingualism have probably never…
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Does your language define who you are?
elsa o’brien lópez The language we speak carries a history as well as many traditions with it. Our language shapes the way we see the world. This is why, meeting someone who has two mother tongues can be quite disconcerting. Which of them defines the way they see the world? Can this person suffer from…
Speaker's Digest 