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Oceania-Pacific
Podcast: Australia Through its Languages
In this week’s World in Words podcast, a conversation with three Australians about language, culture and history. Thomas Keneally, Deborah Cheetham and Kate Grenville discuss the myths and secrets of Aboriginal languages, the rhetoric of official apologies, and the magnificent prose of legendary bush ranger Ned Kelly.
Podcast: The US Government’s Metaphor Program
In this week’s World in Words podcast, new Scrabble words and spying on foreign metaphors.
The staying power of English, and Shakespeare in Shona
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In this week’s World in Words podcast: a new book sparks a debate about how long English will rule the world. Also, Shakespeare’s plays will be performed in 38 languages next year in London, plus efforts to eradicate a Colonial-era pidgin still used by South African mineworkers, and to eradicate English words from Russian and Chinese.Download MP3
Teach yourself Ancient Babylonian
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In this week’s World in Words podcast, the man behind a Teach Yourself book on ancient Babylonian. Also, lost medieval songs sung by Louisiana-based descendents of immigrants from the Canary Islands. Plus, the Squamish for a Vancouver park…and the Ashes: a story of cricket, Twitter, and babysitting.
Aussie English and proper English
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In this week’s World in Words podcast, author Simon Heffer visits a school in his quest to have people speak good English. Also, poet Les Murray describes some delightfully improper expressions used by Australians. And we check in on a language school in India where the teachers have a strong sense of what constitutes proper English. Download MP3World Books Review: An Australian Masterpiece
Australian writer Elizabeth Jolley’s celebrated Vera Wright trilogy, available here in its entirety for the first time, memorably explores the infinite intricacies of the human heart.
Guam people ponder their identity
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Thousands of people recently demanded that US forces be moved off the Japanese island of Okinawa, something Washington is loathe to do. But there are plans to move some Okinawa Marines to Guam. Guam is a US territory, but as Mary Kay Magistad reports, plans for the military build-up there have ignited soul-searching about just how American people there feel. Download MP3 (Photo: Mary Kay Magistad)Oil spill logistics
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An oil well off the Louisiana coast is still leaking oil into the Gulf of Mexico after a rig blew up last week. A similar incident occurred last year off the northern coast of Australia. To find out what happened there and what might happen here, anchor Marco Werman speaks with Louisa Rebgetz of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Ship perched precariously
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The maritime authorities in Australia are trying to stabilize a coal carrier which has run aground near the Great Barrier Reef. The Chinese-registered ship is balanced precariously and the fear is that it could break up, spilling hundreds of tons of oil into the sea.
Manny Pacquiao boxing and running for office
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Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is defending his title on Friday. And he’s also running for Congress back home. Just part of the Philippines tradition of choosing heroes for elected officials. Sunshine de Leon reports from Manila. Download MP3 (Photo source Wikipedia: Bret Newton)
Guam awaits the Marines
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The population of Guam is expected to increase by 50 % in the next four years. That’s because the U.S. military plans to redeploy thousands of Marines and their families from the Japanese island of Okinawa. The move could bring an economic boom to the Pacific island but it threatens to strain Guam’s infrastructure as Akiko Fujita reports. Download MP3 (Photo: Johan Burati)World Books: International Reads for the Holidays
“Your Face Tomorrow, Volume Three: Poison, Shadow, and Farewell”: the final volume in Javier Marías’s trio of spy novels extraordinaire is part of World Book’s idiosyncratic round-up of first-rate international literary stocking stuffers.
Audio Slideshow: Camel Races in Australia
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Photojournalist Tim Bonham journeys deep into the Australian outback to profile Glenda Sutton. Sutton is a camel jockey, and has been since 1998. She learned how to ride in the United Arab Emirates, and now races in her native Australia. Bonham caught up with her at The Boulia Camel Races in Queensland. Download MP3 Geo answer
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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is Tristan da Cunha or “Tristan” for short. Andy Isaacson sends an audio postcard from this island in the South Atlantic. It’s been called the most remote inhabited island on Earth.
Most Remote Inhabited Island on Earth
Today’s Geo Quiz takes us out to sea … 1700 miles off the coast of Africa. There are half a dozen volcanic islands scattered near 37 degrees south, 12 degrees west. That’s about midway between South Africa and Argentina.
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