30 en-us http://www.theworld.org Copyright 2008 The World The World in Words with Patrick Cox focuses on language. We decode diplospeak and lay bare nationalist rants. And as English extends its global reach, we track the blowback from the world's 6,000+ other languages, in the form of hybrids like Chinglish, Hinglish, Singlish and Binglish. Binglish? The World in Words with Patrick Cox focuses on language. We decode diplospeak and lay bare nationalist rants. And as English extends its global reach, we track the blowback from the world's more than 6,000 other languages. The World is a US-based international news and analysis program co-produced by the BBC World Service, Public Radio International, and WGBH Public Radio in Boston. Public Radio International Public Radio International theworld@pri.org no http://www.theworld.org/images/theworld_logo_twiw.jpg http://www.theworld.org http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast60.mp3 The Obama Administration is moving to boost foreign language speakers at the State Department and the CIA. But at the Pentagon there's a problem: the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy has resulted in early discharge for more than 300 linguists, including 60 Arabic speakers. Also today, Ukraine wants to change the names of cities named after Soviet heroes, many of them Russian. And a conversation with Jag Bhalla, collector of foreign language idioms. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast60.mp3 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:30:00 EST no 24:50 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Jag Bhalla, idioms, Ukraine, Tymoshenko, Soviet, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Pentagon, gay, linguists http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWnews2.mp3 Patrick Cox and Carol Hills select the top five language-related stories from June. Among them: Google translation gets to work on the streets of Teheran; Microsoft's choice of Bing as the name for its search engine to rival Google may not go down well in China; a music festival in Quebec runs afoul of language sensitivies; and a drug ring in Pennsylvannia uses Iraqi Arabic dialects in its communications. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWnews2.mp3 Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:05:00 EST no 16:09 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Persian, Farsi, Google, Microsoft, Bing, Chinese, censorship, gay, Sotomayor, Arabic, Iraq, drug ring http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast59.mp3 First, an interview with Vanina Marsot, whose new novel "Foreign Tongue" is about French, English, being bilingual, and translation. It also includes more false cognates than you can hurl a dictionary at, a racy story within a story, and lots of French attitude. Then, a quick detour to Mexico to learn about a Spanish expression that's favored there. And finally to Afghanistan, where Pentagon acronyms are the lingua franca. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast59.mp3 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:30:00 EST no 23:49 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Vanina Marsot, Foreign Tongue, faux amis, Afghanistan, Pentagon, alphabet soup http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast58.mp3 A nice linguistic fight to start with this week: a Texas organization is claiming that the English language has just gained its millionth word. Linguists say it's a publicity stunt. Then it's on to Singlish, a hybrid tongue that Singaporeans speak among themselves, much to the consternation of their famously fussy government. Finally, as the US releases some Chinese Uighurs from Guantanamo, a look at the Uighur language. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast58.mp3 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:30:00 EST no 31:29 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Payack, millionth, David Crystal, Uighur, Singlish, Hokkien, Malay, Singapore, Bermuda http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast57.mp3 This week, how President Obama's big speech to the Muslim world was translated, officially by the State Department, and less officially by news outlets. Also, ahead of elections in Belgium, we hear from the leader of Belgium's first and only bilingual political party. Then, Chinese microbloggers battle government censors. Finally, Bangladeshi hip hoppers rediscover their Bengali voices in New York City. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast57.mp3 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:15:00 EST no 23:19 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Stoic Bliss, censorship, China, Tiananmen, ProBruxsel, Koran, Bible, Talmud http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast56.mp3 This week, two takes on language teaching in France. First, a couple of Paris high schools have started teaching Antillean creole. Then, part two of Patrick's conversation with American Laurel Zuckerman who wanted to teach high school English. Zuckerman fought the French education establishment- and guess who won? We then consider an Arabic word beloved by Saudi Arabia's morality police. Finally, Spain unites over a soccer victory, but remains divided over which songs best represent the spirit of the nation. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast56.mp3 Fri, 29 May 2009 11:15:00 EST no 25:28 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Sorbonne Confidential, Barcelona, Joan Manuel Serrat, Ana Belen, Manolo Escobar http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWnews1.mp3 Patrick Cox and Carol Hills select the top five language-related stories from May. Among them: the strongest challenger to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is campaigning in his native Turkish Azeri; you can now update, poke and unfriend on Facebook in six more languages, all spoken in India; and British researchers are developing software that would not only lip-read, but also determine the language being spoken from soundless video images. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWnews1.mp3 Thu, 28 May 2009 12:05:00 EST no 14:15 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, closed circuit; Arabic, French, Belgium, ProBruxsel, State Department, Pashto, Tamil, Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast55.mp3 When Laurel Zuckerman tried to become an English teacher in France, she assumed that being a native English speaker would be an advantage. The book she wrote about her experience caused a sensation in France. Also, the linguistic underpinnings of Sri Lanka's just-concluded civil war. Plus, a Sinhala word that succinctly describes how many teeth you still have, and why "potato-ness" may decide a product's tax status. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast55.mp3 Fri, 22 May 2009 09:35:00 EST no 26:01 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Sorbonne Confidential, Ceylon, Tamil Tigers, Pringles, Procter and Gamble http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast54.mp3 We begin with two Americans who fell in love with French. American GI Alan Cope loved the language so much he stayed in France after end of World War Two. He lived there for the rest of his life. Anne Ishii also put in some time in France, and used her prowess with the language to date a succession of French men. Also, Star Trek and how the original Captain Kirk et al sound in several European languages. Plus, the German predilection for making up quotes and attributing them to Winston Churchill. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast54.mp3 Thu, 14 May 2009 16:10:00 EST no 20:51 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Farivar, Emmanuel Guibert, ill iterate, Khan, Spanish, Italian http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast53.mp3 How would you prefer to spend your evening...memorizing Russian declensions and conjugations...or chowing down on some pelmeni and shaslyk? Let's face it, sampling another culture's cuisine is a whole lot easier than learning a foreign language. But food and how it's viewed from one culture to the next is far from simple. Is it to ward off starvation, or to show off sophistication? We take a cooking class in Beijing that draws on recent Chinese history. Then we go to Cyprus, where local Turks and Greeks are claiming sole ownership of the dishes both love. And then, what happens to the simple Eastern European dumpling when capitalism replaces communism? It gets garnished with sprig of parsley and costs ten times as much. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast53.mp3 Fri, 08 May 2009 09:50:00 EST no 22:36 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, dumplings, Jen Lin-Liu, Jennifer 8 Lee, Clotaire Rapaille, Guyana, Cypriot, Slovakia http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast52.mp3 The language that gave English the words dingo and boomerang has been extinct for more than a century. But that's not stopping one Australian school from teaching it. A better known language that refuses to die, Latin, lives on in the dummy texts of book and web designers. But who wrote the most famous Latin dummy text? Also, the music and poetry of bilingual Zimbabwean Comrade Fatso. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast52.mp3 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:00:00 EST no 22:36 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Dharug, wombat, koala, typesetting, placeholder, Shona, Mugabe http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast51.mp3 Add this to the CIA's troubles: the agency is nowhere near multilingual enough. Despite urging from Congress and the 9/11 Commission, the CIA remains overwhelmingly English-only. Also, what Hollywood might make of one linguist's social experiment: he proposed marooning six families who spoke mutually incomprehensible languages on an uninhabitated island to see if they would create a new language. Finally, Hawaiian language lessons from musician Keali'i Reichel. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast51.mp3 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:55:00 EST no 22:28 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Derek Bickerton, Kukahi, Michael Erard, evolution, creole, pidgin, Hawaii, Central Intelligence Agency, Hoekstra http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast50.mp3 In Thailand's political chaos, there's one thing that most Thais agree on: their king is untouchable. Now, the Thai government is agressively enforcing a law that prohibits criticism of the monarch. Also this week, recordings of American poets are added to a British archive, British pubs are being given slightly ridiculous new names, and Barack Obama's confusing pirate policy. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast50.mp3 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:35:00 EST no 19:24 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Thai, lese majeste, slug and lettuce, private, Yusef Komunyakaa, Kay Ryan http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast49.mp3 Live! From the hermit kingdom! Yes, it's a North Korea special. The Korean language, like everything else on the peninsula has split into two. Our report from inside North Korea features a song whose lyrics fixate on one thing: food. Then we take a look at the linguistic challenges facing North Korean refugees in South Korea. Finally, Barack Obama's adventures in the wonderful world of Hungarian. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast49.mp3 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 15:45:00 EST no 32:19 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast48.mp3 Stretch, breathe, and connect...or something. Yoga - the word and the practise - carry different meanings in India than in the United States and elsewhere. A new movie, "Enlighten Up!" investigates, at times hilariously. Also this week, the French schoolboy who created a whole language for kids turns 50. And part two of our conversation with Wikipedia historian Andrew Lih. He argues that American politicos write many more manipulative wiki-articles than their Chinese counterparts...and he reveals why there is, shockingly, no Wikipedia in Montenegrin. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast48.mp3 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:40:00 EST no 28:18 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Chinese, Le Petit Nicolas, Kate Churchill, Nick Rosen, http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast47.mp3 We begin with President Obama's improving Spanish on display on Univision. Then we take a trip to a language school in Mexico to hear about changes in Spanish-language learning. Then it's to France, where traditionalists are horrified at President Sarkozy's gutter talk. Finally a conversation with author and wikipedian Andrew Lih on why foreign language wikipedias are so different from the English version. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast47.mp3 Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST no 30:07 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Mexico, Spanish, Wikipedia, Sarkozy, France, Obama, Univision, Herera, Bayern Munich http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast46.mp3 In Britain, the economic crisis may be worse than in the United States. Brits are just about keeping their upper lip stiff with the help of a revived World War Two slogan. Also in the UK, an association of local officials wants to ban government jargon; under threat, some of these phrases seem lyrical and worth keeping, not unlike brutalist architecture. Finally, Yiyun Li, a Chinese-born novelist who writes, beautifully, in English. Her first novel, "The Vagrants" has just been published. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast46.mp3 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:10:00 EST no 15:14 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, economy, Yiyun Li, The Vagrants, World War Two, Chinese, "Keep Calm and Carry On" http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast45.mp3 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been circling the globe, hitting the reset button on America's foreign relations. But then someone at the State Department tried - and failed - to translate "reset" into Russian. Now the Kremlin is urging more Americans to learn Russian. Also this week, middle class Pakistanis prefer English to Urdu...and the historical roots and enduring appeal of spelling the Canadian English way. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast45.mp3 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:35:00 EST no 22:08 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Urdu, Balti, Joe Clark, Lavrov, peregruzka, perezagruzka, The Matrix Reloaded http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast44.mp3 This week, we check out a claim that with the aid of a super-computer, it's possible to predict which words will become extinct in a few centuries. We also have a report on the extraordinarily devoted fans of Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. That's followed by a conversation with Eve Kushner, a devoted fan of those Japanese characters known as kanji. Finally, Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig on his favorite phrase out of Africa: kwassa kwassa. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast44.mp3 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:50:00 EST no 25:43 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, words, extinction, Mark Pagel, Japanese, Kanji, Haruki Murakami, Roland Kelts, Vampire Weekend http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast43.mp3 As Hollywood embraces Hindi, we ask why so many recent Oscar-nominated movies include non-English dialogue. Also, Hillary Clinton grapples with Indonesian, Irish cops grapple with Polish, and UNESCO upsets Cornish speakers by declaring their language extinct. Finally, two items on Arabic in America: the centuries-old roots of Arabic in the United States, and teaching Arabic through song. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast43.mp3 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST no 21:38 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, UNESCO, Cornish, Jonathan Curiel, Lost in Translation, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Babel, Lamia Zayzafoon http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast42.mp3 We're in the final days of the International Year of Languages (it's also the end of the International Year of the Potato, but that's another story). We find out how the year has been observed and whether minority languages are any better protected as a result. Then we check in on one big success story: Welsh. Once endangered, Welsh is now spoken by more than 600,000 people. Then, a story on how Brazilians in Massachusetts - many of them undocumented - are clamoring to learn English. Finally, the history of Jamaica's unofficial national anthem, Bob Marley's "One Love". http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast42.mp3 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST no 26:07 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, United Nations, Wales, hwyl, Don Osborn, Framingham, Portuguese, Trenchtown, Kingston http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast41.mp3 Forget humans. Why not date a language? That's what Keith Brooks is doing. He's checking out 37 languages with a view to getting serious with one of them -- after he's played the field a bit. Also, strange things happen to the pitch of women's voices during ovulation. Plus, we chow down sideways with a Yiddish word, and hear the tale of the chant from Cameroon that's been popularized by Michael Jackson and Rihanna. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast41.mp3 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST no 23:59 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Norwegian, Slovenian, Hindi, Keith Brooks, German, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Sol Steinmetz http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast40.mp3 We begin with reaction from the Arab world to Barack Obama's embrace of a language of "respect" toward Muslims. Then, we accompany a group of Upper Midwest dairy farmers on a trip to Mexico, where they learn the languages and culture - and meet the families of their Mexican employees. After that, we take a tour of Latin America's many Spanish dialects with actor Benicio del Toro ("Che"). And finally we consider one of John Updike's lesser-known books, "The Coup." It's set in a fictional West African state that is obsessed with French language and culture. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast40.mp3 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:45:00 EST no 27:49 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Obama, Al-Arabiya, Muslim, Spanish, Che Guevara, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Francophone http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast39.mp3 This podcast is 100 percent Persian. Consider it a primer for the Obama Administration as it sizes up Iran's leaders. First, a report on the BBC's new Persian language TV station. Then Persian-language radio from the Voice of Israel. After that, a profile of Iranian-American spy novelist Salar Abdoh. We round things off with writers Firoozeh Dumas ("Laughing Without an Accent") and Azar Nafisi ("Reading Lolita in Teheran" and "Things I've Been Silent About"). http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast39.mp3 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST no 31:11 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Persian, Farsi, TV, Israel, Salar Abdoh, Firoozeh Dumas, Azar Nafisi, Hafez, poem http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast38.mp3 We kick off with linguist and blogger Mark Liberman's take on President Obama's inaugural address. Then, a report on whether the disappearance of the term "war on terror" in post-Bush Washington will result in policy changes. Then a little something on language learning: incoming Presidents often try - and fail - to get Americans to learn a second language. Finally an inventive piece of Algerian slang that mixes Arabic and French. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast38.mp3 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:55:00 EST no 20:18 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Bush, Obama, inauguration, Language Log, war on terror, Guantanamo, language learning, Arabic, Maryland, Algeria http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast37.mp3 As George W. Bush becomes a private citizen again, we consider his legacy by means of a name he once cited: Alden Pyle, a fictional CIA officer dreamed up by Graham Greene in "The Quiet American." Also, a new Indian mockumentary focuses on Bush's blunders, verbal and otherwise. Finally, the national anthems of Ghana -- the official one that sounds oh-so-British and the unofficial one that everyone loves. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast37.mp3 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:40:00 EST no 20:26 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Bush, Graham Greene, Alden Pyle, Vietnam, Iraq, India, movie, bushism, Ghana, anthem, Ewe http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast36.mp3 Two hundred years after Louis Braille was born, the writing system he invented for the blind is still going strong. Also, the Israeli government has trouble translating a Hebrew word meant to convey withdrawal without any defeatist connotations. Plus, two French items: a new language test that would-be French citizens must take, and Brooklyn's very own faux French band, Les Sans Culottes. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast36.mp3 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:20:00 EST no 22:19 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Braille, Hebrew, settlements, France, citizenship, Franglais http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast35.mp3 The word denier usually follows the word Holocaust. Can we re-invent it and speak of global warming deniers? Or will it always be associated with the Nazi genocide? Then there's the term 9-11. After the Mumbai attacks, is it useful or crass to speak of India's 9-11, or Spain's, or Britain's? Finally, the top words of 2008, according to the Global Language Monitor. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast35.mp3 Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:50:00 EST no 25:51 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, Eating Sideways, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, denial, Holocaust, climate change, Obama, 9-11, terrorism, Mumbai, Payack, Sasak, water buffalo http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast34.mp3 In Japan, the economic bubble may have burst but the pop culture bubble is still expanding. In this week's cast, first a report on how American teens are learning Japanese so they can read manga and watch anime in the original language. Then a brief history of manga, including a visit to the Tezuka studio's vault. Finally, the perils of translating manga - a conversation with translator Anne Ishii. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast34.mp3 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:20:00 EST no 25:04 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Japanese, manga, anime, Osamu Tezuka, Anne Ishii, Japanese-American, Chihiro Cherry Enoki http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast33.mp3 The focus this week is on language and personality. Does Barack Obama's bilingual nominee for Commerce Secretary Bill Richardson have an English-speaking personality and a Spanish-speaking personality? A prominent bilingual scholar says many people develop differently depending on which language they're using. Also, Mexican-American singer Julieta Venegas is bilingual but she sings in only one language, and the strange shorthand of Ghanaian electoral politics. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast33.mp3 Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST no 24:13 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Eating Sideways, bilingual, Bill Richardson, Spanish, English, personality, Barbara Zurer Pearson, Julieta Venegas, Ghana, election http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast32.mp3 First this week, the Bible is being translated into Jamaican patois. For some, it'll bring the scriptures alive; for others it's just not how the word of God ought to sound. Then a longish segment on English that's so bad, it's rotten. Whether spoken by Joe Strummer, Linton Kwesi Johnson or Louise Bennett, this is the language of oppression, rebellion and revenge. It can sound more raw and authentic than the Queen's English, but it's often just as refined. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast32.mp3 Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:15:00 EST no 23:51 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Eating Sideways, Jamaica, Bible, Rotten, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Louise Bennett, the Clash, colonial, creole http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast31.mp3 Which dead old writer coined the words eyeball, premeditated and jaded?Which one came up with embellish, sensuous and intervolve? (OK, so they didn't all catch on.) And which one kept a diary - now online in blog form - whose most popular entry is One Egg? It's part one of our look at writers who have expanded the English language. Also, the Japanese word yokomeshi helps us name our segment on foreign words that defy translation.> http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast31.mp3 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST no 19:24 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Shakespeare, John Milton, intervolve, word invention, Orwell blog, one egg, yokomeshi, tough to translate http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast30.mp3 We kick off with a look at how open source software is helping Bolivia's Aymara language enter the digital age. Then, a nice turn of phrase in another Bolivian language, Quechua, as used by someone's grandmother in moments of road rage. Finally, two South African hits - a proposed pledge of allegiance that has everyone in a tizzy, and a short history of South African hip hop. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast30.mp3 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:25:00 EST no 21:26 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Bolivia, Aymara, open source, Quechua, road rage, South Africa, pledge of allegiance, hip hop, Zulu, Tswana http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast29.mp3 We kick off the Globama era with a discussion of how we micharacterise wars, especially how and when they end. Did the American Civil War end at Appomattox in April 1865 or at the ballot box in November 2008? Also, we examine why Rwanda is switching its language of instruction from French to English. Finally, we discover how French words often lose their original meaning when co-opted by English speakers. Think double entendre. Think en suite. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast29.mp3 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:45:00 EST no 22:00 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, election, Rwanda, French, civil war, metaphor, sports, double entendre, Borat http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast28.mp3 An explanation of pinata politics-- and why that approach won't work on election day. Then the political and linguistic divide between Chinese immigrant voters and their Chinese-American offspring. Then two hits on speaking two languages: Oregon votes on bilingual education, while more American parents chose to raise their children bilingually. We round off the cast with a tough-to-translate French phrase. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast28.mp3 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST no 20:59 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, election, Spanish, Chinese, bilingual, education, preschool, translate http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast27.mp3 This week, it's the second half of our presidential election alphabet. Which means nuclear energy, Spanish language ads, Chinese language ballots, and the Canadian who wishes he were American. Maybe only on election day. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast27.mp3 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:25:00 EST no 29:56 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, election, Obama, McCain, Spanish, Chinese, transliterate, ballot, Vietnam, nucular, Luke Doucet http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast26.mp3 This week and next, we're alphabetizing the presidential election campaign. A is for Auma, B is for Bangladesh -- and you'll have to listen to the podcast to hear the rest. Among the issues: Islam, political cliches, and foreign versions of Joe Six-Pack. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast26.mp3 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST no 20:56 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, election, Obama, McCain, maverick, cliche, French, Islam, Joe Six-Pack, Spanish, Nevada http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast25.mp3 It's Arabic week at The World in Words. First, how Arabic and Hebrew both help and hinder Middle East negotiations. Then, Arab-American writers and the words they have to use post 9/11. Finally, The Simpsons gets an Arabic language makeover -- and a cultural makeover too. That plus our inauguaral hard-to-define foreign word segment (a title for this please, listeners...). http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast25.mp3 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:55:00 EST no 20:57 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Arabic, Hebrew, Arab-American, writers, terrorism, Arabesque, The Simpsons, Homer, Omar http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast24.mp3 We have two takes on Spanglish this week, along with many fine examples of America's fastest-growing language. First, Ilan Stavans explains why he is translating Don Quixote into Spanglish. Then, Bill Santiago explains why he delivers much of his stand-up comedy in Spanglish. In non-Spanglish news, we consider the charge from a Nobel Lit Prize judge that American writers are too insular...because they don't read enough translated fiction. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast24.mp3 Tue, 7 Oct 2008 10:30:00 EST no 22:47 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Spanglish, Don Quixote, Ilan Stavans, Bill Santiago, Nobel, Swedish, American http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast23.mp3 We start with a US-funded attempt to revive a mountain language in Central Asia. Then a conversation with Mr Endangered Languages, Peter Austin. Finally we hear about the meanings of some fantastically original foreign words. Don't you wish that English had a word for an interferer at a card game who gives unwanted advice? http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast23.mp3 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EST no 20:30 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, endangered, Shughni, Peter Austin, foreign words, Adam Jacot de Boinod http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast22.mp3 We get all PC on this week's cast as we ask: did ESPN's Tony Kornheiser offend Spanish speakers on Monday Night Football? Then we chat with Anneke Forzani, founder of Language Lizard, a dual-language book distributor. (And yes, you really can read Hansel and Gretel in Urdu.) Finally, we check in with singer Dan Zanes who learned Spanish so he could sing the songs on his latest album, Nueva York. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast22.mp3 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:40:00 EST no 21:33 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Tony Kornheiser, children's books, Language Lizard, Dan Zanes, Spanish http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast21.mp3 Forget tough love, how about tough translation? We ask a translator of recently-deceased novelist David Foster Wallace how he rendered Infinite Jest into German. Then a segment on translating poetry, and the message seems to be: go ahead and mess with the meaning, but don't rupture the rhythm. Then a take on war zone translators from Dexter Filkins of the New York Times. Finally, a trip to Odessa, alleged spiritual home of Jewish Humor. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast21.mp3 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:20:00 EST no 24:04 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, translation, poetry, David Foster Wallace, Dexter Filkins, Odessa, Jewish humor http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast20.mp3 A celtic cast today, topped with an Arabic primer from the campaign trail. US-based Al Jazeera TV correspondent Abderrahim Foukara talks about the challenges of translating some words and concepts of American presidential politics. Among the toughest: maverick and superdelegate (hockey mom is easy). Then it's Scottish Gaelic: the BBC is launching is launching a new Gaelic TV service this month. We consder that and other efforts to reverse the decline of the language, and we drop in on a Gaelic class at Harvard. Finally we listen in on speakers of Scots, that much-maligned dialect that may or may not be a language. Language or not, it is hugely expressive. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast20.mp3 Tue, 9 Sep 2008 15:40:00 EST no 25:54 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Al Jazeera, Arabic, Scottish Gaelic, Harvard, Scots http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast19.mp3 Two newsy items top the podcast: Wasilla, Alaska, hometown of John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin, and the LGPA's decision to ban profesional female golfers who don't speak English. Then we have a report on George Orwell's "blog" followed by a segment on two Bosnian novelists who write in foreign languages. Finally, we wrap our ears around everyone's favorite Icelandic insult. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast19.mp3 Tue, 2 Sep 2008 10:40:00 EST no 22:25 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, English, golf, Orwell, Bosnian, Hemon, Icelandic http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast18.mp3 It's an all-gallic lineup this week. First I wax unlyrical on the French language and American politicians. Then we hear why French is growing in global importance, at least according to a couple of Canadians. We stay in Canada after that to check in on the Quebec provincial government's efforts to get immigrants to learn French. Then it's on to the banlieues of Paris, where street talk that mixes several languages has resulted in a new dictionary. And finally we hear from French-Algerian pop star Rachid Taha on the challenges of singing in Arabic. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast18.mp3 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:50:00 EST no 27:40 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, French, Canada, slang, Rachid Taha, Arabic http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast17.mp3 For blogger Stephen Dodson (languagehat.com), swearing is liberation. And the more languages you can swear in, the more liberated you'll feel. Dodson is the co-author of a new book on global cursing, and we feature an interview with him. Also this week, the story of YouTube sensation (now that's a 2008 cliche) Peter Nalitch, a Russian who sings nonsense English. And we'll hear from a group of Georgian choral singers. They're part of a revival of Georgian-language hymns and folk songs following decades of Soviet repression. It's some of the most hauntingly beautiful music I've ever heard. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast17.mp3 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EST no 24:23 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Stephen Dodson, swearwords, Peter Nalitch, Russian, nonsense, Georgian, polyphony http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast16.mp3 Why is Ghana's most famous citizen Kofi Annan so named? Hint: if he'd been born on a different day he might have been called Kwame. Plus, in New Zealand a judge has allowed a 9-year-old girl to change her name from Talula Does the Hula from Hawaii. In parts of Honduras, the name Radiator is popular. Yup, it isn't just in the United States where people are given ridiculous names. Also, in this podcast why the Senegalese love scrabble, and a conversation with Michael Erard, author of "Um," a book about slips, stumbles and verbal blunders. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast16.mp3 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 08:30:00 EST no 19:36 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Ghana, names,Honduras, Senegal, scrabble,Michael Erard, stumbles http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast15.mp3 Learning English is all the rage in China right now. We have several items on how the Chinese are struggling to learn English: many struggle more than learn. We ask whether China's emerging English profiency will mean an end to those poor but funny translations known as Chinglish. We also discover that you can commit some seriously juicy Chinglish in reverse form, from English to Chinese. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast15.mp3 Tue, 5 Aug 2008 10:30:00 EST no 24:24 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Chinese, English, learning, translation, Chinglish, http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast14.mp3 With the Olympics just a couple of weeks away, Chinese national pride is peaking. What better way to express that than name your one - and probably only - child Olympic Games? We get the lowdown on that, as well as on China's many languages and dialects. Plus, there's something else we can blame on computers: Chinese people are forgetting how write the script of their own language. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast14.mp3 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:15:00 EST no 18:54 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Chinese, Olympics, dialect, script, characters http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast13.mp3 It's non-verbal language this week. The chants, grunts and rhythms of a crowd, and why one refrain in a White Stripes song has become so popular among European soccer fans. Also, the language of applause...and the deeply weird story about the TV ad in Esperanto - except it wasn't Esperanto. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast13.mp3 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:50:00 EST no 24:00 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, White Stripes, football, soccer, applause, Esperanto http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast12.mp3 We hit the Presidential campaign trail this week. John McCain has an awkward moment with a voter who wants Spanish banned. Barack Obama has to deal with charges that he would force Americans to learn Spanish. Also, from 70s rock to reggaeton: the unofficial campaign songs of the Presidential candidates. And French and English exchange a few words. Some French people now say "boss" and "one-to-one." But English-speaking Quebecers say "cinq-a-sept" and "valoriser." http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast12.mp3 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EST no 20:23 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, McCain, Obama, learn Spanish, French, Quebec http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast11.mp3 It's official: "muffin top" now has its own entry in the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. This week, we consider several new words, or new meanings of old words, that have found their way into the Concise OED. We also talk with writer Charlotte Brewer about how the OED tries to keep up with the ever-evolving English language. And we hear from two Americans who perform in foreign languages: the first is a singing ambassador, the second is a rapper Y-Love. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast11.mp3 Tue, 8 Jul 2008 11:15:00 EST no 22:26 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Charlotte Brewer, Oxford English Dictionary, Muffin Top, Y-Love http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast10.mp3 With a nod to July 4th, we check in on a quintessential American value: free speech. President Bush says it's a foreign policy priority. Well, actually, it's not when it comes to U.S. ally Singapore. We also take a look at a bill in Congress called the Global Online Freedom Act. And we spend some time with a Pakistani-American family living in Phoenix, AZ, who together have written "The American Muslim Teenager's Handbook." That and a tribute to George Carlin. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast10.mp3 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:40:00 EST no 24:00 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, free speech, Singapore, Global Online Freedom Act, American Muslim, George Carlin http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast9.mp3 The English language has been expanding its reach since, well, long before those Mayflower men hit an American rock. Recently, English has made inroads in post-Soviet Russian, much to the consternation of many there. In neighboring Estonia, everyone's so busy learning English that they have forgotten that they are right next to Mother Russia. Then there's Sol Steinmetz, a man of many tongues. Several decades ago, he was a boy of many tongues: he learned Hungarian, then Yiddish, then Spanish, then English. He still speaks all those languages, but he feels most comfortable speaking English. There are, of course, global rivals to English but Esperanto is most assuredly not one of them. Now there's a new Esperanto for the text messaging generation. Someone in our newsroom said it should be called Textperanto. Alas, no: its name is NOL. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast9.mp3 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:30:00 EST no 20:36 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Russian, Estonia, Sol Steinmetz, Esperanto, NOL, Textperanto http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW8.mp3 The evolving language of George W. Bush's foreign policy: we take a look at how his descriptions of Iraq and the "war on terror" have changed over the years. We also hear about a few words the President wishes he hadn't used. And finally, we consider the Boston Celtics' embrace of the Zulu concept of "ubuntu." http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW8.mp3 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:35:00 EST no 19:54 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Iraq, war on terror, rhetoric, Boston Celtics, ubuntu http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW7.mp3 The language of humor: is German humor really an oxymoron? Are Soviet jokes still funny? Why does the comedy of say, The Office overcome language barriers while other, sometimes cleverer, humor remain imprisoned within its own language? Also, how two video artists turned an obscure Finnish word meaning "complaints choir" into a worldwide phenomenon. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW7.mp3 Mon, 9 Jun 2008 16:35:00 EST no 19:04 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, German, humor, Soviet, Finnish, complaints choir http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW6.mp3 As 111 nations agree to ban cluster bombs, we consider the meanings of term "cluster bomb." Also, we begin an occasional series on Arizona's noisy battles over language and immigration: English is the official language, but Spanish is washing across the border. We'll hear from from undocumented high schoolers, and from Arizona writer Tom Miller. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW6.mp3 Mon, 2 Jun 2008 16:35:00 EST no 27:05 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, cluster bombs, Arizona, immigration, official language, Tom Miller http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW5.mp3 The Bush Administration now offers grants for Americans to study languages such as Arabic. We travel to Cairo where language schools are full of American students. Also, a conversation with self-described language fanatic Elizabeth Little. And a journey through the linguistic politics - and just plain silliness - of the Eurovision Song Contest. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW5.mp3 Mon, 26 May 2008 16:35:00 EST no 28:25 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Arabic, learning, Elizabeth Little, Eurovision http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast4.mp3 Languages are dying out faster than ever, and no-one seems to know quite what to do about it. But that's not stopping a Chilean teen from teaching himself Selk'nam, previous considered a dead language. It's not stopping two American linguists whose attempts to document endangered languages is the subject of a new movie. And it's not stopping Gullah-Geechee speakers from the southeastern United States from enlisting federal support in their bid to ensure the suvival of their language. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast4.mp3 Mon, 19 May 2008 14:00:00 EST no 21:47 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Selk'nam, Chile, movie, The Linguists, Gullah-Geechee http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW3.mp3 In this edition of The World in Words, linguist Derek Bickerton talks about his lifelong love of creoles and his attempt to create a new language on a desert island. Also former speechwriter Gregory Levey on how he nearly got an Israeli prime minister to channel Seinfeld. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW3.mp3 Mon, 12 May 2008 16:35:00 EST no 24:18 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Derek Bickerton, creole, Survivor, Gregory Levey, Seinfeld http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW2.mp3 In this edition of The World in Words: Russian. What names like Putin, Stalin and Medvedev mean. Also, outgoing President Putin likes to quote Russian poetry - as much as seems to enjoy coarse street language. We end with the confessions of a hopelessly unqualified Israeli government speechwriter. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIW2.mp3 Mon, 5 May 2008 15:20:00 EST no 18:53 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Russian, Putin, Medvedev, Israel, Gregory Levey http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast1.mp3 On the debut podcast of The World in Words, the power of language: Spain tries, and fails, to set words to its national anthem. South Africa's anthem has words but they're in so many different languages that very few people understand them. And the pseudo-language of Swedish home furnishings giant IKEA sounds harmless, unless you're Danish. http://64.71.145.108/pod/language/WIWpodcast1.mp3 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST no 17:30 The World in Words, language, Patrick Cox, politics, international news, pri's the world, bbc, wgbh, public radio, pri, Spain, South Africa, national anthem, IKEA, Danish