Why learn a minority language? In the final post in the series on learning minority, lessor used or endangered languages, let's look at the rewards on offer. Throughout the series, I've drawn heavily on my own experience as a learner of Welsh and Basque but I'm talking to you, dear minority language learner or would-be learner, whatever the lingo! In the first … [Read more...]
The most advanced Russian exam? Guy aces the TRKI 4th certificate (interview)
Here's the latest a series of interviews with successful candidates for the most advanced Russian exam, the TRKI 4th Certificate. The Тест по русскому языку как иностранному Четвертый сертификационный уровень (ТРКИ-4), as it's known in Russian, is the top exam for Russian as a foreign language. The exam guidelines are set by the Russian Ministry of Education. The level is … [Read more...]
Language events: the ultimate guide 2026
Regulars on the site or the YouTube channel will know that I'm a fan of meetups at which language learners share their passion, hear about the latest language learning books, courses and tech, exchange tips and listen to the experts. This post tells you all about the main language events. Who are they for? Where and when do they take place? What are they like? Let's look at the … [Read more...]
Polyglot Conference Fukuoka: Daily Vlogs
The seventh Polyglot Conference took place in Fukuoka Japan. In this post, I share the three daily vlogs I shot at the event. The Conference is "for everyone who loves languages" and takes place each October, in a different location. In the vlogs, the focus is on conveying the vibe and giving a voice to some of the many attendees. I attended a lot of the talks as well and … [Read more...]
Learning minority languages: overcoming negative attitudes
The off-putting attitudes of others don't help us language learners at the best of times. What are the particular negative attitudes you might encounter as a learner of a minority, lesser-used or endangered language and how can you overcome them? This is the latest in our learning minority languages series. Now, I'm not suggesting for a moment that the discouraging … [Read more...]