Word for the Travel Wise (07/15/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

After finding out about the happiest country on Earth earlier, I figured it’d be nice to know some of the local language and luckily for us, the Vanuatu tourism website has included enough to get anyone looking to visit around the town.

Today’s phrase is a Bislama word used in Vanuatu:

mi glad tumas – (me glad too much) I am very happy

Bislama is a Melanesian creole language and one of the official languages used in Vanuatu. For the most part it is a phonetic lingo and a mixture of words from English, French, and various North, Central, and South Vanuatu langs. There are 6,200 first language speakers and 128,000 additional language speakers. Check out the Wikipedia for additional background and historical facts regarding Bislama. To start learning some words and phrases right away go to the official tourism site for the tropical South Pacific island country.

Word for the Travel Wise (07/14/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Yet another language I managed to go by for months never posting a single word, but tonight, no more! Tonight we will learn about this West Nordic lingo. Tonight we take to the foreign world of Faroese by storm like the old Vikings took to the seas starting with right here and right now. Ready? Let’s go!

Today’s word is a Faroese word used in the Faroe Islands:

handilskjarni – (pronounced huhn-dils-chuhd-neh) market

Just like the foods found at the market I’m sure you’ll find asking for directions to get there just as much fun. Faroese is spoken by some 60,000-80,000 people in both the Faroe Islands and Denmark. Check out the Wiki for a few words or this small blurb on the Faroe Island tourist site about how the tradtional dance has salvaged the language over several years. Lonely Planet has a small section of Faroese in their Scandinavian phrasebooks worth checking out.

Word for the Travel Wise (07/13/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Word to the wise: Don’t go running up and down the island of Jamaica shouting today’s vocabulary bit. If what my friend tells me is true and this word only means what it does, then it isn’t all that bad. Still, I seriously doubt you’ll make any friends carrying on saying this, but you may get a laugh from the right person or a bad man eye from the wrong one.

Today’s word is a Patois word from Jamaica:

budufbaf – fat girl

You can expand your ‘Rasta Patois’ in several ways. The most rewarding way is straight from the horse’s mouth, so you may wish to seek the knowledge from some West Indian folks in your neighborhood. If you can’t learn anything that way due to the low number of West Indian peeps in your circle, try watching films. The Rockers is an awesome and entertaining starting point. The 25th anniversary edition DVD has great features, including a small Rasta Patois dictionary. A good source on the net is Jamaicans dot com and Jahworks seems decent.

Past Patois words: satta, gwaan, labrish, mash up

Word for the Travel Wise (07/12/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

For the herds of you heading over to Pakistan next month – just thought to point out the 57th celebration of independence from British rule occurring on August 14. Anyone with a Lonely Planet guide is probably well aware and ready to party like a local, but just thought I’d throw it out there along with the word for today.

Today’s word is an Urdu word used in Pakistan:

saman – luggage

Urdu is the official language of the country, spoken by some 61 million natives and 104 million total. The language falls under the Indo-Aryan family, developed under Persian, Turkish, and Arabic. From my own Persian studies I’ve noticed several closely related if not exact same word. Unless someone out there has a few recommendations on learning Urdu on the web other than what is provided here, this could be a small challenge. For some basics on the script and general background info visit UK India. Otherwise I’d say it’s time to head over to My Language Exchange to find some native speakers looking to swap your lingo knowledge for theirs. Click here for a pretty good blog on a world of Urdu topics.

Past Urdu words: khatarnak

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

by Adrienne Wilson on

The closest I’ve ever been in my education on the Holocaust at a museum was in the Smithsonian, but I often wonder what the museums must be like in the countries where this dreadful atrocity occurred. Places like Germany and Poland… Auschwitz is most certainly one of those places that I’d like to go to get the full on effect of the experience while in a museum. I just can’t imagine sometimes.

Today’s word is a Polish word used in Poland:

do widzenia – goodbye

Interested parties can further their skills by visiting this Skwierzyna site for an Adobe PDF filled with excellent info and dictionary of Polish facts. Additional sites include Anglik for very basic info, Skwierzyna.net for additional links, and Angielski to learn Polish in Poland. Recommended pocket guides can be purchased at Lonely Planet. Download the word above and more at BBC languages quick fix.

Past Polish words: doswiadczenie, witamy