13th century

Galician: A Guide to Spain’s Other Language

Explore Galician (Galego), the official language of northwest Spain, often overlooked but rich in history and culture. This unique Romance…

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Is Castilian Spanish the ‘Original’?

Many Spanish learners are told they must learn "Castilian" Spanish, the supposedly "pure" or "original" form of the language. This…

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The Hidden Arabic Roots of the Portuguese Language

Did you know common Portuguese words like 'alface' (lettuce) and 'açúcar' (sugar) come directly from Arabic? This fascinating linguistic heritage…

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Why We Call It Japan, Not Nippon

Why do we call the "Land of the Rising Sun" Japan instead of its native Nippon? This linguistic puzzle opens…

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Why Icelandic Creates New Words, Not Borrows Them

While English readily borrows words, Icelandic takes a different path, deliberately creating new terms from its Old Norse roots. This…

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The Emperor’s Alphabet: The Story of Phags-pa Script

In the 13th century, Kublai Khan commissioned a single, official script to unite the vast, multilingual Mongol Empire. The result…

3 weeks ago

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