Word for the Travel Wise (01/04/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Don’t ask me why I picked this word today. I just did. Maybe someone out there will want to woo a pretty Nigerian woman with a broken English and Yoruba poem or just shout it out loud as the only word they know. However, the last reason really should not be the case as I’ve provided a good handful of words to get you started if traveling in the country and looking to speak some of the native tongues.

Today’s word is a Yoruba word used in Nigeria:

yemoja – goddess of the river

English is the official language of Nigeria, which means any traveler should be able to converse and navigate their way from Lagos to Jigawa with ease. (Unless you don’t speak English.) The country’s three main languages include: Yoruba, Ibo (Igbo), and Hausa. Each of the three main languages are named after the people they belong to and carry several dialects within themselves. Motherland Nigeria has an incredible intro to the three languages, Nigerian slang and even a few examples of common Pidgin English spoken. Some audio samples are available as well.

Past Nigerian / Yoruba / Igbo words: ikun, feran, kedu, odabo, gabdun, jo, joko, ewa

Word for the Travel Wise (01/03/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

On your way to Vietnam in the near future? If all goes well when you arrive you shouldn’t need this Vietnamese vocab to figure out where you luggage landed, but if you should find that you cannot find your goods you may wish to cut the small talk and show them you know what you’re talking about..

Today’s word is a Vietnamese word used in Vietnam:

hành ly (haang lee) – luggage

To continue learning Vietnamese online start with phrase list found at the NY Public Library. This Wanna Learn / Geocities page has some free words and phrases listed. It was one of few I could find online for free though you won’t get far. Rosetta Stone offers audio and web courses for a fee and there’s always the opportunity to take a Vietnamese language class in Hanoi, Vietnam with CIEE. For those flying through the country for just a few short days pick up the phrasebook.

Past Vietnamese words: Xe Ðap, xinh xinh, cam hut thuoc, tam biêt, bàn dô, phong giat (fom zuht)

Word for the Travel Wise (01/01/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Okay, so after watching the comical yet sad video below out of Lithuania where a poor man tries crawling across the street after a night of too much drinking (Thanks Neil) it made picking today’s word easy. My hope is that no one started their New Year’s off this way. Its one thing to have a few drinks, but being in a state like the fellow below is just plain scary.

Today’s word is a Lithuanian word used in Lithuania:

alus – beer

First and foremost the best guide to the Baltics seems to be City Paper. They were the only ones who even offered a small list of commonly used Lithuanian words. The paper states you’ll be okay if you know a little Russian and the Lithuanian lingo is closely related to the now extinct Old Prussian. Otherwise finding resources on this one were pretty hard and um, weird. This afoto site lets you learn the parts of the face and hair by clicking on a picture of a young girl. Something about this felt awkward, but it works, I guess. Ominglot has their usual written language guide and Orbislingua has a few audio and reading recommendations. To purchase talking dictionaries click here.

Past Lithuanian words: viesbutis, gatve, skanaus

Word for the Travel Wise (12/31/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

As promised I’m taking this one full year of language from across the globe and from the teeny tiny villages found in the Congo out with an explosive big bang! Okay, so you saw right through my attempt to hype it up, but really this is an exciting time. 2007 is only hours away for us and this completes a full year first year for the “Word for the Travel Wise” feature. I hope that the lessons have not only been helpful, but a little memorable. For the last time this year I just want to relay that while I do not have a degree as a linguist or speak fluently the mother tongue of several far more exotic places than my home digs in Florida, I appreciate the feedback and minor corrections that have been given and look forward to building a better world language feature in the new year.

Here is Happy New Year in various languages:

  • Yiddish – A git yor
  • Portuguese – Feliz ano novo
  • French – Bonne année
  • Italian – Buon anno
  • Persian – sal-e no mobarak
  • Japanese – Akemashite omedeto
  • Turkish – Mutlu yibasi
  • Catalan – Feliç any nou

Happy New Year everyone!

Word for the Travel Wise (12/30/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Since I started this whole word feature off with a word out of Iran I figured I’d end it in the same manner. Today isn’t the last day of the year, but tomorrow I’ll be bringing a language medley and so this day will act as the last day for any single country language lessons. Farsi gets first and last word only because it is the language I’m trying to continue learning the most. Sorry for any inconveniences.

Today’s word is a Farsi (Persian) word used in Iran:

khoda hafez – goodbye

Excellent sites for learning Persian online include a personal favorite called Easy Persian and Farhangsara. Both sites have an excellent beginner’s guide into the language and use images, sound and music to assist you in the process. Check out Lonely Planet’s Farsi (Persian) Phrasebook for a shorthand guide at the ancient lingo.

Past Farsi words: be salamati, toot farangee, kheyli golabi, tazeh, dovidan, khastam, safar kardan