Word for the Travel Wise (07/20/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Each day I post a word that I find online somewhere that tickles my fancy or one I’ve pulled from my own very personal foreign language vocabulary bank, but what I’d really love to do is the whole immersion thing some place like Greece. You know, spend months soaking in sun from the sky and the sounds of the people… Ah. How good life could in Santorini for a few months. Don’t you agree? I mean, it doesn’t have to be Greece, but wouldn’t it be nice to get away for a while?

Today’s word is a Greek word from Greece:

thello – I want…

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

Word for the Travel Wise (07/19/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Please tell me I’m not alone with this one, but remember when you were a kid and you’d go to the refrigerator open it, over and over again, always hoping your favorite sugary snacks or beverages would magically appear? I can’t lie – I still catch myself doing this on a regular basis, but more so with my American Airlines account online. Right about now I have enough miles to take me anywhere in the Carib or North America, but I want so badly to go to India! Until I get either the money to jet over or enough miles to get me there for (what feels like) free, I guess I’m just doomed to website clicking syndrome. Sigh…

Today’s word is a Hindi word from India:

paisa – money

There are several awesome resources online to learn Hindi for free and a fee. Wikitravel Phrasebook provides many useful phrases to remember for your journey. Let’s Learn Hindi is a colorful place to pick up the basics and some additional tools. Those interested in reading Sanskrit can click here and Pimsleur has great audio books. To purchase a Lonely Planet phrasebook for the road, click here to head to Amazon.

Past Hindi words: pankhaa, Ravivar, lajawab

Word for the Travel Wise (07/18/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Every time a friend of mine goes back home to Africa or the U.K., he usually brings back this delicious treat made from flour called chin-chin. At first glance the desert type snack looks more like kibbles n’ bits than something I’d be willing to toss back in the ole’ trap to munch on, but it’s truly mouth-watering once you get a taste. I’m hoping he’ll bring a little something back from his next trip or perhaps it’s time I made it a very good excuse to travel on over to Nigeria.

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

gabdun – enjoy

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

Word for the Travel Wise (07/17/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Going to the post office in foreign places is almost as common as going to the airport these days. Chances are (if you’re like me) everyone you know back home will be begging for a piece of your exotic vacation package and the best (or least) you can do is send them a post card. I don’t know what it is about foreign postage that gets people all wild up? Anyhow, to make your journey into a post office in Spain, where let’s say they only speak Catalan, I’ve provided you with this Catalan jewel.

Today’s word is a Catalan word used in Spain:

franqueig – postage

Resources on the web are many for Catalan. Check out Ominglot first for history and a fantastic list of links to keep you chugging along in your studies. Some of the best in my own opinion include this Intercat site which has a University conversation guide with audio, a section titled ” 30 Tips Catalan in Catalonia,” and other additional tools. BBC has a short summary about Catalan and a few helpful phrases.

Past Catalan words: sisplau, em dic

Word for the Travel Wise (07/16/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

One of the things I’m looking forward to most after this walk across America ends is going home to a real meal. Not that I haven’t been blessed to dine all over the U.S. at some of the smallest, largest, fanciest, or tastiest places known to man, but I just miss a good home cooked meal. Nothing beats them. You know; the kind of dishes seasoned by a mother’s love or that from a friend of the family. Well, such is the case in only a week’s time where I will feast on some of the most appetizing Filipino food in the world prepared by my mother’s friend. I can’t wait!

Today’s word is a Tagalog word used in the Philippines:

masarap – delicious

Tagalog is one of the major languages in Central Philippines and part of the Austronesian language family. For some reason I was surprised by the number of free GOOD resources available to prospective Tagalog student. Wikipedia has great background info on the lingo as well as related languages, Bikol, Hiligaynon, Waray-Waray, and Cebuano. Mongabay pretty much covers all the really good, up and running links to sites that help teach Tagalog, after checking out a few I’ll do the favor of pointing the best out. The first is an interactive language and Filipino culture resource site tools are provided for both teachers and students. A pretty intense breakdown on local slang and how it is derived can be found here. Travel Lang has word and phrase generator that spits out all the basic words you’d use while visiting.

Past Tagalog words: taon, kalye, alak