Word for the Travel Wise (01/31/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on

As much as I like to throw out some odds and ends type of words, this is a feature to help travelers speak the language while they’re on the road and therefore I must provide some I feel will undoubtedly assist the backpacker to find his or her way.

Today’s word is a Farsi (Persian) word used in Iran:

naghshe – map

Excellent sites for learning Persian online include a personal favorite called Easy Persian and Farhangsara. Both sites have an excellent beginner’s guide into the language and use images, sound and music to assist you in the process. Check out Lonely Planet’s Farsi (Persian) Phrasebook for a shorthand guide at the ancient lingo.

Past Farsi words: be salamati, toot farangee, kheyli golabi, tazeh, dovidan, khastam, safar kardan, khoda hafez

Word for the Travel Wise (12/31/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

As promised I’m taking this one full year of language from across the globe and from the teeny tiny villages found in the Congo out with an explosive big bang! Okay, so you saw right through my attempt to hype it up, but really this is an exciting time. 2007 is only hours away for us and this completes a full year first year for the “Word for the Travel Wise” feature. I hope that the lessons have not only been helpful, but a little memorable. For the last time this year I just want to relay that while I do not have a degree as a linguist or speak fluently the mother tongue of several far more exotic places than my home digs in Florida, I appreciate the feedback and minor corrections that have been given and look forward to building a better world language feature in the new year.

Here is Happy New Year in various languages:

  • Yiddish – A git yor
  • Portuguese – Feliz ano novo
  • French – Bonne année
  • Italian – Buon anno
  • Persian – sal-e no mobarak
  • Japanese – Akemashite omedeto
  • Turkish – Mutlu yibasi
  • Catalan – Feliç any nou

Happy New Year everyone!

Word for the Travel Wise (12/30/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Since I started this whole word feature off with a word out of Iran I figured I’d end it in the same manner. Today isn’t the last day of the year, but tomorrow I’ll be bringing a language medley and so this day will act as the last day for any single country language lessons. Farsi gets first and last word only because it is the language I’m trying to continue learning the most. Sorry for any inconveniences.

Today’s word is a Farsi (Persian) word used in Iran:

khoda hafez – goodbye

Excellent sites for learning Persian online include a personal favorite called Easy Persian and Farhangsara. Both sites have an excellent beginner’s guide into the language and use images, sound and music to assist you in the process. Check out Lonely Planet’s Farsi (Persian) Phrasebook for a shorthand guide at the ancient lingo.

Past Farsi words: be salamati, toot farangee, kheyli golabi, tazeh, dovidan, khastam, safar kardan

The Places In Between

by Iva Skoch on

We’re not shy about plugging audible.com. First, listening to books gives our computer-weary eyes a needed rest. Two, schlepping around an iPod is easier than a big, new hardcover. Third, often the authors themselves read the books, adding an extra dimension that reading can’t touch. (audible.com version of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, anyone?)

We’ve been hearing about another book for a while and we mentioned it a few months ago, but hadn’t picked it up until just now, because now we can hear it from audible.com: Rory Stewart’s The Places in Between.

What makes this book special? Mr. Stewart walked across Asia solo. The book is about just a relatively small portion of that trip: walking–as in on foot–across Afghanistan during the war in 2002. He’s a young, Farsi and Persian-speaking, former British diplomat and current resident of Kabul, and his tale is fascinating. He re-traced the steps of a 16th Century Muslim Emperor (Babur), straight across the country, across high mountain passes–in the middle of winter–from Herat to Kabul.

You’ll definitely gain new insights into the culture and people of Afghanistan and hearing it directly from the author himself is well worth a listen. It’s surprising and interesting, and you’ll definitely learn a lot. We sure did.

Word for the Travel Wise (12/25/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

Wishing all who are celebrating this Christmas holiday a very merry day. May Santa bring you everything you wish for and more!

Today we say Merry Christmas in various languages:

  • Hawaiian – Mele Kalikimaka !
  • Catalan – Bon Nada!
  • Lithuanian – Linksmu Kaledu!
  • Dutch – Gelukkig Kerstfeest!
  • Persian – Krismas-e shoma mubarak!
  • Spanish – Feliz Navidad!
  • Swedish – God Jul!
  • Korean – Sungtanul chukaheyo!
  • Turkish – Neseli Noel!