language Archives - Youth Are Awesome https://youthareawesome.com/tag/language/ Tue, 01 Jul 2025 04:21:26 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 High School Advice https://youthareawesome.com/high-school-advice/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=high-school-advice https://youthareawesome.com/high-school-advice/#respond Sun, 29 Jun 2025 19:04:36 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=117317 As part of being a 2025 high school graduate, my 3 years of high school (in Alberta) has come to end. For me, these past 3 years were filled with incredible friends; melodramatic interactions and academic stress; and  heartwarming and heartbreaking memories. Whenever high school is mentioned, one of the most common descriptions about it […]

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/high-school-advice/feed/ 0 How to Learn French With Success! (From a French Immersion Student) https://youthareawesome.com/how-to-learn-french-with-success-from-a-french-immersion-student/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-learn-french-with-success-from-a-french-immersion-student https://youthareawesome.com/how-to-learn-french-with-success-from-a-french-immersion-student/#comments Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:01:13 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=116080 1. Education Apps/Websites Whether you’re a teenager, an adult, a student, or a parent, education apps will be your best friend when it comes to learning a new language! Many of us do not have the time, nor the available resources to learn a new language from a tutor or a teacher. This is where […]

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/how-to-learn-french-with-success-from-a-french-immersion-student/feed/ 1 Why You Should Learn a Second Language: The Effects of Bilingualism on the Teenage Brain https://youthareawesome.com/why-you-should-learn-a-second-language-the-effects-of-bilingualism-on-the-teenage-brain/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-you-should-learn-a-second-language-the-effects-of-bilingualism-on-the-teenage-brain Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:38:10 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=116065 French, Spanish, Arabic. You’ve likely tried taking up a second language at least once in your life. Currently, there are around 1.2 million people around the globe learning a foreign language. However, not many know that, aside from the ability to understand, talk, and read in words different from what you are used to, bilingualism […]

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]]> 5 Fascinating Origins of Common Idioms https://youthareawesome.com/5-fascinating-origins-of-common-idioms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=5-fascinating-origins-of-common-idioms Wed, 24 Apr 2024 16:13:49 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=112295                                                        INTRODUCTION: Have you ever wondered how certain phrases we commonly use came to be? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Our language is always evolving and the meaning behind […]

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]]> The Phonemes of Linguistics https://youthareawesome.com/the-phonemes-of-linguistics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-phonemes-of-linguistics Wed, 23 Mar 2022 02:33:10 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=107530 The study of linguistics is frequently about language in its most theoretical form. Syntax and morphology focus on the form of words and language; semantics are about meaning. However, none of these fields exist in a vacuum. In fact, linguistics as a whole tries to observe and understand language in a social context—as the central […]

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]]> How To Successfully Learn A New Language https://youthareawesome.com/how-to-successfully-learn-a-new-language/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-successfully-learn-a-new-language Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:15:12 +0000 https://youthareawesome.com/?p=107149 On average, 30 million people each year attempt to learn a new language. From experience and observation, learning a new language intrigues people. While doing so, people often expect rapid results. In reality, learning a new language requires time, dedication and patience. Set Realistic Goals According to research, some of the easiest languages to learn […]

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]]> Why English Spelling Is So Confusing https://youthareawesome.com/why-english-spelling-is-so-confusing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=why-english-spelling-is-so-confusing Sun, 09 May 2021 17:43:34 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=102619 English spelling is a bit of a mess. Often, spelling a word seems unintuitive compared to its pronunciation. Why “Wednesday”? (What’s that first “d” doing in there?) Why “onomatopoeia” and not “onomatopia”? Why “ingenious” and “minuscule” instead of “ingenius” and “miniscule”? A Brief History There are seemingly endless examples of this sort of inconsistency between […]

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]]> Five New Things to Learn this Spring https://youthareawesome.com/five-new-things-to-learn-this-spring/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-new-things-to-learn-this-spring Wed, 28 Apr 2021 22:32:51 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=102479 With life online becoming more repetitive as the days pass, I feel like we need a fresh change in our lives. Trying out and learning new things is one of the best ways to revitalize our daily life. Here are five new things you can learn this spring: 1. Learning a new instrument Learning an […]

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]]> How Racism and Segregation Birthed a New Language https://youthareawesome.com/racism-segregation-birthed-language/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=racism-segregation-birthed-language Tue, 29 Jan 2019 22:09:07 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=94629 The black deaf community is wholly shaped by two marginalized communities: deaf and African-American. For women, the prejudice may reach an intersectionality of three, experiencing sexism, racism, and communication barriers. The history of prejudice and segregation against black folk invented a dialect of American Sign Language (ASL), known simply as Black ASL. The discriminatory practices […]

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]]> DELF https://youthareawesome.com/delf/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=delf Fri, 23 Nov 2018 01:22:53 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=94398 When it comes to demonstrating proficiency in the French language as someone who is not French, the DELF is an official qualification that does just that. DELF stands for Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française, or Diploma in French Language Studies. It can be used to enhance your resume, give you an advantage for postsecondary studies, […]

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]]> Your One-Stop-Shop on Morse Code https://youthareawesome.com/one-stop-shop-morse-code/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=one-stop-shop-morse-code Tue, 21 Feb 2017 17:48:01 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=85264 It’s always fun to learn neat things every once in awhile. In the past year, I pushed myself to learn how to knit, solve a rubik’s cube and whistle. Morse code has always been one of those things where it’d be cool to learn but: 1. It’s not exactly applicable to my daily life and, […]

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]]> The Evolution of Emojis :D https://youthareawesome.com/the-evolution-of-emojis-d/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-evolution-of-emojis-d Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:00:55 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=83497 We are living through a series of evolutions- of clothing, of science, of technology, etc… But I have noticed the most discernible change of something in this generation: emojis. That’s right, emojis. Emojis have been around for almost two decades now so it’s a relatively new concept. It’s something that is evolving day and day, […]

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]]> Problems Every Tourist Has In Europe https://youthareawesome.com/problems-tourist-europe/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=problems-tourist-europe Tue, 27 Oct 2015 15:00:11 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=77288 Travelling is by far one of my favourite things in the world.  I recently returned from a trip to France and Switzerland and despite being confident in my own abilities to adapt to wherever I find myself, there are still some differences between the metropoles of Paris and Geneva and my hometown of Calgary that […]

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]]> The pain and gain of learning languages https://youthareawesome.com/pain-gain-learning-languages/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pain-gain-learning-languages Mon, 10 Aug 2015 17:50:37 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=74744 (Original Image) “A different language is a different vision of life.” – Federico Fellini I am multilingual. Growing up here in Canada, I learned English as well as my parents’ native language of Chinese. Through my own choice, I took French as a Second Language courses throughout school, having just finished FSL 31 IB this year. […]

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]]> What it means to be a Hyperpolyglot (and why it’s so cool to be multilingual) https://youthareawesome.com/means-hyperpolyglot-and-cool-multilingual/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=means-hyperpolyglot-and-cool-multilingual Mon, 06 Jul 2015 17:15:06 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=73297 First off, what is a hyperpolyglot? A ‘hyperpolyglot’ is a term coined by linguist Richard Hudson to describe a person with the ability to speak multiple languages. When I mean multiple, I mean 6 or more languages fluently. “That’s crazy!”, you might say – how could that even be possible? Believe it or not, there […]

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]]> WHOLE Churchill: You Are Not Alone https://youthareawesome.com/churchill/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=churchill Tue, 16 Jun 2015 15:56:42 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=72494   On a sunny Tuesday morning, four enthusiastic students sat down for an interview about WHOLE Churchill. WHOLE Churchill is a community created by Haroon M., Megan C., Rahul A., and Sidharth S., to promote awareness of mental health for all youth, starting with the students of Sir Winston Churchill High School. Shruti: What is […]

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]]> 6 Things To Do Before You Die https://youthareawesome.com/10-die/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-die Thu, 02 Apr 2015 17:24:10 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=70047 “Every man dies- not every man really lives” – William Ross Statistics say that 95% of people procrastinate on their goals. Be different. In my spare time, I created a bucket list about the things I want to achieve before I die. Having a bucket list reminds you of what you really desire so eventually you […]

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]]> The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows https://youthareawesome.com/dictionary-obscure-sorrows/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dictionary-obscure-sorrows Wed, 01 Apr 2015 19:55:05 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=69830 (Source) What is the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows? John Koenig is the creator of the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a project to fill in gaps in our language by inventing hundreds of original words to describe human emotions. What is the word for the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid […]

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]]> This Blank Page – An exploration into the evaluation of an idea https://youthareawesome.com/blank-page-exploration-evaluation-idea/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blank-page-exploration-evaluation-idea Wed, 11 Mar 2015 18:39:55 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=67798 Stumbling upon an interesting Wattpad essay, I wanted to pose some discussion questions regarding the thoughts expanded upon within. “This Blank Page” written by Elvin Limpin draws attention to the power of an idea, the difficulty in both evaluating writing and using it as a medium for thought communication. By conveying a struggle to write, readers […]

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]]> 10 cool Japanese words with no English equivalent https://youthareawesome.com/10-cool-japanese-words-english-equivalent/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-cool-japanese-words-english-equivalent Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:04:08 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=67030 With exams coming up, everyone is stressed. So voila! I present to you a list of 10 cool Japanese words that you could read as a break from your studies.     Wabi-sabi n. beauty found in the imperfections; an acceptance of the cycle of life and death.         Tsundoku n. a […]

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]]> Love Language (a short video) https://youthareawesome.com/love-language-a-short-video/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=love-language-a-short-video https://youthareawesome.com/love-language-a-short-video/#comments Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:37:14 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=39181 Here’s a short video to shine some light on your Valentine’s day.  

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/love-language-a-short-video/feed/ 1 How to learn a new language https://youthareawesome.com/learning-language-hard-easy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=learning-language-hard-easy Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:02:22 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=31022 When faced with learning a new language, most of us would draw a blank. We don’t understand what’s happening, what they’re saying and what you’re supposed to be learning. The art of learning (And teaching!) a language is hard work. Luckily, thanks to this new thing called the internet, learning a language is now at the […]

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]]> Starbucks lingo – not just for rocket scientists https://youthareawesome.com/starbucks-lingo-not-just-for-rocket-scientists-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=starbucks-lingo-not-just-for-rocket-scientists-2 https://youthareawesome.com/starbucks-lingo-not-just-for-rocket-scientists-2/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:55:47 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=18474 When it comes to me ordering a drink from Starbucks, the menu might as well be written in Greek. Honestly, when people order, I always think to myself – “you want a tall, non-fat, no foam, whipped cream topped, caramel drizzled what?” – and the barista doesn’t even bat an eyelash. The other day, I […]

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/starbucks-lingo-not-just-for-rocket-scientists-2/feed/ 4 The Importance of Euphemisms https://youthareawesome.com/the-importance-of-euphemisms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-importance-of-euphemisms https://youthareawesome.com/the-importance-of-euphemisms/#comments Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:50:54 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=13454 Even though language has become an integrated part of our lives, most of us do not pause to consider the importance in which it plays in our perception of the world around us. Language is a product of social norms, tradition, culture, and even history. In fact, many historians have even found evidence of geographical […]

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/the-importance-of-euphemisms/feed/ 3 “Grammar Nazis” Are Pedantic. https://youthareawesome.com/grammar-nazis-are-pedantic/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=grammar-nazis-are-pedantic https://youthareawesome.com/grammar-nazis-are-pedantic/#comments Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:45:25 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=10485 Or so says Stephen Fry, the voice behind Little Big Planet (among other things), in this beautiful video showcasing an eloquent use of speech, bashing those who nit-pick language. Do misplaced apostrophes make you mad? This might be good for you. Do you love to talk? This will be good for you too. [youtube J7E-aoXLZGY] One of […]

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]]> https://youthareawesome.com/grammar-nazis-are-pedantic/feed/ 1 ghoti = fish? https://youthareawesome.com/ghoti-fish/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ghoti-fish https://youthareawesome.com/ghoti-fish/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:01:43 +0000 https://www.youthareawesome.com/?p=7278 I’m sure that most of us have had to write English or Social Studies papers this past week…and because of that fact, I was reminded of an article I read a while ago about spelling. “English spelling “truely atrosious”, says academic“ This article basically highlights how…unique (to put it nicely) the English language is. Don’t […]

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