Language

Blog posts on Language.

Page 3

Trying to get a word into the dictionary

That’s quite a good idea: Trying to get a word into the dictionary. They actually are words missing and that are so easy to make (using the stem form with a prefix or a suffix) At the same time, some made-up words tend to invade our newspapers and it’s a loss (Anybody else is allergic to the verb […]
May 17, 2013
Learning Spanish gave my German a boost!

After two weeks in Madrid learning Spanish at Inhispania, it felt good coming back home – if it was not for the snow. The so-called intensive class (3 hours a day) taught me a bit of grammar and let me practise spoken Spanish quite a lot, which was badly needed. But I learned a lot […]
March 23, 2013
God helps those who help themselves

That title may make you wonder what this has to do with languages, unless of course I was writing an essay about the translation of the Bible, but there have been many of them already and by scholars who know the Book a lot better than I do. I actually don’t know the bible very […]
February 28, 2013
To greet or not to greet?

It might be easier not to greet at all and stay at home, being a hermit, cut off from all social bonds. It sounds harsh, but it’s a lot safer and prevents you from offending anyone by greeting them the wrong way. Or you might be brave and dare try your luck with a random choice […]
February 09, 2013
Let’s learn Spanish in Madrid!

In just about a month, I’m flying to Madrid for a nice two-week holiday. Sounds very boring, but no, it’s not a Benidorm holiday, for there is no beach, no extreme heat (the temperatures in March are around 15 degrees Celsius and there is a lot more to do than tan all day long, 8 hours […]
February 02, 2013
Cursing in Spanish is ladylike!

As an alternative to moving to Spain to learn Spanish, I exported my own little Spanish/American neighbourhood – the idealistic, though dangerous, Wisteria Lane of Mujeres Desesperadas. How nice it is to switch language on a DVD in a second, with or without subtitles. A luxury kids born in the 90s cannot appreciate as much as […]
January 25, 2013
The secrets of Chamber

I was recently discussing the difference between “room” and “chamber”. It’s not quite easy to give an explanation without pondering for a moment. Spontaneously, one would think chamber is a more elegant way of designating a room. The word room is a more used than chamber: bedroom, living room, bathroom, etc. However, it does not […]
January 05, 2013
The Dübel Affair

Moving to Altona involved some heavy lifting (still recovering) and of course some DIY, which is not quite where my skills shine. I enjoy it, I’m just not cut for it, except that is, for the immeasurable chaos I create. Presumably a skill of my own.
December 15, 2012
To the Danish-most district of Hamburg!

2 years and 2 months after moving to Hamburg, we are finally moving to the “hip” side of the Alster lake, the West side. And no less than Altona-Ottensen, not too shabby! Altona was formerly Danish territory and still bears its unique architectural signature. As I like to put it, it is like a village […]
November 25, 2012
Swag? What the swag?

The good thing about living abroad is that you have the opportunity to learn a new language or sharpen your academic language skills. The bad thing is, after a certain laps of time, your primary language rusts and you feel like you are losing its command.
October 31, 2012