Word for the Travel Wise (11/07/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Should you find yourself at dinner or having a cup of tea at a Nigerian friend’s place or someone of Nigerian descent, don’t be too surprised to hear this word shortly after stepping into the house…

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

joko – sit down

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

Word for the Travel Wise (11/06/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

It is said that Doha, Qatar is one of the dullest places on the entire planet Earth. There is little to do, little to see, and did I mention little to do already? According to LP you’ll have a hard time finding anyone who thinks the place is an exciting desert oasis or diamond in the rough, but if you’re flying into the country you’ll learn it is also the only city with hotels and an airport. So dull or not you haven’t much choice in experiencing Doha. If you want more you’ll have to step out beyond the city.

Today’s word is an Arabic word used in Qatar:

aktar – more

My Language Exchange is an excellent site in making friends across the globe while zoning in on the areas that give you the most trouble in your language of choice. While most services are free, contacting other members does cost a very small fee. Other learning tools for free standard Arabic online include this Learn Arabic site which has some remarkable lessons. The audio sounds a bit off for me, but they’ve got both the Naskh script (easy to read when learning the alphabet) and the Latin spelling of the letter. Babel Arabic is another good source. Planet Edu has an online listing of Arabic schools all over the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. Lastly, for purchase and a quick pocket guide there’s the Lonely Planet Egyptian Arabic Phrasebook, which should be the closest to that spoken in Qatar verses Moroccan Arabic.

Past Arabic words: wafin, akhdar, taeadol, shwiya, la bas, filoos, khwaga, hegab

Word for the Travel Wise (11/05/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Every time someone speaks about going to Asian countries, I so often hear talk of purchasing cheap luxurious looking fabrics to have sewn into beautiful dresses and gowns or other items. As a young child I remember my uncle traveling to Thailand, Taiwan and various other countries later bringing back all sorts of souvenirs, but the fabric was always the main prize for some reason. I don’t think he ever found his way into China, but if you so happen to and it tickles your fancy to buy fabrics and such then this word might be for you…

Today’s word is a Cantonese word used in China:

jeuk – wear

Cantonese is mainly spoken in southern Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and by Chinese minorities in Southeast Asia. Check out Wiki for a pretty extensive historical look at the lingo. Cantonese Online – A Tribute is a colorful site packed with info which offers a variety of free resources to learning to this spectacular language. If you’d like to learn some street slang as seen in popular Hong Kong movies there is a book for purchase on this site here. Last but not least scope out or pick up the LP pocket-sized guide to keep you talking on the go!

Past Mandarin / Cantonese words: zhu ni hao yun, guo nian ha, mu di di, hao, xiang zi, zai jian, léui yàu, känt

Word for the Travel Wise (11/04/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

If you should find yourself in Greece this holiday season for only one day and one day only check out the Greek National Opera. That’s if you’re not in the mood to explore the outdoors, plus it has been said that productions during summer and winter months tend to be the most interesting. Of course that is coming from the Ministry of Tourism, but I’ll take their word for it.

Today’s word is a Greek word from Greece:

imera – day

Online sources for learning Greek for free include BBC Languages and AGNI. The courses at BBC Languages are incredible. Probably one of the best you’ll find online and audio can even be found for today’s word by clicking here. Amerispan offers Greek immersion and language courses in Athens. Pretty pricey, but hey it’s Greece!

Past Greek words: toh karavee, Pascha, aigolios, thello, foni, filaki

Word for the Travel Wise (11/03/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

One trip to Tahiti’s beautiful islands and you’ll see why today’s word is so useful. Whether you desire a litte to drink or feel like taking a dip in it – it should come well in handy.

Today’s word is a Tahitian (Maohi) word used in Tahiti:

pape – water

Tahitian is one of the two official languages of French Polynesia with the other being French. There are approximately 120,000 speakers through the Polynesian Islands. Head to Wikipedia for the background details as always. After you’ve gotten your history fix go to the tourism site for a small useful list of words to help get you by on the islands. Tahiti Explorer looks like it has the small list of words with a few more added on and a nifty pronunciation guide. The same thing goes for the list of words on the Tahiti Traveler without the pronunciation guide, so it’s really up to you to take your pick. Lonely Planet has a guide which probably has the same amount of words in the back of the glossary. Still – better to know a few than none at all.

Past Tahitian words: tamaaraa