China divided over the common language
Free-wheeling and business-oriented, the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou is a long way from Beijing physically, culturally and linguistically – and hackles have been raised by reports Communist...
View ArticleThe (unsuccessful) roasting of Gilda
I've never been to any “roasting,” literary or journalistic. I have no idea what goes on at occasions of that kind.
View ArticleDebut fiction writer wins $25,000 Bingham Prize
The author of the story collection "Godforsaken Idaho" has won a $25,000 prize.
View ArticleWinners of Nobel Prize in literature since 1980
The 2014 Nobel Prize in literature will be announced Thursday by the Swedish Academy. Here is a list of previous winners of the award since 1980:
View ArticleYou say ‘lady’ I say ‘feudal slave’– Korea’s language divide
North and South Korea have never found dialogue easy, but academics from both sides currently meeting in Pyongyang are trying to steer things in the right direction by at least getting them to speak...
View ArticleLost words
Alila is a servant, later evolving into the more democratic katulong, ate, or the classier “maid.” Once I visited a gay friend whose also gay katulong opened the door, in a uniform and ruffled apron,...
View ArticleYour mileage may vary
If you are an old person, conservative and easily disturbed, please skip this column. It is about today’s unpalatable language of the young which is contrary to good manners and proper conduct. Sorry,...
View ArticleKids learn to pick veggies over chips at Read-Along
It easy to convince children to choose vegetables and fruits over sweets and junk food, but storytelling definitely helps.
View ArticleRaul Roco: ‘Best President PH never had’ immortalized in De Quiros book
A poignant hush fell over the crowd when Inquirer columnist Conrado de Quiros was wheeled into the room during the launch of De Quiros’ biography of the late Sen. Raul Roco, his friend of many years.
View ArticleKWF to launch new titles for National Language Month
The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) is holding a monthlong series of activities this August in connection with National Language Month or Buwan ng Wika.
View ArticleCarry mo?
I used to know English and I used to know Tagalog. Or so I thought. Now I’m lost when English is treated as Tagalog. Carry mo bang ano? Carry mong isuot—ano pa? Dare to wear mo ba, go against the...
View ArticleComedian Patton Oswalt remembers wife in touching essay
Comedian Patton Oswalt has authored a touching essay nearly two weeks after the unexpected death of his wife, crime writer Michelle McNamara. The post Comedian Patton Oswalt remembers wife in touching...
View ArticleWrite ‘old-fashioned’ letter, win P50, 000
THE PROJECT to revive the “old-fashioned” practice of impassioned letter writing has been launched this year by the Department of Education (DepEd), which urges students to send a letter of gratitude...
View ArticleScholastic: Championing literary in the PH
Aliteracy, the phenomenon of children choosing not to read despite being able to, is a cause for concern in many nations, including the Philippines. The loss of a reading habit among children is...
View ArticleAncient script finds new hope in the young
“Baybayin,” an ancient script popularly but erroneously known as “alibata,” has found unlikely support among today’s younger generation. The post Ancient script finds new hope in the young appeared...
View ArticleConversations close to the heart adorn walls in India, Pakistan
There is a wall mural in the compound of a rundown textile mill located in the Hindu-majority Mahalaxmi area of Mumbai that carries a haunting verse penned down by Urdu poet Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli in...
View ArticleSexiest American accents for Europeans
Next time you're in Paris and needing to use a cafe bathroom, put on your best accent from the U.S. Deep South to raise your chances of being waved through. The post Sexiest American accents for...
View ArticleGender-bending, time-traveling pronouns: A history
NEW YORK (AP) — On college campuses and in workplaces, across social media and in deference to non-binary people, gender-neutral pronouns are more than just a new wave of political correctness. They’re...
View ArticleCould speaking native language at home boost IQ for bilingual children?
Children who spoke their native language at home and English at school scored better in the intelligence tests. The post Could speaking native language at home boost IQ for bilingual children? appeared...
View ArticleLost in translation: Papua New Guinea wins language Olympics
With 841 living tongues and a colorful creole lingua franca, Papua New Guinea is the undisputed world champion of linguistic diversity. The post Lost in translation: Papua New Guinea wins language...
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