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Society and Culture

This tag is associated with 37 posts

Words your grandmother taught you in Chinese, Dutch and Yiddish

By Patrick Cox ⋅ November 30, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Many people learned their first foreign words from their grandmothers. Marco Werman learned a Dutch curse. Nina Porzucki learned a Yiddish word that speaks to a certain Jewish mindset. Marilyn Chin learned insults, puns and tongue twisters, many of which later found their way into Chin’s poetry and fiction.
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A glimpse into the Persian blogosphere

By The World ⋅ November 4, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Persian language bloggers, both inside and outside the country, have been weighing in on the day’s events in Tehran. Those bloggers are the subject of some new research carried out by The BBC World Service Trust and a Persian social media website called Balatarin. Marco Werman hears more from The World’s technology correspondent Clark Boyd. Download MP3

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

By The World ⋅ October 9, 2009 ⋅ 29 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Today, Barack Obama became the third sitting U.S. President to win the Nobel Peace Prize. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Obama for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.” The announcement drew both warm praise and sharp criticism. We’ll gauge international reaction to the announcement and the World’s Jeb Sharp puts it into historical perspective. What do you think of Obama’s win? Leave a comment below. Download MP3 Photo: White House

Russia’s national lyricist, Canada’s language laws, and the rehabilitation of a code-breaker

By Patrick Cox ⋅ September 15, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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This week, a look back at the career of the late Sergei Mikhalkov. During World War Two, Mikhalkov wrote the lyrics to the Soviet national anthem. Decades later, he composed the words for Russia’s national anthem– to the same piece of music. Also, a conversation with Keith Spicer on Canada’s 40-year-old language laws. Spicer was the country’s first enforcer of bilingualism. Finally, the British government apologizes for its treatment of Alan Turing, who helped break the Nazis’ war codes.

Afghanistan prepares for elections

By The World ⋅ August 5, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Afghan Elections in 2005

Afghanistan is gearing up for nationwide elections later this month. It’s only the second time Afghans will select a president since the Taliban were ousted in 2001. There’s been a sharp rise in violence in the run-up to these elections. Still, with only two weeks until election day the campaign is in full swing. The World’s Aaron Schachter reports from Kabul. >>>Click here for more of Aaron’s stories from Afghanistan.

Diplomatic insults, click languages, Harry Potter in France, and cucumber season

By Patrick Cox ⋅ July 31, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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In this week’s World in Words podcast, the nuanced — and sometimes not so nuanced — world of diplomatic insults: we hurl a few your way, courtesy of Hugo Chavez, Hillary Clinton and Winston Churchill. Then, news of languages that include lots of tongue clicks: linguists have figured out how to decipher and classify click from clack, as it were. Then, the Norwegian for silly season (it involves cucumbers). Finally, many French fans of Harry Potter novels read the books in English. Download MP3

World Books Interview: Cao Naiqian and the Other China

By World Books ⋅ July 3, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Theres-nothing-150x150 Cao Naiqian’s terse style may owe something to the writer’s ‘legit’ job – since 1972 he has been a police detective in the Public Security Bureau of Datong City. Set in rural China during the Cultural Revolution, his stories are not routine police tales but offer indelible images of people on the edge, raw yet poetic depictions of violence and despair rooted in the denial of elemental needs for food, sex, and respect.

World Books Review: Mao Madness

By World Books ⋅ July 2, 2009 ⋅ 4 comments ⋅ Transcript

maocaselarge-150x150 Rich in intellectual detail, character and cuisine, this novel is a history lesson cast in the form of a mystery, part of an effort by many Chinese writers to exhume and examine their country’s Maoist past.

Lura

By Michael Rass ⋅ June 29, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

We hear the latest release from Portuguese & Cape Verdean singer Lura, who kicks off a US tour next week. Listen

Honduras under international pressure

By The World ⋅ June 29, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

The new leaders of Honduras are under intense pressure from the United States and other nations a day after a military coup. But the country’s new president says the move was legal. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Frances Robles of the Miami Herald who is in the capital Tegucigalpa.Listen

Mexico before the election

By The World ⋅ June 29, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Mexico’s president Felipe Calderon will be watching his country’s upcoming local elections very carefully. That’s because his conservative party is trying to win Congressional seats and Calderon wants to make sure he has enough support to fight the country’s rampant drug problem. Lorne Matalon reports. Listen

Global Hit: Lura

By The World ⋅ June 29, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

We hear the latest release from Portuguese & Cape Verdean singer Lura, who kicks off a US tour next week. Listen

Tehran demonstrations

By admin ⋅ June 18, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Wall Street Journal Reporter Farnaz Fassihi who’s in Tehran, about the continued protests there. Today is the 4th straight day of demonstrations following the results of last Friday’s presidential election results. Listen

Secret talks with the Taliban

By admin ⋅ June 17, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Reporter Charles Sennott, just back from Afghanistan, briefs anchor Marco Werman on back-channel talks between Afghan government officials and moderate Taliban leaders. Listen

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President’s new financial rules

By admin ⋅ June 17, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

President Obama announced his proposed new rules for the U.S. financial industry today. Anchor Marco Werman explores the global implications with Grep Ip, U.S. Economics Editor for The Economist magazine. Listen

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