Chinese Clothing: A Comprehensive Guide to Traditional and Modern Styles
When you think of Chinese clothing, different images probably come to mind. Perhaps you envision the elegant flow of a silk qipao...
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Interview with DuoLingo (and Captcha) creator Luis Von Ahn, in Spanish (with Eng/Spa subtitles)
If you are learning Spanish try to watch without subtitles, or just with the Spanish subtitles enabled. Luis is from Guatemala and speaks a very clear and easy to understand Spanish.
Learning set phrases is essential for beginners on the road to fluency, not just for tourists
My “Learn Egyptian Arabic in Brazil” week 2 project update. Here I have no script to refer to, and I recite the entire seven minute script from memory. There are a LOT of mistakes, but I like to think I am at least coming across as a bit more confident than the previous week.
Solving specific problems rather than trying to learn everything: My first ever video in Arabic (reading)
Here it is – my first ever video in Arabic, a week after starting to learn it! Subtitles are provided in original Arabic, English and Portuguese for all videos of this project. In this video, I read a script written entirely in Arabic (no romanisation) about how I’m in Rio and just starting the mission. To make it more interesting, I’ve thrown in some nice views of the city at various points in the video, but there is no editing out of my pauses and hesitations.
How to start learning a language: Full account of day 1 of my #Fi3M mission
As you all know, I’m attempting to get Fluent in Arabic in 3 months, in a city 500km deep inside Brazil. It’s on! A good start is essential if you want to get the momentum to learn as fast as possible, so this meant that I did as much as I could not related to […]
Learning Egyptian Arabic to fluency in 3 months… in Brazil! Benny’s new language mission!
This may be one of the craziest language projects I’ve ever undertaken! Watch the video for the proper introduction. As you’ll see, I have three months, starting today, to reach fluency (more specifically, high level B2/low C1 on this scale) in (Egyptian) Arabic and I plan to do it… in Brazil!
How I learned more Italian in London than in Italy
One of the most prominent myths in language learning is that you have to go to the country to successfully learn it. This is so untrue!! I have always said that it depends on your attitude not your latitude and moving to the country may not help at all in some cases. This topic will […]
Interview in Irish (as Gaeilge): Raidió na Life, modern Irish use and how I got into the language myself
[Quick reminder: the next language mission will be announced in the Language Hacking League email list next week! Enter your email in the top-right of the site to find out in advance of the blog announcement] Check out today’s video interview with Diarmuid Ó Mathúna from Raidió na Life, and don’t forget to click Youtube’s […]
Two ways to bring as much as you want on no-frills flights (video of jacket with 14 pockets)
I’ve showed you before how I take advantage of the loophole that weight doesn’t count when I fly – just put your luggage on your person with an intentionally “destroyed” jacket! But a company that actually makes jackets especially for taking advantage of this loophole got in touch with me and sent me one of their jackets. Jaktogo is the ugliest jacket you’ll see in your life, but is a huge improvement on what I was doing before.
Advanced Hiberno English: More on How to speak English like the Irish
I’m back in the Emerald Isle for the month (currently up in Donegal again, improving my Gaeilge before going back to Cavan for the Fleadh). It’s not just great to be speaking our first national language again, but also our second one; since I don’t have to water down my English to be more understandable, […]
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