The Aspiring Polyglot is on Hiatus..

I wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a hiatus from updating this blog as I want to concentrate on my other blog, Eye on East Asia, for the time being.

Eye on East Asia is not a language learning blog per se but I will be posting plenty of links to useful language learning resources and other language-related posts over the coming months. Anyone who is learning (or thinking of learning) Mandarin, Japanese or Korean will be able to find links to blogs, dictionaries and online courses over at Eye on East Asia.

I won’t be deleting Aspiring Polyglot as there’s a good chance I will return to it in the not-too-distant future, but I felt it was time for me to take a small break and concentrate on something slightly different for now.

Happy Hangul Day!

The day may be nearly over for those of you who are reading this in South Korea but I wanted to wish all Korean readers (and learners) “Happy Hangul Day”. Hangul Day (한글날), which is celebrated on October 9 in South Korea and on January 15 in North Korea, is a national commemoration day which celebrates the invention of the hangul alphabet. The Korean alphabet is said to have been invented by King Sejong the Great (세종대왕; 世宗大王) in the fifteenth century and it is generally accepted that the alphabet made its debut in 1446 in the document Hunmin Jeongeum (훈민정음;訓民正音).

Hyunwoo Sun, author of the blog Send Me to Korea,  asked readers from around the world to send in short messages written in the hangul alphabet. The video below is a montage of the messages he received.

More information on Hangul Day and the origins of the hangul alphabet can be found below :

• Wikipedia : Hangul Day
• Language Log: Hangul Day
• The Korea Herald : Why We Celebrate Korean Alphabet Day

The Korea Times : Korean Language

People looking to learn some basic Korean phrases or learn more about Korean culture and traditions might be interested in The Korea Times’ language section. There are currently 120  lessons and new lessons are added every week. Each lesson highlights a few key phrases and words on a particular theme, e.g. “Korean Side Dishes”, “University”, “Weather” and “Office Seniority”.

The lessons are quite short and don’t include grammar points but they can still be of use to learners wishing to expand their vocabulary. Each item of vocabulary lists its Korean (in romanized Korean and hangul) and English name and often includes a picture of said item, which is a handy feature for those language learners who rely on visual aids for memorizing new vocabulary. The only drawback is the lack of audio files to help learners master the pronunciations of each new word or phrase. Having said that, many of lessons include cultural tips which explain the origins and significance of certain Korean customs and traditions, which, I feel, more than makes up for the lack of audio files.

Clearing Up the Blogroll

Hi everyone,

I’m back from my brief hiatus. I had a fantastic time with my friend, even though she had to cut her visit short due to her grandmother passing away.

Since it’s already quite late and I need to return to the text I’m translating, I just wanted to say that I’ve spent some time today clearing up my blogroll. I’ve removed links to blogs which have not been updated in the last 4 months and have added links to some new ones. I’ve decided to categorize the blogs according to the language(s) that the authors are learning. Blogs which deal with more than one language or focus on general language learning techniques are listed under “General”.

That’s all for today. Have a good start to the new week, wherever you are.

A Short Absence

A friend of mine will be staying with me for the next week and a half so there’s a good chance that I will not be able to update this blog during that time. In the meantime, feel free to check out some of the blogs listed in the side menu.

Regular updates will resume on September 26, 2009.

A Shift in Focus

Anyone who has been following my escapades in the blogosphere will know that I recently created two new blogs devoted solely to Japanese and Chinese language, culture and history : Dreaming in Kanji and China on My Mind. Recently, I’ve been giving some thought to the purpose and focus of this blog and I’ve decided to shift its focus away from my personal experiences of language learning and those few languages I’m interested in  and focus more on sharing and reviewing language learning resources and websites as well as cover a wider range of languages.

In addition, I wanted to let you all know that I will be more than happy to accept guest blog posts. Recent examples of guest blog posts can be found here and here. If you’re interested in submitting an article and would like to know more about the terms and conditions of guest blogging at Aspiring Polyglot, feel free to contact me by email.

Japan Times Online

A short post from me today…

Some “bilingual” articles can be found on the Japan Times Online website. Many of them can be found here and while they are not entirely bilingual, many of the articles contain useful (and not-so-useful) vocabulary. Here are direct links to some of the articles I enjoyed reading :

• Stomach peko peko? Dig into these Japanese food words
• Fish kanji help you hook the perfect meal
• The character of a culture resides in its language
• Tally your tanuki skins well in the Year of the Ox

Guest Blogger – Karen Schweitzer – 15 Free Language Learning Podcasts

Have you always wanted to learn a new language but could never find the time in your busy schedule. Language learning podcasts are a great way to learn at your own pace when it is convenient for you. Here are 15 free language podcasts to try out in your spare time:

Multilanguage Podcasts :

LanguagePod101 – The LanguagePod101 offers short and easy podcasts for learning 11 different languages. The podcasts are a good way for language enthusiasts to learn a few minutes each day.

Open Culture - Open Culture features free podcasts for 37 languages. These easy-to-listen-to podcasts feature languages from Arabic to Yiddish. This site also provides a free program for teaching yourself to learn a different language.

Free Language - This free online language learning site offers podcast lessons for language learners. The podcasts listed on the main page are for Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish but throughout the site there are several more.

Radio Lingua Network - The Radio Lingua Network offers free Coffee Break podcasts for French, Spanish, and German language learners. There are also several other one-minute podcasts for other languages. The Coffee Break podcasts are designed for beginners and last from 15 to 20 minutes.

World Languages Podcasting - World Languages Podcasting features conversations in several languages. The free podcasts are the perfect way for learners to refresh their skills or learn a foreign language. Transcripts can be purchased for $1.99.

Language Specific Podcasts :

LearnItalianPod - The LearnItalianPod features podcasts for beginner to advanced Italian language learners. Each episode lasts between 15 and 20 minutes.

Learn Thai Podcast - This podcast features several Thai phrase lessons through audio and video. The podcast that can be listened to on your computer or downloaded to an mp3 player. Learners can also download transcripts of the lessons.

ESL Pod – The ESL Pod is a free English learning podcast that provides phrases and expressions at a slower speed for easier listening and learning. The podcasts explain the expressions and phrases along with how they are used.

DailyFrenchPod – This free podcast, offered by the French Training Service, features hundreds of audio and video lessons. The French learning podcasts last anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes and contain fun, easy lessons that can be listened to on the website or downloaded.

Learn to Speak German – The Learn to Speak German blog provides free German lessons from Germany and Switzerland. Lessons cover a wide variety of subjects, including formal to informal phrases, weather, holidays, and much more.

Edufone - Edufone has top-notch Spanish lesson podcasts that are taught by native speakers. Users can browse through the podcasts to find specific lessons for their level of understanding.

CSLPod - The CSLPod offers free Chinese language lessons for beginner to advanced language learners. Lessons focus on grammar usage and provide slower language speed for maximum comprehension.

A Spoonful of Russian - A Spoonful of Russian has audio and video podcasts for anyone interested in learning Russian. The podcasts are delivered through direct conversations on normal, everyday topics. This podcast is a great way to fulfill any curiosity about the Russian language or refresh former skills.

SwedishLingQ - The SwedishLingQ provides free Swedish language podcasts that last anywhere from one to ten minutes. The podcasts cover everything from basic greetings to intermediate conversations.

ArabicPod - This Arabic podcast features language lessons for beginner to advanced learners. Users can search through the podcasts by keyword, difficulty, or level.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net.

Comments have been disabled for this post.

Memorista.Com

One of my readers, Francis, wrote to me a few days ago to let me know about a site he felt could be useful to language learners. Memorista.Com is a site designed for teaching basic vocabulary through the use of mnemonics (i.e. memory aids) and is ideal for people starting off with a new language or who want to pick up some basic vocabulary for a business trip or vacation.

While similar sites exist, the thing that sets Memorista apart from the others is its customizable training and testing. Registered users can create their own mnemonics if they feel the ones provided are useful to them and can make use of the testing feature to help them commit the new vocabulary to memory. The training and testing cover basic vocabulary from a variety of topics, including food and drink, accommodation, travel and basic expressions.

At present, the Memorista site contains mnemonics for around 100 basic vocabulary items for five languages : Spanish, French, Italian, German and Polish. However, the site administrators have plans to expand the vocabulary coverage and add more languages over the coming months.

Learning the Korean Language and Writing

My partner got back from his business trip to South Korea today and brought me two books for learning Korean, one in Mandarin and one in English. The English book is called The Korean Conversation (1) : The Korean Conversation Within Theme and I have to say that the title and preface will give you an idea of what’s in store. I’ve made a few photos of some choice phrases which had me and my partner in stitches.

That last sentence has a very philosophical feel to it.  Maybe I shouldn’t “pessimize” too much about the “desperate language”.

It surprises me that they didn’t ask a native English speaker to proofread (or should that be “rewrite”) the book before publishing it. Learning Korean is a challenge in itself without struggling to figure out what the English sentences are supposed to mean..

If anyone knows the proper English translations of the sentences listed above, please let me know.

A Crazy Week..

Anyone who has been following my blogs this week will have seen that it’s been a bit of a crazy week for me. My partner had to fly out to South Korea last Sunday at very short notice, which was a bit of a dampener on our weekend and left me feeling just a little jealous (ok, VERY jealous) that he would get to visit South Korea without me.

To top things off, I had to finish off an essay for my Late Prehistory course and deal with a lost kitten that turned up in my back garden. The kitten has now been taken by the folks from the dierenambulance (lit. animal ambulance) who will try to find its owner or, failing that, find a new home for it. I have to say, I fell in love with the tiny creature and would have adopted it if I didn’t already have two cats of my own. Needless to say, my two cats felt a little jealous that they weren’t getting my undivided attention.

Now that I’m free of essays and lost animals, I’ll be posting on the blog (or rather, all my blogs) more frequently. A few quick updates are in order :

• My Chinese>English translation blog, Kelly Translates, has been moved to Blogger and has undergone a radical facelift. I’ve renamed it China on My Mind and the blog will focus on much more than just translation skills and resources. It will also cover topics on Chinese culture, history, food and language.
• John Biesnecker interviewed me for his new blog, Global Maverick. Click here to read the interview and feel free to check out the rest of his blog as it’s jam-packed with useful ideas on creating an ideal language environment, SRS techniques and tips for starting out with a new language. He has also interviewed AJATT’s Khatzumoto and Steve Kaufmann. You can read their interviews here and here.

That’s all from me for now. I’m off to enjoy the warm, sunny weather outside!

I’m Still Here

I thought I’d reassure my regular readers that I am still alive and well (touch wood). It’s been quite hectic lately due to several projects at work, the odd translation and an impending essay deadline.

And to top things off, I have a stranded kitten in my back garden and am at a loss at what to do with it. I have two cats of my own so letting it into the house is not an option. I’m doing my good deed for the day by setting out bowls of food and water but tomorrow I plan to ask some of my Dutch colleagues to help me make a “Kitten Found” poster. Hopefully someone will claim it. My partner is out of the country at the moment and won’t be back until Saturday afternoon so taking the kitten to the animal shelter or vet would be very difficult (I don’t have a driver’s licence and the place closes before I get home from work). If no one claims the missing kitten, we’ll take it to the shelter at the weekend and hope for the best.

So needless to say, language learning and blogging have been quite low on my list of priorities these last few weeks. I hope to get back to posting regular updates once I’ve finished and mailed off my essay on early writing systems. The background reading and research were both very enjoyable but putting it all together and actually writing the essay…and therein lies the rub.

Wish me luck.

PS. I thought I’d take the opportunity to plug my Japanese culture and language blog, Dreaming in Kanji. It’s still in its infancy but I hope it’ll grow into something worthwhile.

Indonesian Tribe Adopts Hangul Alphabet

Here’s an interesting piece of news I stumbled upon today.

A minority population in Indonesia officially adopted Hangul, the Korean written alphabet, to transcribe their spoken language of Cia-Cia. It is the first time that foreigners have adopted Hangul as their official writing system.

According to the Hunminjeongeum Research Institute, the Cia-Cia live in Bau-Bau, the main city on Buton Island located in the Sulawesi province of Indonesia. The city began distributing textbooks written in Hangul on July 22 to 400 elementary students in the Sorawolio district where many Cia-Cia people live.

The 60 thousand member Cia-Cia tribe has been on the verge of a crisis regarding the disappearance of their language. They do not have a writing system to complement their spoken language. Members of the Hunminjeongeum Research Institute persuaded them to adopt Hangul, and established a memorandum of understanding with city officials to use Hangul on July 2008.

The Hunminjeongeum Research Institute invited two persons from the Cia-Cia tribe to Seoul to create a textbook written in Hangul. The textbook includes traditional Cia-Cia and Korean stories.

The Hunminjeongeum Research Institute and Bau-Bau City will build a Hangul Culture Center and plan to train teachers in Hangul. Kim Ju-won, the president of the Hunminjeongeum Research Institute, says “It is significant that Hangul can be used to prevent a minority language from disappearing.”

It’ll be interesting to see how this develops. I’ve heard that the Korean alphabet is one of the most efficient writing systems in the world but I wonder if it can be used effectively for another, non-Korean, language.

Dreaming in Kanji

The Lexiophiles Top Language Blogs 2009 contest is now over and the top 100 blogs have been announced. A list of the top 100 language blogs of 2009 can be found here. I have to admit I’m a little disappointed that this blog didn’t make it into the top 100, especially since a defunct (and now deleted) blog of mine somehow managed to make it into the top 100 last year. I’m also shocked to see that some of the blogs that I visit didn’t make it into the final 100 either. Perhaps my taste in blogs differs radically from that of the Lexiophile crew. Never mind…maybe we’ll all have better luck next year.

I wanted to take the opportunity to mention that I’ve started a new blog devoted to the Japanese language and culture over at Blogger. Dreaming in Kanji is only a few days old so there’s not much content so far. The blog will not only focus on the Japanese language but it will also be a place for me to post Japan-related news articles, book and movie reviews, thoughts on various aspects of Japanese traditional and popular culture, and links to interesting blogs and websites. Feel free to have a look .

Using Twitter in Your Language Learning – Useful Resources

As promised, here is the third and final part of my series on how to use Twitter in your language learning. I have listed a number of accounts below which may be beneficial to language learners who have Twitter accounts. These include “words of the day”, grammar tips and other language-related tidbits.

All of the following were active when I compiled this list. Please note that these accounts be deleted or altered by the account holders at any time.

English :

http://twitter.com/thewordoftheday
http://twitter.com/wordspy
http://twitter.com/wordoftheday0
http://twitter.com/MyWOTDcom
http://twitter.com/awordaday
http://twitter.com/dailyvocab
http://twitter.com/English_Words

Japanese :

http://twitter.com/learnkanji
http://twitter.com/japanesebot
http://twitter.com/societyJapanese
http://twitter.com/japanlanguage
http://twitter.com/ADV_JPN_GRMMR

Chinese :

http://twitter.com/easyMandarin
http://twitter.com/1on1mandarin
http://twitter.com/mandarindaily
http://twitter.com/chineselanguage
http://twitter.com/learningchinese
http://twitter.com/chineseclass101

Korean :

http://twitter.com/koreaNthusiast

Arabic :

http://twitter.com/arabiclanguage

French :

http://twitter.com/frenchlanguage
http://twitter.com/LL_French
http://twitter.com/ParleFrancais
http://twitter.com/FrancaisToday

Spanish :

http://twitter.com/spanishlanguage
http://twitter.com/spanishbot
http://twitter.com/LL_Spanish
http://twitter.com/ReVerbSpanish
http://twitter.com/monicats
http://twitter.com/escuelai
http://twitter.com/spanishonly

Italian :

http://twitter.com/italianlanguage
http://twitter.com/ItalianLearn

Portuguese :

http://twitter.com/brazillanguage

Dutch :

http://twitter.com/dutchlanguage

German :

http://twitter.com/germanlanguage

Polish :

http://twitter.com/polishlanguage

Russian :

http://twitter.com/russianlanguage

Latin :

http://twitter.com/latinlanguage

Esperanto :

http://twitter.com/speakesperanto

Other :

http://twitter.com/irishlanguage
http://twitter.com/swedishlanguage
http://twitter.com/hindilanguage
http://twitter.com/norwaylanguage
http://twitter.com/FinnishWords

This wraps up my series of articles on using Twitter as a language learning tool. I hope these articles have been of some use to you and have given you new ideas for spicing up your language learning. If you know of any other Twitter accounts which may be useful to language learners, feel free to let me know.

Edited on July 31, 2009.