Word for the Travel Wise (12/28/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

It’s coming… The new year that is. As if you needed a daily reminder. Anyhow, here is a word you can cry out during those last hours if you should find Happy New Year a little too cliché.

Today’s word is a Maltese word used in Malta:

caw – so long

BBC Languages Quick Fix allows one to download essential holiday phrases like this to store in your mp3 player for the big trip ahead. You can hear audio of some very basic words on their site as well. For a full run down on the history and a thorough section on survival Maltese head over to aboutmalta.com. I’m not too certain how much the survival Maltese will be needed considering the country’s other official lang happens to be English and they happen to have around 40 English learning language schools.

Past Maltese words: Fejn huma t-tojlezz?, sahha, xorb, jien jisimni

Word for the Travel Wise (12/27/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

No rhyme or reason for selecting this word tonight. It is short and simple and shouldn’t be used loosely I’d imagine.

Today’s word is a Russian word used in Russia:

durak – fool

Ready to learn Russian? Check out Master Russian first. They have numerous excellent sound files and the text is clear and easy to read. Learning also goes beyond your Russian A, B, C’s at their site as they have crosswords, literature, proverbs, folk music, and homework help. Other good sites include Learning Russian and this Ectaco Translation Dictionary. Click here for two language book rec’s on Amazon. BBC has the basics to download and hear audio, while Wiki provides the in depth Russian lang back history.

Past Russian words: , shakzochniy, paka, spasiba, tuhmohzhmyah, tantsihvat

Word for the Travel Wise (12/26/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Considering the type of luck some people have with street food or food found in foreign dining establishments this one should come in extra, extra handy if what you eat now doesn’t agree with you later.

Today’s word is a Thai word used in Thailand:

tórng sêea – diarrhoea

Learning Thai dot com is a great starting point for some basic Thai words and referrals to additional resources. For a brief history of the language, Thai alphabet, and pronunciation guide go to Omniglot. (A pretty clean and simple site with good details.) Another good source would be the Pimsleur language audio CD’s. I used these to prepare for my trip and they worked great! Before making the purchase look into your local library. There are several libraries carrying these audio CD’s and many more.

Past Thai words: hàat sai, wan sao, sawatdee khrab, dang, pák, wîng

Word for the Travel Wise (12/24/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Still running around the town searching for the last fixings to liven up your holiday dinner? It’s a mouthful to say, but start by heading to one of these…

Today’s word is a German word used in Germany:

lebensmittelgeschäft – grocery store

You can find audio and German slang at BBC Languages, who continue to impress on the online scene. They probably have one of the BEST FREE German language guides on the net. Make no mistake in passing this one up! When it boils down to it there are several good sites to learn the Deutsch lingo. Deutsch Lernen and German for Travellers are two other good picks. First Step World offers study abroad courses in Munich and Berlin.

Past German words: vorglühen(s), krieger, bolzen, durchgeknallt, ankommen, geist

Word for the Travel Wise (12/23/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

As the last few days of Christmas creep up on me and everyone else celebrating I’ll be getting in as much quality time with the family as possible and to do so I’ll have to be short here, but not so short where I can’t provide you with your nightly dose of foreign language. So without further delay…

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

ewa – beauty

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