Word for the Travel Wise (10/02/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

So here’s a confession: I’m a big wimp when it comes to cold weather. Yup, I’m the type that moans and groans during the acclimation process, but it’s my moaning that gets me by and my groaning along with several extra layers that allows me to stay warm. Having just arrived in Fargo, North Dakota today something about the place feels slightly different than Florida and it’s not just the temperature. I feel so far away. Almost as if I was in say, Greenland or some place.

Today’s word is a Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) word used in Greenland:

ilaasortaat – boat

Greenlandic also known as Kalaallisut language is spoken by 54,000 people and is closely related to Canadian Inukitut. In my own opinion I’d say most words are dizzying and longer than the length of the country itself, but that is just me. You can visit the Greenland Language Council online, but their site is in full Greendlandic so without any prior skill you won’t get too far. Wiki and Ethnologue report, both have great background info and lastly there is this Greendlandic for Travelers (silly Engleeshes) to check out. I didn’t get it, but maybe you will.

Past Greenlandic words: mattak

Word for the Travel Wise (10/01/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Here’s a good Vietnamese word I ran across recently. Just make note that I hadn’t all the proper accent characters for some of the letters. For instance the ‘d’ in dô should have that line that crosses over the top portion. If you’re familiar with Vietnamese at all you’ll know what I’m talking about. If not, this is great opportunity to get familiar with the lang!

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

bàn dô – map

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

Word for the Travel Wise (05/25/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Tonight I’m passing up the breathy intro to dive right into our lesson. Sound good? Great! It’s an easy word.

Today’s word is a Finnish word used in Finland:

kiitos – thanks

Finnish is a member of the Finno-Ugric language family and classified as an agglutinative language. This particular Finnish language site provides some examples of easy words and phrases, an intro to the lingo, pronunciation guide and a list of additional Finnish material elsewhere. Another excellent way to advance your skills and engage your senses is to listen to the local music. Try the Finnish Music Information Center for audio and background information on the country’s favorite sounds. Online Finnish Lessons is another site offering lists of links to check out and if you’re in the city of Helinski stop by one of the schools to enroll in Finnish courses.

Past Finnish words: väsynyt, löyly