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PRI’s The World

This tag is associated with 173 posts

Swearing in Irish, storytelling in Scots, rapping in Khmer

By Patrick Cox ⋅ March 19, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Two takes on the Irish language: one from Patrick’s dad, who was a schoolboy in the early years of Ireland’s independence, when studying Irish was an exercise in nation-building. Then, an interview with Manchan Magan who made a TV series about traveling around Ireland speaking only Irish. Next, we hear from Alexander McCall Smith: his latest offering in the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series is a children’s book in the Scots language. Finally, hip-hop artist Boomer Da Sharpshooter who grew up speaking English but now raps in Cambodia’s main language, Khmer. Download MP3

Moorish grafitti and texting in Yiddish

By Patrick Cox ⋅ March 12, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The Alhambra in Grenada, the crowning glory of Moorish Spain, has more than 10,000 prayers and poems in Arabic inscribed on its walls. We hear about an effort to catalog the inscriptions. Then it’s the second part of the BBC’s documentary on Yiddish. Reporter Dennis Marks takes us to New York, where the language is undergoing a modest revival: among Hasidic Jews in Crown Heights, with a family who text message in transliterated Yiddish, and with a musician a novelist who are re-interpreting the old language of Eastern Europe’s shtetls for new generations. Download MP3

The BBC’s Koneksyon Ayiti + Yiddish forever

By Patrick Cox ⋅ March 9, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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In the latest World in Words podcast: Eleven days after Haiti’s earthquake, the BBC began daily radio broadcasts in Haitian Creole. We hear how the broadcasts kept Haitians abreast of the news and put them in touch with loved ones. Also, the past, present and future of Yiddish. Once spoken by millions in Europe, it was nearly wiped out in the Holocaust and through assimilation. Today it survives, and not only as the language that gave English klutz, kosher, kvetch and many other evocative expressions. Download MP3

Packing flashcards, Pandas and Polyglotty Olympics

By Patrick Cox ⋅ March 4, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Our top five language stories this month: why the disappearance of the Bo language is a big deal; the Olympics are being broadcast for the first time in, among other languages, Cree; when pandas move from the U.S. to China, do they have to learn a new language?; lawsuits concerning Arabic flashcards in hand baggage and speaking Spanish in English-only school; and the Pentagon’s latest attempts to equip soldiers with real-time speaking translator-bots.
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A Chinese Valentine’s pod

By Patrick Cox ⋅ February 15, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Hundreds of language programs at public schools have become victims of shrinking budgets. Not Chinese. We visit an inner city high school where 400 students are learning Chinese. Also, don’t be fooled: the language of love is not universal, not unless you keep you mouth shut. That’s the view of an American woman who endlessly misunderstands the amorous words of her German-speaking lover. Plus, bodice-ripping our way out of the recession: romance novels are more popular than ever.Download MP3

Obama’s new words, Avatar in the Amazon and a Chinese satire

By Patrick Cox ⋅ February 5, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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As Obama enters the second year of his presidency, he’s dropped some expressions — “war on terror”, “Af-Pak”, even “Middle East”. His administration has invented a few too: “remotedly piloted aircraft” (drones) and “overseas contingency operations” (wars). Also, a special screening of Avatar in Ecuador for indigenous groups. What did these Shuar and Achuar speakers think of Avatar’s invented language, Na’vi? Finally, a new online satirical movie is all the rage in China. It features a Chinese double-entendre phrase aimed at avoiding government censorship. The movie also includes a fantastic “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” rant.
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Haiti Part 2

By Jeb Sharp ⋅ February 5, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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We continue our exploration of Haiti’s history into the 19th and 20th centuries. Kate Ramsey of the University of Miami tells us about the diplomatic isolation Haiti faced after independence. She also describes the U.S. occupation of Haiti between 1915 and 1934. Chantalle Verna of Florida International University tells us about the period after the U.S. occupation, sometimes called “Haiti’s Second Independence.” And finally, sociologist Alex Dupuy of Wesleyan University tells us about Haiti under the Duvaliers.Download MP3

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The Haitian Revolution

By Jeb Sharp ⋅ January 29, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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You can’t understand Haiti without understanding the slave revolt and war for independence that shaped its early days. We hear from Laurent Dubois, author of Avengers of the New World: The Story of the Haitian Revolution. First though, a story from Alex Gallafent about Haiti and vodou and historical misunderstandings. (Image of Haitian revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture: GETTY IMAGES) Download MP3

New York’s polyglot cops, Arabic online, and the planet’s most difficult language

By Patrick Cox ⋅ January 26, 2010 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Our top five language stories this month: best and worst words of the year and the decade; Georgia launches a Russian language TV channel to counter the Kremlin’s message; new ventures and technologies give a boost to Arabic online; just how many cases, genders and moods it takes to make one Amazonian language the world’s most difficult; and the New York Police Department, now enforcing the law in nearly a hundred languages.Download MP3

Yemen

By Jeb Sharp ⋅ January 19, 2010 ⋅ 4 comments ⋅ Transcript

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On this week’s history podcast a look at the archaeology and history of Yemen. First we hear from University of Chicago archaeologist McGuire Gibson. He’s worked in Yemen since the 1970’s. Then Bernard Haykel, professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton, fills us in on Yemen’s recent history. Thomas Kuehn of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver tells us about Yemen under the Ottomans and how it might be relevant today. Among other things these folks emphasize Yemen’s strategic location and geography, its stunning beauty and its continuous and unbroken history going way back.

Weird words like whiffling, and the elusive meaning of peace

By Patrick Cox ⋅ January 18, 2010 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

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justice and peace

A conversation with Adam Jacot de Boinod, a seeker of obscure but colorful English expressions. If you read his new book, “The Wonder of Whiffling”, you’ll know whether you prefer to muppet shuffle or dwile flunk. You’ll know if you are a pozzy-wallah. Some of expressions are brand new, others long gone. Also, the meaning of the word peace. Barack Obama was the latest figure to tweak its definition when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize and made the argument for “just war”. Download MP3

American Influence Podcast: Haiti in crisis

By Matthew Bell ⋅ January 17, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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This episode of The World’s American Influence podcast takes a look at the response to the earthquake in Haiti. The BBC’s Andy Gallacher gives an account from the ground. The World’s Katy Clark talks with some Haitian Americans in Boston. And correspondent Amy Bracken has a reporter’s notebook. Download MP3

Maziar Bahari An Iranian Odyssey

By Jeb Sharp ⋅ January 14, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Journalist and filmmaker Maziar Bahari discusses his new documentary, An Iranian Odyssey: Mossadegh, Oil, and the 1953 CIA Coup. The film premiered at the Boston Festival of Films from Iran at the Museum of Fine Arts on Saturday January 9th.

Hebrew’s revival, Turkey’s banned letters, and Q

By Patrick Cox ⋅ January 11, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Hebrew is most successful attempt ever at language revival. We find out why. Also, Malaysians are rioting after a court rules that a Catholic newspaper can use the word Allah. Then, two reports on alphabet letters: in Sweden, parents win the right to name their newborn Q; and in Turkey, using the Kurdish-associated letters Q, W or X can land you in jail. And, a two-nations-divided-by-one-language examination of the word grit.

Spanish prayers, Hebrew planet names and a Danish hangover

By Patrick Cox ⋅ January 1, 2010 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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We talk to the director and central figure in a PBS documentary about a Catholic church’s struggles with language. “Scenes From a Parish” follows the priests and parishioners of St Patrick’s in Lawrence, MA. The priests introduce more Spanish masses to cater to Lawrence’s predominantly Latino population. Some English-speaking parishioners are less than thrilled. Also, how do you say Neptune and Uranus in Hebrew? The answer used to be: Neptune and Uranus. Now the two planets have Hebrew names. Finally, a New Year’s Day hangover courtesy of the good people of Denmark
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