An article on why Kiswahili should not be downgraded. From Book of Odds, an article on constructing a language; and a look at the five weirdest constructed languages in this (or any) world. With the humanities curriculum itself under siege, how important will Yiddish be to the overall mission of colleges? The trouble with English is imaginary: The culture debate be damned, million of Indians are learning English and feeling no angst. A review of A Certain “Je Ne Sais Quoi”: The Origin of Foreign Words Used in English by Chloe Rhodes. Hooligans and Woodchucks: A look at the roots of the English language. Is Arabic a dying language? Unlikely, but English has become the lingua franca of commerce, media and education in parts of the Arab world. An article on listening to (and saving) the world’s languages in New York. Sprechen Sie Deutsch: How linguistic variations affect where Germans choose to live. A review of Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language by Ilan Stavans. Are French-speakers victims of "linguistic terrorism"? France has launched efforts on behalf of all francophonie to preserve the language in diplomatic circles. Can Frisian make a comeback? Just half-a-million people in the north of the Netherlands speak Frisian, or Fryslan, but its future looks bright. In search of lost languages: The Shinnecock and Unkechaug on Long Island are joining other tribes seeking to revive ancestral languages as a key to their cultures. A God-given way to communicate: Fears about the demise of Arabic are misplaced. Sign up to fight unilinguaphobia: Why should Canada’s single-language masses accept rule by their bilingual betters? A review of The Modernity of Sanskrit by Simona Sawhney. Globish is coming: Like it or not, a new kind of lingua franca is becoming embedded around the world.
