Five myths about learning a new language—busted

Language learning is often a daunting prospect. Many of us wish we had learned a language to a higher level at school. But ...
Global Times

Social media slang changing formal use of Chinese language, but is it good?

A child reads the new version of the Xinhua Zidian - Xinhua Dictionary (12th Edition) in the Beijing Book Building on Tuesday. The new edition was launched on Monday, adding new words such as "chu xin ...
BBC

Formal v informal writing

To write a formal letter to the Queen, the convention is to open with ‘Madam’ and close the letter with ‘I have the honour to be, Madam, Your Majesty’s humble and obedient servant’. Formal writing ...
Psychology Today

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder Take Things Literally

Colloquial language does not entirely match up with formal language. This means that some colloquial phrases can mean something entirely different from their formal meaning. Take the following couple ...
The New York Times

500 Days of Duolingo: What You Can (and Can’t) Learn From a Language App

Free language learning apps often promise the world — but don’t expect fluency from one. Here’s what to expect before you sign up. By Eric Ravenscraft If mobile language-learning apps are to be ...