The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/1056743
18 The Linguist ciol.org.uk/tl FEATURES How well do you remember the language-related news of the year? Popular culture 1. Where did a "cool unisex", Francophone rapping monkey named MC GoGo appear? 2. Which reality TV star declared his love for his girlfriend in Swedish, German and French? 3. In how many languages were songs performed at Eurovision 2018? 4. Who was said to delight Auckland audiences by greeting them in six Pacific languages? Animal business 1. Why did a gorilla's death make the news? 2. Which creature can learn other 'languages' by eavesdropping on its neighbours, according to a University of Bristol study? 3. Why did Jessie the parrot go viral after getting stuck on a roof in north London? 4. Academics at the University of St Andrews found toddlers share what characteristics with apes? What language… 1. Was used for a debate in the Houses of Parliament for the first time? 2. Received a boost of hundreds of millions of euros to spread its use in Africa? 3. Was added by Facebook to support its 3,000 speakers in North America? 4. Did the BBC launch services in with the help of £291 million in government funding? 5. Got a boost online when the Unicode Standard was upgraded to support its script? 6. Gained a new five-year 'National Plan' to encourage speakers? Who said… Can you recognise the people quoted and what they're talking about? 1. "It was not a sensible or balanced deal back in February, so I can't see how it would be a sensible or balanced deal today." 2. "Do you want a dog to accept Jesus and be saved?" 3. "What's Russian for fuhgeddaboudit?" 4. "He speaks Spanish, Norwegian and English. He's a smart one – but he's still crazy and damn near rolling on the floor and not listening to me most of the time!" 5. "To put it whimsically, the Martian language might not be so different from human language after all." In numbers 1. According to an EU survey, what percentage of Brits aged 18-65 see themselves as proficient in a foreign language? a. 2.8% b. 11.5% c. 31.2% 2. How many people in the US do not speak English at home according to new figures from the Center of Immigration Studies? a. 24 million b. 67 million c. 98 million 3. By what percentage did German A-level take-up fall this year? a. 16.5% b. 23.3% c. 41.1% 4. What percentage of British tourists told the British Council that it's important to learn foreign phrases before travelling? a. 8% b. 54% c. 73% Technology 1. Who is Elias in Finland's primary schools? 2. Which bit of tech can now recognise more than 30 languages and function bilingually in 15 language pairs? 3. What £400 piece of kit offers automated sign language translation on the go? 4. What tourist aid did the British Council find is becoming obsolete due to smartphones? The big quiz of 2018 Faux pas 1. What embarrassing mistake was made by the government with its Brexit white paper? 2. Why did an A-level student tweet "If Eduqas don't give us all an A as compensation for that torture then I'm throwing baguettes"? 3. Who was forced to apologise after claiming that looking at a Welsh- language train notice board made him feel dyslexic? 4. What comment was lost in translation when President Macron visited then Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull?