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…

10 months ago

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…

10 months ago

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…

10 months ago

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…

10 months ago

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…

10 months ago

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…

10 months ago

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