Comedian 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...
View ArticleSmall shops in Japan boosting customer service in English
More small businesses in Japan, including restaurants and stores along shopping streets, have been making efforts to improve the quality of their foreign-language customer services. The post Small...
View ArticleManga adopted in Indonesia as tool for teaching Japanese
SUMEDANG, Indonesia — “Astroboy” and other manga works have been incorporated into Japanese classes that began in Indonesia last month for university students hoping to work in Japan. The post Manga...
View ArticleNo mere matter of language
Some say it’s all political trick, something planned, part of some strategy, and they point to his poll numbers to make the point that the coarseness of his language is part of his mass appeal. But,...
View ArticleBaybayin: Ancient Philippine script revival spells debate
With deliberate golden strokes, artist Taipan Lucero proudly brings an ancient script back to life, in the hope of promoting an endangered but contentious part of the Philippines' heritage. The post...
View ArticleA step toward globalization: Accepting Korean spoken with a foreign accent
SEOUL — When K-pop girl band (G) I-dle member Shuhwa, who hails from Taiwan, appeared on JTBC’s “Knowing Bros” in January, she expressed hopes of appearing on a South Korean talk show someday. However,...
View ArticleRita Avila laments Duterte’s habit of cussing: ‘We’re the receivers of this...
Being allergic to hearing cuss words, actress Rita Avila has started a challenge which she and her daughter took on – putting up a “mura box.” The post Rita Avila laments Duterte’s habit of cussing:...
View ArticleSpanish as language has waned in PH, but can make comeback
When I was growing up in Manila in the 1960s and ’70s, the Spanish language was no longer as vibrant as it had been in the prewar era, when Filipino poets such as Jesus Balmori or Fernando Maria...
View ArticleREVIEW: The app that got me speaking basic Deutsch after six months
In July of last year, I committed to learning German via a PHP2,990 annual subscription to Babbel. It’s my equivalent of making sourdough or adopting 10,000 plants. Today, I set my MacBook and iPhone...
View ArticleWhat’s So Offensive About the Word “Vagina?”
Earlier this week, retired Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters, a Fox News analyst, called President Barack Obama a “pussy” on national TV and the world of punditry erupted in furious condemnation—and rightly so....
View ArticleThe Feminist Mommy’s Manifesto on Teaching My Kid to be a Better Person
Every week, Preen tackles motherhood sans the rose-tinted glasses. Our columnists L. Juliano, Marla Darwin, and Rossana Unson tell their personal experiences like it is—at times frustrating, oftentimes...
View ArticleThe beginner’s guide to trending Filipino slang
Where did “pak ganern” even come from anyway? Brush up on your Filipino slang here Millennials seem to have their own special language. Lit, savage, fam—these are all trending expressions that the...
View Article