Study Abroad Blog

February is ACTFL's Discover Languages Month!

As part of the sustained public awareness campaign to promote language education, the ACTFL Board of Directors has designated the month of February as Discover Languages month.  This effort will be celebrated annually as a time when language educators can help to raise public awareness by focusing on language programs and the important benefits that people of all ages gain from learning languages.

In the spirit of this effort, ACTFL will be posting interesting language study based "Daily Facts" on their site and their Twitter page!

Here is today's Daily Fact:

"Did you know there are approx 6,500 languages spoken in the world? However, about 2,000 of those have fewer than 1,000 speakers."

Study Abroad Prep: Language Software

If you’re beginning the process of learning a new language, there are many ways to go about it. If you are in school, taking a few semesters is the obvious choice, with perhaps a summer, semester, or year abroad in a country that speaks your target language.

Learn Spanish with Rosetta Stone

If you are traveling to Spain or Latin America for fun or to study abroad and learn Spanish, Rosetta Stone can help you prepare. The Rosetta Stone method allows users to learn naturally without memorization, engage interactively with the software, speak confidently using the speech recognition software, and also have fun. 

Study Abroad Preparation: Rosetta Stone

We’ve all seen the commercials, especially around the 2008 Olympics of  Michael Phelps endorsing Rosetta Stone: It helped him learn Chinese before he went to Beijing to win a record 8 Olympic gold medals. As discussed in our newest e-report, AmeriSpan’s Guide to Cultural Adjustment, it can help immensely to have at least a basic background in the language you will be studying in your host country. This can help in many ways to ease culture shock and help you adjust more readily to your new, foreign environment. 

Study Spanish Phrases: Transportation

Transportation Phrases

Bus and Train

How much is a ticket to _____?

¿Cuánto cuesta un billete/pasaje a _____? (KwAHno kwEHSta oon beYEHta a ___)

One ticket to _____, please.

Un billete/pasaje a _____, por favor. (Oon beYEHta a _______, pour FAHvor.)

Use a Voice Recorder for Effective Study Abroad

When studying abroad, recording your classes is an excellent way to remember and review what you learned daily. With the advent of iPod voice recorders, this is not only possible, but practical as well.

There are a wide range of voice recorders available, from zero frills and bad quality sound playback, to large, heavy, expensive recorders more suitable for serious singers and musicians than language students interested in hearing lectures, vocabulary, and pronunciation. The recorders plug into your iPod and allow you to record lectures and dialogue. Some of the recorders allow you to plug your iPod in at the same time to keep the battery fresh. Keep in mind that you need to have enough memory free on your iPod to allow the recordings to fit (not such a problem with the advent of mega-memory iPods, but something to consider!)

Recommendation: Ahora Hablo Medical Edition

While not a replacement for studying Spanish (or Medicine for that matter), the book, "!Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition" (Megusta Publishing, $9.95) can be a handy guide as a refresher or a reference to use while treating patients. The book includes the most important Medical Spanish terms as well as phonetic English pronunciations. This pocket-sized guide can be a medical volunteer's best friend! We here at AmeriSpan would recommend it for a SALUD program participant or volunteer working in a medical field. Even if your program includes medical Spanish vocabulary, this can certainly come in handy and will encompass things that you may not have covered during your weeks of class. The words in the book are organized by medical specialty for easy reference. You can easily find vocabulary relating to areas such as cardiology, pediatrics and general medical terms. Even the most basic vocabulary may help in a pinch: words for a medical exam, body parts, symptoms and common conditions. This book has been stirring up a lot of talk. Recently, the book has been featured in some worthwhile publications: In February it was featured in the Chicago Tribune. Two months ago, it was mentioned in The Washington Post. Other editions of he book, including the travel edition, may be helpful for any of our participants. While nothing can replace what you will learn during an immersion program, having a background knowledge of the language and vocabulary you will need can take the pressure off of a beginning student or first time language traveler.

US - Based Language Programs

By Alexa Boyce - When people call asking about our US-Based language programs, the question I most often hear is “How can I be immersed in the Spanish language and Latin American culture without leaving the US?” As you may know, the Hispanic population in the United States has been growing exponentially in recent years. Many cities with more established Hispanic populations have neighborhoods where the Latinos are concentrated. As a reference, think of Little Italy or Chinatown. One of these is Little Havana in Miami. This is where our Miami language classes and homestays take place. The school is run and taught by all native Spanish speakers. It is a sister school to our schools in Caracas and Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela. Denver does not actually have one specific neighborhood where Hispanic families are concentrated. However, the Hispanic population in Denver increased by 82 percent between 1990 and 2000. As of 2004, 21.7% of Denver's population was Hispanic. Our school in Denver is run by native speakers as well, and is a sister school to many of our schools in Latin America including Buenos Aires 2 and Santiago. It certainly may be easier to speak English outside of class in either of our US locations as compared to our locations abroad. That is why it is important to challenge yourself daily to use Spanish wherever possible. If you are determined to practice your Spanish, you will not have a shortage of native speakers to talk to.

Languages Spoken in the U.S.

By Elizabeth Gregory

So I'm sure many of you have heard the bad joke that goes - what do you call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Trilingual. What do you call someone who speaks one language? American.

Of course, I've only heard non-Americans laugh at that joke. Oddly enough, there are millions of Americans (over 46 million actually) who do speak more than one language. Although English is the primary language spoken in the US, head south to Miami or Texas and you may feel like a foreigner with the amount of Spanish you hear on the streets, on the radio, and announced in the airport.

So, I did a little research as to how many Americans speak a foreign language. According to Wikipedia:

"The United States is home to approximately 336 languages (spoken or signed) of which 176 are indigenous to the area. 52 languages formerly spoken in the US territory are now extinct."

Which languages are the most popular? Spanish of course is the 2nd most popular language with almost 30 million speakers (probably not including those who just took a few years of it in school).

Following distantly behind Spanish in numbers of speakers are: Chinese, French, German, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Italian, each with over a million Americans speaking those languages. It was interesting to learn that among the top languages spoken by Americans at home is one that has been spoken in this country long before English and Spanish arrived — Navajo.

Modern Language Association gives a neat layout of what languages are spoken where.

Learn Spanish Expressions

By Connie Marianacci

I wanted to get together some of the typical sayings found in Spanish. Some can be very funny! I was just talking to a friend from Peru and told him tengo la vena inchada, which is Argentinean for "I am very mad", and he just started laughing and could not stop.

So below I have gathered some sayings from Argentina and Venezuela.

Argentinean Expressions
cogotado = asfixiado // endrogado // apremiado por un préstamo usurero.
Afanar = robar, volar.
Alcahuete = soplón, chiva.
Amarrete = codo, avaro.
Andá a cantarle a Gardel! = clásica expresión argentina para indicar que se deben llevar quejas a otra parte.
Andar a los pedos = conducir un carro u otro vehículo a alta velocidad.
Andar a pata = a pié, a golpe de calcetín.
Andar de joda = andar de parranda, de juerga.
Bajoneado = deprimido, achicopalado.
Bárbaro! = chévere! chido! de cajeta!
Berreta = objeto chafa, chaqueto, chairo. Una "berretada" es una birria // persona falsa. "Esta vieja es muy berreta".
Bolonqui = "quilombo", relajo, borlote.
Bondi = camión de pasajeros.
Canchero = águila, colmilludo, trinchón.
Capo = jefe de jefes, el mero mero // cacique.
Che = modo informal de llamar a cualquier persona en la Argentina."Che pibe, traeme un café".
Copado = chido, agradable, a todo dar.
Dar masa o darle masa = golpear, madrear a alguien.
Dar una biaba = dar una paliza, madrear a alguien // ganar en el fútbol por una gran diferencia de goles.
De cuarta! = de baja categoría, chafa.
De diez! = expresión de beneplácito, de cajeta!
De prepo! = a huevo!, a la brava!, a como dé lugar!, a lo cabrón!
Embalarse = salir hecho la madre, correr // entusiasmarse con alguna cosa.
Enquilombado = del cocol, difícil, complicado
Estar pila = poner entusiasmo en algo.
Facha = traza, apariencia o vestimenta de alguien. "Mirá la facha que trae" // cara, rostro // mujer de ideología derechista, fascista.
Feca = café.
Fulero = feo, gacho, chueco. "Esto está fulero" se dice advirtiendo sobre alguna cosa chueca.
Gambas = piernas, sobre todo las de mujer, chamorros "Que buenas gambas tiene esa mina" // "ser gamba" es ser reata, ser buen amigo. "Hacerle gamba a alguien" es acompañarlo en alguna tarea o situación.
Hacerse drama = hacerse problemas.
Jabón (un) = susto.
Laburo = chamba.
Lenteja = persona lenta, de pocas luces.
Macana = mentira, cábula
Meterle pata = apurarse. "Métanle pata que no llegamos" o "Metele pata que se hace tarde para el cine".
Muzzarella = nombre del tipo de pizza más popular en la Argentina. "Quedarse muzzarella" es quedarse en silencio, no hablar de alguna cosa.
Nabo = menso, tarugo, fulastre // pene.
Negra = es común llamar así a cualquier mujer de pelo prieto, aunque su piel sea clara // "cerveza negra" es la cerveza oscura.
Ojete = culo, nachas, petaca.
Olor a chivo = es el que despide por las axilas quien suda mucho.
Orto = culo, nachas, petacas.
Palmó = murió // desmayó de cansancio.
Pasarla bomba = estar a todo dar, a toda madre.
Pasarla joya = estar a todo dar, a toda madre.
Pesada (la) = ambiente de asesinos o delincuentes muy violentos.
Pesado (un) = individuo peligroso, que "está en la pesada" // delincuente famoso // también se llama así a las personas molestas, encimosas. "Este tipo es un pesado" se dice de un molón, una lapa.
Pilcha = ropa, vestimenta.
Piola = una piola es una reata // Ser "un tipo piola" es ser un buen bato // Ser "un piola" es ser muy abusado. Ser "un piola bárbaro" es ser avispa, buzo, caimán, un colmilludo.
Ponerse las pilas = decidirse a resolver algo.
Quedarse en el molde = no llamar la atención // no poner en evidencia algo que se conoce, hacerse pendejo.
Rajar/ se = huír/escaparse, pelar gallo // cortarse de una reunión.
Recontra = retacha. Decir "que te recontra" es retachar un insulto.
Revoque = maquillaje. "Darse un revoque".
Sacarse la espina = quitarse una duda.
Sanata = mentira, cotorreo.
Ser Gardel = es ser lo máximo!
Tener polenta = estar fuerte, tener mucha galleta, tener fibra.
Toco = dinero u objeto robado // un chorro, mucho de algo "un toco de guita, o de merca" es un titipuchal de lana o de droga.
Turro = personaje peligroso, de mala entraña // individuo cabrón.
Una bocha! = mucho de algo, un chingo! un titipuchal!
Una masa! = expresión de beneplácito, de poca madre!, de diez! "Esto es una masa" significa que es muy bueno, que es algo chido.
Ya fue! = ya estuvo.
Zafado = lépero.
Zafar = reunir dinero suficiente para no preocuparse por el futuro. Es la ilusión de buena parte de la sociedad actual.
Zapán = panza.
Zarparse = excederse o propasarse con algo. "Se zarpó" se dice de quien habló leperadas en un lugar inadecuado.


Venezuelan Expressions
Mono, Orangután, Yordan, Niche = Persona joven de poca educación y con tendencia al malandraje.
Arrechísimo, Orgásmico, De Pinga, Chévere, Brutal, Monstruoso, Bestial, Machete, Nota = Dícese de algo muy bueno ("Esta página está orgásmica").
Segunda = Se utiliza con el verbo hacer y significa pedir un favor ("hazme una segunda").
Gallo, Gallego = Dícese de alguien muy tonto ("Juan es un gallo").
Guama, Piña, Hueso, Ladilla, Roncha = Cosa o persona que fastidia ("Qué ladilla con Freddy").
Pana, Concañero = Amigo(a).
Bojote, Verguero, Full, Burda = Términos que denotan cantidad, abundancia ("Estoy full triste"; "Había burda de gente en la fiesta").
Chimbo, Cagada, Balurdo, Troja, Lora = Dícese de algo que es muy malo ("Esa es una lora de computadora").
Arrecho(2), Pelúo, Jodío = Algo difícil ("El examen estaba pelúo").
Trajín, Arrecharse = Encolerizarse ("Qué trajín con mi mamá, siempre me hace arrechar").
Achantao = Dícese de una persona lenta ("Ese tipo es un achantao").
Bandera = Persona o cosa muy evidente, úsase como adjetivo o sustantivo ("Escóndete, no seas tan bandera").
Cuaima = Dícese de una mujer agresiva, rencorosa, vengativa y celosa, como la culebra venenosa del mismo nombre ("Ariadna es una cuaima").
Paja, Mojón = Mentira ("Esa tipa es una mojonera").
Verde, Gris = Obstinado o hasta el tope de algo o alguien; cansado de ("Dayana me tiene verde").
Curdo, Peo, Prendío = Estar borracho ("Leo está curdo"; "Cargo tremenda pea").
Básico, Primario, Primate = Persona retrógrada ("Yohama es básica").
Pajúo, Cotorrero, Cobero = Persona mentirosa ("José es un cobero").
Chorear, Tumbar, Palear, Choripalear = Robar ("Me tumbé un carro"; "Me choriaron la cartera").
Picao = Persona que se molesta con facilidad ("Leo es un picao").
Chorriado, Cagao, Culilluo, Mami = Persona miedosa.
Raya, Huella = Persona que queda mal ante alguien.
Volao = Persona impulsiva ("Leopoldo es un volao").
Pacotilla = Cosa de baja calidad.
Esmadrarse = Darse un golpe muy fuerte ("Ayer me esmadré").
Culebra = Novela que tiene muchos enredos y es muy mala.
Fundido = Persona que hace un gran esfuerzo mental ("Ayer me fundí estudiando").
Pangola = Algo que es muy fácil ("Ese examen estaba muy pangola").
Sapo, Soplón, Acusaleta = Persona chismosa.
Marimacha = Mujer con actitudes masculinas ("Amparo es una marimacha").
Fresita, Comeflor = Persona que vive en una honda poética estereotipada.
Taco, Huevo, Paloma, Palomúo = Persona que es muy buena en algo.

When learning Spanish abroad, what you learn in class is the official Spanish. On the other hand, teachers normally provide you with an extra vocabulary on the side with typical regional words so you also get to learn the typical language.

German Used In English

By Elizabeth Gregory

OK, so a while back I blogged about French words used in English. Since then, I've been looking into other languages that English has adopted words from. There are a ton of them. Today, I thought I'd share with you what I learned about German words in English. Although there were not nearly as many as French words, there were quite a few surprises.

Believe it or not, quite a few of these are actually named after the German speaking person (some from Austria) who discovered them. Everything from fuel to dogs is on this list. Among the list of names: Farenheit, Doppler (as in effect and radar), Doberman (as in pinscher), diesel, and Alzheimer's disease.

There are also common words not named after people that have been adopted from German. These include: aspirin, angst, blitz (like in football), delicatessen, and fest (like film fest).

I found these German words used in English (and more) with their meanings at about.com.
You may find a lot of interesting words that you have never used.