Category Languages of the World

Nushu: world’s only secret language curated by women

Originating in China’s Jiangyong province in the 19th Century as a code of defiance against social gender inequality, Nishu (Chinese for women’s writing) is considered to be the world’s only writing system that is created and used exclusively by women.

Once upon a time…

In Ancient and Imperial China a set of moral principles called the Three Obidiences dictated the entirety of a woman’s existence. Schools and education were privileges reserved for men while ignorance was seen as a womanly virtue. These unfair stringent rules and social ideals forced women to come up with a new language to tell their stories, comfort each other, sing out their sorrows and express admiration. This was how Nushu the world’s only writing script curated and used exclusively by women came into being, Passed down through generations from mothers to daughters, Nushu is based on phonograms (where each character represents a sound). Besides communication, women also embroidered this script onto handkerchiefs, belts, shoes and fans hiding their secrets in decorative patterns.

The earliest record of Nushu

The earliest known artefact with the script on it is a bronze coin from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851-1864) unearthed in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province. The characters etched in Nüshu on the coin translate to “all the women in the world are members of the same family”.

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HOW MUCH POPULAR IS SPANISH LANGUAGE IN THE WORLD?

Hola, buenas noches, adiós amigos, o despacito, son algunas de las muchas famosas palabras en español que muchos conocen. Español or Spanish is a beautiful language, one of the “romance languages” imbued in our culture today, including songs, movies, dances, sports, etc. Who hasn’t heard about salsa, flamenco, merengue, tango, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, Messi, Iniesta or Picasso?

Yes! At least 21 countries have Spanish as their official language, which makes it the second most widely-spoken language in the world. Apart from Spain, twenty countries in Latin America have Spanish as their first language, plus Equatorial Guinea in Africa. A significant number of people from other countries also make use of it.

In total numbers, Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world after Chinese and English and the second most used language amongst businessmen. If you intend to start a business in future, you won’t want to lose a big market of prospect clients or buyers who speak Spanish (many of them do not know English). Spanish can be a great asset for a business. In a globalized world, it is no secret that knowing other languages can open many doors for you in the job market. Language proficiency gives you more value as an employee and can bring you a better income. Speaking Spanish is good for your resume as today more and more companies want to make contacts with Spanish speaking countries.

Besides this, Spanish is the third most used language on the Internet and the second most used in the two main social networks in the world: Facebook and Twitter. In addition, the use of Spanish on the internet has experienced a great growth in the last years, and of the 285 languages in which the contents of Wikipedia  are currently published, Spanish occupies the second position in terms of number of visits.

The Spanish language is one of the top three foreign languages opted for by students in India. There is an increased demand for Spanish in the recent years. One of the major reasons behind the increased popularity for the Spanish language in our country is job opportunities, love for Spanish football, dances, movies and music. Also there is a lot of business between India and all the Spanish-speaking countries. Indians are becoming more aware of the importance of this language, since it is more spoken in the world than French or German.

Are you a travel lover? If you like to travel, knowing Spanish will make your travel much easier and safe. A good knowledge of the language will allow you to travel to Spain and Latin America much more confidently and safely. With so many countries where Spanish is spoken, knowing the language will act as a great advantage that will make your travel experience even more wonderful. Besides, many people in other countries know Spanish as their second language.

And last but not the least, Spain, and the countries of Latin America, are countries full of artists, music, sports and fun. Studying Spanish will open one’s doors to art, literature, theatre, music or cinema. You will be able to enjoy each work in its original version and feel the real emotion that each of them transmits, without intermediaries, without subtitles, in its purest form.

Learn Spanish, it’s a beautiful language, it’s not very difficult and it will open many doors in your life!

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Why is Bengali not in the list of classical languages of India?

At present there are 6 languages which are marked as classical language in India.

  • Tamil (declared in 2004)
  • Sanskrit (2005)
  • Kannada (2008)
  • Telugu (2008)
  • Malayalam (2013)
  • Oriya (or Odia) (2014)

The reason why Bengali is not in this list is – Bengali has been derived from Magadhi-Apabhransha which is again derived from Sansrit-Prakrit. Unlike the classic languages which predates bengali and are more of a direct language.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Culture in the Rajya Sabha in February 2014, the guidelines for declaring a language as ‘Classical’ are:

“(i) High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years;

(ii) A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers;

(iii) The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community;

(iv) The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.”

Bengali does not satisfy all the criteria mentioned above.

 

Credit : Quora

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What is body language?

Every day, you use your arms and hands and head or other parts of your body to help you say things. Sometimes your actions say things almost better than words can.

In school, you raise your hand. This tells the teacher you are asking for a turn to speak. When riding a bicycle, you let others know you are going to turn by signalling with your arm. Once in a while, you might shrug your shoulders to tell someone, “I don’t know,” or “Hmmm, maybe”.

Babies “speak” almost from birth. They frown, laugh and snuggle. Their mothers and fathers respond to every “word”.

Everyone around the world uses body languages to speak. We all greet a friend with a smile, and we all frown or cry when we are sad. But be careful! Some body language means different things in different places.

Did you stick out your tongue? In Tibet, you’re saying, “I respect you”. In Western countries, you’re saying just the opposite!

Did you tap your forehead? In the U.S.A., you are saying “smart”. In the Netherlands, you are saying “crazy”.

Did someone tell you “Shhh”? In Australia, you need to be quiet. In Germany, you’d better “hurry up”.

Did you nod your head, then shake your head? In most countries, you said “Yes”, then “No”. In Bulgaria, you said “No”, then “Yes”.

Saying good-bye? Wave to the English with your palm facing out, fingers waving. Wave to Italians or Peruvians with your palm facing in.

Are you making a circle with your forefingers and thumb? In most countries, that means “Okay!” In France, it means “It’s worthless”. In Greece and Italy, it’s an insult.

Want to point to something? In most countries, you use your finger. In Thailand, you use your chin.

A pinch on the cheek is a friendly greeting and a sign of affection in some parts of Eastern Europe.

 

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What are the different ways to say hello?

How many different ways can you say hello? Here are seven different ways. Try them!

  • In French, you say Bon jour
  • In Portuguese, you say Ola
  • In Turkish, you say Merhaba
  • In Vietnamese, you say Xin Chao
  • In Spanish, you say Hola
  • In Lithuanian, you say Labas
  • In Swahili, you say Jambo

Now, how do you “see” hello? It depends on who’s writing it! Try copying some of these friendly written greetings from around the world.

Do you want to learn more words in another language? Find a radio station or TV channel on which people are speaking another language. Listen for a while. See if you can work out what some of the words mean. Practise saying them. Or read product labels and public signs that include your language and another language. Compare the words and see how much you can understand.

 

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Why do children speak more than one language?

How many ways can you say “Hello”? Some children speak more than one language, because the people they live with speak different languages. Children who live in places like Western Europe, where many countries and cultures are close together, often learn a second language.

Even people who speak the same language don’t always say words the same way. In the U.S.A., people in the northeastern states may say “dahg”. People in the southeastern states may say “dawg”. They are all saying the word dog, but they have different ways of saying it.

There are about 6,000 languages in the world, and most people speak and understand only one or two. People who know more than one language can become interpreters. Interpreters are people who translate words from one language into another. When world leaders meet, they often exchange ideas through an interpreter.

When people who do not speak the same language get together, they talk through interpreters.

Canada has two official languages, English and French. Many children there learn to speak both.

 

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