Just for Fun: Georgia Decides to Replace Russian with English

I just read an interesting article on how the nation of Georgia is attempting to suddenly make English the second language of the nation.

This article brings up many interesting issues, including:

• the politics of languages
• the culture of languages
• language preference based on generational demographics

Do you think that this is a good idea? Do you think that it is potentially dangerous, in that forcing children to learn English will be as unpopular as it was for children to learn Russian under Communism? Should the parents be allowed to choose the language their children learn?

All opinions welcome! :D

Just for Fun: A-List Actors to Film in Chicago this Fall

Here is a link to an article in the Chicago Tribune about famous movie stars coming to the city to film this fall.

Just for Fun: Test Your Knowledge of English vs. A Native Speaker's Knowledge of English

Do you think you have trouble with English because it isn't your first language?

Guess what? Welcome to the club! (meaning: everyone has this problem/issue) Native English speakers mangle (meaning: destroy) English all the time.

A recently published book titled, 100 Words Almost Everyone Mixes Up Or Mangles lists words that Americans constantly confuse.

Compare you knowledge to a Native English speaker's knowledge by testing yourself with 7 entries from this book! 

Did you ace (meaning: score a perfect 100%/do really well) those entries? Then feast your eyes (meaning: check out) upon the entire list of words.

So how did you do? :D

Just for Fun!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

On the days off from class, I will now start posting a column called Just for Fun. Why? Because I believe that practicing English should be enjoyable! :D

I was visiting an online news site yesterday and I came across this adorable video that I wanted to share with you. It is of a baby pigmy/pygmy hippo that just made his debut at the Wroclaw zoo in Poland.

Awwwwwww...he's so cute!!! :D

Vocabulary:
pigmy (Am. English); pygmy (British English) = smallest of creatures
debut = first appearance

~Make learning English fun!~