r/language 8h ago

Video The best french ! (Swiss...)

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11 Upvotes

r/language 9h ago

Article Help with Master's

3 Upvotes

Hello!

I am a student of English language and literature from Croatia and I need your help with graduating :)

I'm doing a research on understanding of English blends among non-native speakers of English. My research groups are Turks and Italians. I am interested to know how Turkish/Italian speakers percieve English blends and how well they understand them. I need a few more people to fill it out, since all of my foreign friends already did it. If some of you are interested in filling it out, you can DM me and I will send it to you. It is completely anonymous. It takes about 10 minutes to fill it out and it is not very hard :)

Thank you in advance!

P.S. sorry for the format (I'm on my computer) and the title, I didn't know how else to put it in the form of a question, and I really hope it follows the community's guidelines.


r/language 8h ago

Question What language is this ?

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3 Upvotes

Could someone tell me what language this is or what the songs lyrics are I fw the song but don’t know how to find it


r/language 11h ago

Question Do u understand????

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4 Upvotes

r/language 6h ago

Question Found this pistol belt at a surplus store for cheap, and it seems to have some faded writing! Anyone hazard a guess

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1 Upvotes

r/language 7h ago

Video Zapotec Questions: The Two Ways to Ask 'How Much'?

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1 Upvotes

Ever felt lost trying to ask a simple question in a new language? Today, we're diving into the classic interrogatives of Zapotec and clearing up some common confusions! Do you know the difference between asking 'how many' for bananas versus asking 'how much' for a kilo of beans in Zapotec? It's trickier than you think! You might think you know how to ask 'how much,' but in Zapotec, there are two ways, and using the wrong one can lead to some funny misunderstandings. Let's break it down! Imagine a split screen showing someone counting bananas on one side and a confused person looking at a price tag on the other, with text like "Zapotec Questions: The Two Ways to Ask 'How Much'!

This video introduces essential Zapotec interrogative words like "Bix" (who), "Gakax" (how), "Batax" (when), and "Gax" (where). It explains the difference between "Balax" and "Gákax" for asking "how much," with "Balash" used for countable items and "Gákax" for uncountable ones.
Examples are provided to illustrate the usage of "Balax" for countable things like "Balax Bunatxi" (how many people) and "balax wi" (how many bananas). The video touches on the nuance of "Gákax" for uncountable quantities, using the example of asking the price of beans. It also discusses optional omissions of certain sounds or letters in Zapotec words, like "Bix" sometimes being shortened to "Bi" and provides examples like "Bix gudagu?" (What did you eat?). Here is a summary of the video:

Video Overview:

This lesson focuses on forming questions in Zapotec language, covering fundamental interrogative words, tone nuances, and special question auxiliaries that add context or emotion to inquiries.

Key Concepts Covered:

  1. Core Interrogative Words:

* Bix / Bix kw: What / Why.
* Nush: Who.
* Batash: When.
* Gash: Where.

  1. Countable vs. Uncountable Quantifiers (Balax vs. Gákax)

* Balash: Used for countable nouns such as people or discrete items (e.g., apples, bananas) [00:37].
* Gakash: Used for uncountable quantities (e.g., sugar, salt, weight-based items).
* Pricing Exception: Gákax is also used when asking for prices or the total cost of goods.
* Tonal Variations: Subtle pitch shifts on gákax change the meaning between asking "how" versus "how much".

  1. Conversational Contractions:

* In informal speech, certain ending sounds (such as -xh) or prefixes are frequently dropped (e.g., Bix becoming Bi).

  1. Question Auxiliaries & Particles:

Zapotec uses specific auxiliary particles to modify the tone and meaning of questions:

* ba: Initiates questions about actions (similar to "did you...?" or "have you...?").
* Txi: Indicates completed status, functioning like "already" (ya).
* waka: Expresses capability or possibility ("can we...?").
* bën: Adds drama, emphasis, or mild exaggeration to a question.
* I: Used for seeking confirmation or expressing mild surprise.
* ka: Placed at the end of questions to prompt a response or add conversational emphasis.
* Combining Auxiliaries: Multiple particles can be combined (e.g., ba txi, bën ka run, i waka) to convey layered nuances in a single sentence.


r/language 8h ago

Video Do u understand this language?

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1 Upvotes

r/language 8h ago

Video Do u understand these people ?

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0 Upvotes

r/language 10h ago

Discussion The Sicel inscription of Mendolito, Italic Matches

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1 Upvotes

r/language 11h ago

Question Can somebody please write “The Runner” in the Farsi language with nice handwriting on a piece of paper?

0 Upvotes

In a picture🙏


r/language 11h ago

Discussion Guess my heritage languages!

1 Upvotes

A fair warning, I am trying to learn the language at least conversationally and get better. While it's sort of a native language that's kind of important to me and my dad and our heritage, I don't know this language at a native level and do need to practice with speaking and such. The other native language that I actually do speak at a native level is English.

Technically, I have 3: 2 on dad's side, 1 on mom's side. I'd consider 1 to actually be "native"-ish, though, something I sorta grew up learning a bit of, though I did know some words in Language 2.

- Language 1 has multiple dialects that vary by region. The dialect that it appears my ancestors are from speak a very interesting dialect, words are pretty different from the "standard speak".

- Language 1 is also spoken in 1 country only and is kind of unknown to other people who live in my country (the U.S., so it's not like French or something)

- Language 1 also does have some loanwords from French :)

- It does seem to be known for being progressive, but on platforms like Reddit, I see a lot of right-wing or anti-immigration stuff it seems. I hear about it, too.

- The country where Language 1 is spoken has a meme I kept seeing a lot, probably very old. Well, I think 2000s? It was used in a Lost Media parody video.

- People most likely learn this language due to heritage, it's not like Spanish where it's very popular and essential for communication. Also, people who are fans of a certain web series may learn this language because a fan-favorite character was a native speaker.

- A guy from this country, singing in Language 1 (not English or anything else) made a silly song about a soft drink in the 2000s.

- Language 2 has a pretty well-known singer from the country where Language 2 is spoken. It seems they are a jazz pop artist.

- Language 2 is part of this geographical/cultural region along with Language 1, but the languages are pretty different. It seems that Language 1 evolved from one dialect of an old language spoken like 1000 years ago. Language 2 is pretty similar to this old language which my dad has a pretty strong interest in.

- Soccer appears to be a popular sport there, in fact, it's said they love it.

- Light meals like toast for breakfast

- Language 3 is a pretty common language, spoken in multiple countries

- Language 3 was not spoken by my mom, but we did have older family members from the country

- Apparently, this language does not have a word for dating and it's common in this country of origin for teens (15-16) to have sex

- They kind of have a "not my business" attitude and people can see this as aloof.

- Known for being pretty blunt.


r/language 18h ago

Question Are these translations correct?

2 Upvotes

대지 - earth

불 - fire

번개 - lightning

물 - water

바람 - wind.

Guys are these the correct translations for the words?
I want to use these words in a game, as a form of elements. (For example in Avatar or Naruto, power elements). So are these words correct considering the context?? Please help


r/language 1d ago

Question What language is this and what does it say?

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108 Upvotes

I bought this paper weight from an antique store a while Back and was curious what the writing on its plaque says, and where it might be from so was wondering if anyone might be able to translate it for me?

-thank you


r/language 19h ago

Request Any websites where you can learn Ibibio for free?

1 Upvotes

One of my parents is Ibibio and the other is Yoruba, but I was born and raised outside of Nigeria so I don't know either language well, though I know basic spoken Ibibio phrases.


r/language 1d ago

Question What kind of color related expressions are there in your native language?

81 Upvotes

In Croatian, theres žuta minuta (yellow minute), which is a brief moment of losing control.

In Estonian, there is kadedusest roheline, which means turning green from envy.

In Russian, there is голубая мечта ( golubaya mechta ) which is a pure, often unachievable dream.

In English, I know of white lie and feeling blue...

Theres of course plenty more, these were the first that came to mind and Im sure plenty of them share the origin. Curious of some unique examples.


r/language 23h ago

Discussion New way to learn Italian

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1 Upvotes

Hi guys did you know that you can learn italian phrases with a fun card game?For more info click the link down:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/colloqwee/dialox-an-italian-language-card-game


r/language 1d ago

Discussion Indo-European Roots Reconsidered 77, 111: ‘white, cloud, rain, wet, water’ (Draft 2)

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2 Upvotes

r/language 1d ago

Question Can someone help me to translate this?

1 Upvotes

l've been learning Korean for many years now, and I know what I believe this says, but I'm still not perfect or fluent so I'd like confirmation!! I work at Chick-fil-a and saw that we had 5+ 2 dollars bills with this same Korean writing on them all.

"늘.. 항상.. 언제나 입가에 항박웃음으로 이어지고, 대박나~~BB ^^"


r/language 1d ago

Request [提供] 汉语(母语) | [寻找] 英语

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1 Upvotes

r/language 1d ago

Discussion Indo-European Roots Reconsidered 148, 149: ‘curve, bend; ring, snake’

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1 Upvotes

r/language 2d ago

Question DICTIONARY FOR A MINORITY LANGUAGE

4 Upvotes

Hello, I'm looking for minority languages that don't have any resources to keep that language like dictionaries or books. The idea would be to travel to the place where the language is spoken and make an online dictionary for them, including not only words and translations but also proverbs, written stories that they have told us orally, and other things of they culture. If you know any tell me.


r/language 1d ago

Question Truly multi-lingual subs?

1 Upvotes

Hi all

For background, I‘m an Austrian expat living in Denmark (25+ years now). Bilingual in EN and GER, fluent in DA and SE. I read (and speak some) IT, FR, NO, NL. A little ES.

Not least because of sound quality, I just about always watch stuff with subtitles/captions. When I eg. use english subs, I find it annoying that any other languages aren’t captioned – either it says somethimg like ‘foreign language’ or ‘speaking french‘, but no content. Even Youtube (who captions live) only does one language at a time it seems.

Is there an app or a service that captions in real time, and handles whatever language I throw at it? It doesn’t have to be able to do every language in existance, just eg. EN, GER, DA and SE, IT and FR. Maybe ES.

Doesn‘t have to be real-time either, if it could generate eg. SRT subs for a video file.

I doubt I’m the first to see the need or has the idea?


r/language 2d ago

Discussion What finally made corrections stick for me: replaying the same conversation with the fixed lines (I built this — feedback wanted, not a launch post)

2 Upvotes

Quick disclosure up front: I'm the developer. Mods, if this crosses a line, remove it and I won't repost.

The problem I was trying to solve is a familiar one here — I can read fine, but the moment I have to actually say something, everything I know disappears. Apps gave me flashcards and multiple choice. None of them made me talk.

So I built a thing that just… makes you talk. You pick a situation (ordering at a café, a job interview, calling about a lost bag), you speak out loud, the AI answers, and afterwards it shows every line you said next to how a native would phrase it.

That part isn't new — a few apps do corrections. The thing I want your opinion on is what I added last week, because it changed how much actually stuck for me:

**After the review, one tap puts you back into the *same* conversation — same café, same barista — and the AI quietly steers toward the phrasings you got corrected on.** Not a new random chat. The exact scene where you messed up, walked again with the right words.

My theory: a correction you read is a fact; a correction you *use in the place you needed it* is a habit. Reading "Could I get a medium latte, please?" did nothing for me. Saying it to the same barista the next day did.

One honest thing: it's paid ($9.99 once, no subscription) and there's no free trial — the AI runs entirely on the phone, so there's no server to meter a trial with. I'll put some promo codes in the comments for anyone who wants to try it properly.

Genuine question for this sub, separate from my app: what has actually made corrections stick for you? Shadowing? Writing them down? Something else? I'm trying to figure out if "replay the scene" is the mechanism or just my personal quirk.


r/language 2d ago

Question Do u understand ?

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2 Upvotes

r/language 2d ago

Question using 'we' to refer to a group of other people excluding yourself.

26 Upvotes

idk how to word it in google so im coming here.

im writing an analysis for eng lang, and wondered if there is a way to describe using we in this context.

'I see we're lacking common sense'

with 'we' referring to a group of other who are the ones lacking common sense. it is said by someone who is criticising them for lacking common sense but says 'we' , even though theyre not including themselves as lacking common sense.

it reminds me of how a teacher might refer to a class. eg. 'are we going to behave now?' , although the teacher is not misbehaving but rather the students misbehaving are the 'we'.

i hope i worded it well enough to understand.