Gestures as global language
When it comes to non-verbal communication — in contrast to the verbal versions — it may be that nothing is lost in translation, according to a NewScientist online article about a recent study by linguists on how we use hand gestures (”Charades reveals a universal sentence structure” by Ewen Callaway, June 30, 2008).
Learning English: where the twain meet
East is meeting West, contrary to the old saying, in the world of language. China is pushing hard to get its people to learn to speak English. It’s all part of the country’s big push to get ready for the 2008 Olympic Games coming to Beijing this year in August.
In this Reuters video (“English fever hits China” Jan 16, 2008), reporter Kitty Bu talks to one 72-year-old student, and also visits a classroom and interviews a teacher.
