What will I do when I retire - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / What will I do when I retire - Introvert Whisperer What will I do when I retire? Working does bring with it a multitude of benefits aside from a paycheck and health insurance.   Our work environment brings with it what I call “automatic friends”.   These are people that you see almost every day and with whom you have numerous things in common. The biggest is the business you work for.   These friends supply numerous things in that setting such as observations, and someone who looks forward to your arrival. Work friends can become so important to some of us that the environment can become “like a family”.  It’s little wonder that retiring could totally mess up such a good thing. When you are considering retirement, there are a number of life aspects like friendships, you need to think and plan on.   The concern about losing this nurturing support system is a very real issue.   It’s an even bigger issue if you haven’t put very much effort into making friendships outside of the work environment.   Even if you have, it is still an aspect that will significantly change once you have given yourself the pink slip. Many times people considering retirement or leaving a work situation mistakenly think that the friendship will just continue.   The mistake is not the intent; it’s not understanding the complexities that will ensure the relationship is maintained. Let’s examine the various elements that must be considered. We often underestimate or don’t even acknowledge the increase in time and effort required. When you work together, you don’t have to make time in anyone’s schedule â€" you’re both already at work. You may not even “socialize” that much but simply the time spent interacting is conducive to building and expanding your regard for another person. We may miss the commonality that works created. There is an adage: We have friends for a reason, a season or a lifetime.   Most friends fall into one of those categories.   If the reason we formed our friendship was our work environment, what happens to the relationship when the one thing you had in common â€" isn’t?   Many times, people will put in an effort to maintain the friendship but over time, it withers because the foundation that drew you together is now gone. When we work together, the work situation may cause you to not fully “see” the other person’s character or personality. In other words, if you are in a funky work situation and you both help reinforce each other negatively, you certainly feel supported. What if the basic content of this person is negative anyway?   Once the work situation is subtracted from your interactions, you may discover a fundamental aspect that is not so appealing. The other person may simply not be interested in pursuing a friendship outside of work. These considerations are not insurmountable but do require some advanced thought and planning.   If you are within the horizon for leaving your work place, now is the time to start changing the context of your work relationships.   You can initiate activities outside of the work environment to either replace what you have in common or minimally, to test how well you relate to each other without work as a backdrop.   If you spend time complaining about the boss, make a pact to go an extended period of time not complaining.   This will not only make you feel better (because you aren’t reinforcing something negative) but it will open up the relationship to better observe each other’s real personalities.   You could discover you have nothing to talk about.   This is much better to understand now than after you leave. While you are in the midst of reorienting your work friendships, it’s advisable to simultaneously work on cultivating friendships outside of work.   Again, this will require some thought, time and effort.   Friendships are formed because you share interests, hobbies or philosophies.   The best way to discover those potential buddies is to become involved in groups that align with your interests.   As a working person, you may not think that you can afford the time for this kind of diversion.   If you are going to supplant your automatic work friends with new ones you will be better off starting the process before you leave. There are numerous other actions you can think of to leverage the work friends you’ve made as well as making new friendships outside of the work environment. You may have a very real concern about the impact on your work friendships. The point to this is that you will be far better off thinking through this issue and working on it than just letting it happen or avoiding taking the next step. Do you know what your next career step is?   Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable.   Get your copy now and start your action plan today: CLICK HERE Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleash your professional potential.

Why You Dont Need to Wait Until January to Set Your Career Goals - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Why You Dont Need to Wait Until January to Set Your Career Goals - Introvert Whisperer Why You Dont Need to Wait Until January to Set Your Career Goals Do you know what your next career step is?  Many people don’t. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my eBook on how to construct your Career SMART Goals â€" that will help you put together your actions and keep you accountable. Get your copy now and start your action plan today! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

The Best Places for Arabic Classes in Belfast.

The Best Places for Arabic Classes in Belfast. Want to Learn Arabic? Here are Your Top Opportunities for Arabic Lessons in the Capital of Northern Ireland. ChaptersWhy Study Arabic?Why Take Arabic Lessons in Belfast?The Top Spots to Study Arabic in Belfast.Belfast is a great place to study languages. An increasingly good place, in fact. With an ever-growing international population, and lots of different types of institutions offering more and more classes in the subjects, there’s no reason to go anywhere else.And whilst you’ll find organisations, schools, and companies on every corner offering classes in the European languages, you might it a little less easy to find Arabic language lessons in Northern Ireland.You’d be right â€" but, as with most things, it’s actually becoming easier and easier. Colleges, universities, and specialist language training centres are beginning to offer Arabic as a foreign language, and you’ll now find ample opportunity to develop your fluency of speaking, reading and writing in the language of the Middle East and North Africa.If you are already here, we’re guessing you are interested in pursuin g studies in one of the main world languages. And we’re here to help you find the course that suits you best.Find Arabic courses in Cardiff and Arabic lessons in Edinburgh. Learning the Arabic alphabet will be one of your first challenges when learning Arabic HalimaArabic Teacher £13/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors KotaibaArabic Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SoledadArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NancyArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TaouesArabic Teacher £8/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DinaArabic Teacher £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AbrarArabic Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UsamaArabic Teacher 5.00 (1) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Study Arabic?In many ways, the correct response to this question is actually why not study Arabic? Learning languages is an incredibly good thing for you, quite simply, and Arabic may as well be the one you choose.It’s Good for Me to Learn a New Language?Yes, we said learning a new language is good for you. And we don’t mean this in some wi shy-washy imprecise way.No. Learning a second language has concrete positive effects on your brain. It can improve your life expectancy. It reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. And, science seems to say that it makes you generally smarter.So, there’s that. But there’s also the fact that learning different languages gives you focus, an interesting hobby, and a will to learn.And it also helps social cohesion. Learning about a different language and culture makes you more tolerant, open-minded, and knowledgeable about the world.Learn Arabic across the UK or find Arabic courses in London.And Arabic Specifically?But enough about languages in general. Learning the language of the Arab world brings its own benefits.Across the world, there are over 420 million Arabic speakers, making the language one of the top six most widely spoken languages on the planet. It is also one of the official languages of the UN.In this respect, Arabic is one of the most important languages of th e world. And a knowledge of Arabic opens all sorts of different doors in life and work. You can enter the fascinating world of Arabic literature and Arab culture. You can explore the diversity and richness of Arab countries. And you’ll find yourself with a potential further four hundred million native speakers with whom to make friends, build relationships, and do business.And by developing your language skills by building your knowledge of Arabic vocabulary and Arabic grammar, you’ll gain important insights into your own language. The Arabic script, the Arabic alphabet, and the structure of the language per se is so different to English. And whilst this makes the challenge harder, it makes the returns much greater.Find Arabic classes in Birmingham and Arabic courses in Glasgow. Learn Arabic and then travel to the Arab world!Why Take Arabic Lessons in Belfast?But given this more significant challenge, it is important to find the language instruction that is most effective for you. Luckily, the options that Belfast offers will make this task easy enough.Given the unfamiliarity of Arabic writing and pronunciation to most people in Northern Ireland (as well as the rest of the world), learning the language by yourself is not the best option here.Rather, you want to pursue your Arabic language studies through structured lessons â€" preferably with a native speaker. These will walk you through the complexities of written Arabic, as well as basic Arabic expressions, the grammatical issues, and everything you need for communicative success.But whichever way you like to learn â€" with one-to-one tuition, in structured group classes, or in sessions based on conversation â€" Belfast has the resources to provide it for you.So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best options in Belfast.The Top Spots to Study Arabic in Belfast.With different options for Arabic learning all over the city, you’ll find an Arabic program in Belfast that is super convenient for you.Because, unfortunately, if the timing or the place doesn’t work, this is going to get in the way of your commitment to your lessons.So, here are some of the best options in town. Yet, do your research before you go. Language learning is a personal thing â€" and you should do your best to find the Arabic course that suits you best.Good luck! We’re sure you’ll find it.Try Arabic lessons in Leeds or Arabic tuition in Manchester.Take an Arabic Language Course at Queen’s University Belfast.One of the first places to start in your search for an Arabic course in Belfast is at Queen’s University. A prestigious and recognisable educational institution, Queen’s is guaranteed to give you a solid grounding in the subject.Whilst they don’t offer degree-level courses in Arabic, QUB has a whole load of different language classes at its Language Centre.Their offerings in Arabic range from Level One to Five, with each level accounting for ten weeks of lessons. From your first class, you will be engaging with the sort of subjects that you need to manage in the Arab world â€" directions, food and drink, personal information, and numbers.Sure, you’ll be learning the alphabet too, but this will be interwoven.Join Language Classes in Arabic at Interlingua.Just down the road from Belfast in Lisburn is the base of Interlingua, an organisation which provides language training to schools, companies, and individuals. From GCSE qualifications to casual adult classes, these guys cover the range of different language opportunities and class structures.They specialise in Spanish, French, and Arabic, they run classes based on discussion, conversation, and interaction. It’s none of this old-fashioned learn-by-rote sort of stuff. And with dynamic and enthusiastic teachers, and an understanding of why you specifically might want to learn Arabic, they offer a tailored and sympathetic service.If you are a business seeking to train your staff in Arabic, they’ll help you do that too. And, for those not living in Lisburn, they provide online Arabic training too. Think of all the people you could meet if you could speak Arabic.Try a Beginner Arabic Class at Belfast Met.If it is more convenient for you, you can always attend the course in Basic Arabic at Belfast Met.Every Thursday on the Millfield Campus, you’ll be engaged for two hours in learning the fundamentals of the language â€" from the script to the pronunciation, the grammar to the literature.Belfast Met’s courses are casual â€" with no examination at the end. And following this entry-level course, you can progress to the next stage up.This is a great option for those who like their language-learning chilled but focused, disciplined but friendly.Find a Private Arabic Tutor with Superprof.Here at Superprof, we connect budding students with the ideal tutors that they seek. And from the beginner looking to take their first steps in the language to the experienced speaker looking to brush up on their skills, our tutors are ready for everything.Whilst we now cover over a thousand subje cts worldwide, in Belfast we have three tutors specifically offering Arabic classes.Lessons come in at an average of £20 an hour â€" and the first one is free, so that you can be sure that you gel with your new teacher.From your home or theirs â€" or from your favourite café in town â€" they are flexible, qualified, and professional.Attend an Arabic Conversational Class at the Belfast Islamic Centre.Just around the corner from the Ulster Museum sits the Belfast Islamic Centre, the first purpose-built space for the Muslim community in Northern Ireland.These guys are seamlessly embedded in the wider Belfast community â€" offering all sorts of services and events for different demographics.More relevantly, they offer a range of hugely popular Arabic classes to anyone who wants to learn. If you decide to study here, you will be learning from native speakers in a range of different dialects.They also offer translation and interpretation services for people who might need such things in Belfast.Start an Arabic Language Program at SERC.For those of you not living in the centre of Belfast, you might prefer to study at one of the campuses of the South Eastern Regional College in either Bangor or Lisburn.Every week for two hours, you’ll be learning the basics of the Arabic language. From greetings, introductions, and descriptions to travel, accommodation, and food and drink, you’ll be given the skills and knowledge of Arabic â€" and the cultures of the Middle East â€" to travel successfully in the region.

Pilates Equipment

Pilates Equipment All About Pilates Accessories and Their Uses ChaptersPilates Equipment to Use at HomePilates Machines in StudiosPilates FootwearPilates can be as simple as you like. Whether you prefer to do your exercises barefoot on the mat, or you’re building your very own collection of yoga and Pilates accessories, there’s no doubt that the Pilates method is easy to adapt to your surroundings and the equipment available to you.The Pilates method, which was developed in the early 20th century as a rehabilitation method, is based on the idea that the mid-section of the body (the lower torso and pelvis) is the powerhouse of the whole body, and as such, exercising the body’s centre is a means of total body conditioning.The founder of the Pilates exercise method, Joseph Pilates, started out as an athlete. After a childhood spent in ill-health left him weak, he sought ways to make his body strong and healthy.Successful in his ambitions as a bodybuilder, gymnast, diver, skier and boxer, when the First World War broke out, Pilates began worki ng as a nurse on the sickbay of an internment camp. He applied his own experience to others who had become weak due to illness or injury and by modifying their hospital beds, he built the first versions of the Pilates apparatus used in wellness studios today.In addition to the original Pilates machines designed by Joseph Pilates himself, the way that Pilates has taken the West by storm has given rise to many other accessories used to enhance Pilates routines.So, if you want to know more about the equipment you can buy to make your home Pilates workout even better, or you’re interested in the Pilates machines found in Pilates studios, read on! CarleyYoga Teacher 5.00 (5) £100/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LynnYoga Teacher 4.89 (9) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GenYoga Teacher £45/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JulieYoga Teacher £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AliceYoga Teacher £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Laura Yoga Teacher 5.00 (6) £70/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors UndramYoga Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LottieYoga Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsPilates Equipment to Use at HomeAlthough the Pilates equipment developed by Joseph Pilates is often seen in Pilates studios, most of the apparatus is far too bulky and expensive for most people to have at home.Thankfully, the nature of Pilates means that you can do it with or without this equipment and still enjoy the benefits of improving your core strength.If you can’t get enough of Pilates, or it’s simply more convenient for you to exercise at home, there are several items of Pilates equipment which are both compact and affordable to maximise your total body workout.Here are some of the most popular exercise accessories used for doing Pilates at home:Pilates MatUsing a mat in Pilates is essential. Not only is it an anti-slip surface on which you can support yourself, but it also pr ovides cushioning when placed on a hard floor.You can use any type of exercise mat or yoga mat for Pilates â€" they all do the same job, so you can also use your mat for general stretching and yoga.Resistance BandIf you’ve ever attended a Pilates class, it’s likely that you’ve been given resistance bands to use in your workout before.Resistance bands are long, stretchy pieces of material that come in varying levels of resistance ¦ source: Visualhunt - CoachClubThe resistance provided by the bands mimic the effects of lifting weight while allowing you to use your body’s full range of motion.In addition to being used to provide resistance, these elasticated bands are also used for improving flexibility. You may hook a band around your feet and use it to pull your body down if you’re working on being able to touch your toes, for example.Magic CircleThe proper name for this piece of Pilates apparatus is the resistance ring.Just as it sounds, the magic circle is a ring made of a rubberised material or flexible metal and has a handle on each side. Although it looks like something you’d want to squash together as a resistance exercise, the purpose of the magic circle is actually to help people find their centre during Pilates exercises. In addition, the resistance ring also provides feedback about muscle use.As a popular prop in Pilates studios, the size of the ring means that it can be used at home.Exercise BallThe exercise ball, also known as the balance ball is most common in pregnancy Pilates and yoga classes as it is useful for weight support during a full body workout. Users can either use the ball to fully support themselves or to simply make an exercise or pose easier by supporting some of their full body weight.Exercise balls encourage the practitioner to use their core to support themselves and promote good balance. They are used in yoga, too, and you will also find them in gyms.Pilates Machines in StudiosThe results of Joseph Pilates’ modifi cations to hospital beds by adding spring-loaded contraptions to help the sick and injured enjoy the strengthening effects of total body conditioning can be seen today in many Pilates studios.Each one of these pieces of equipment, or ‘apparatus’ as they were referred to by their inventor, has been designed to help users strengthen their core. While each one is very different from the next, the exercises that can be performed on each one contribute to a balanced body.Pilates Reformer The Pilates reformer started life as a bed, and this is still evident in the modern reformers used today. Reformer Pilates can give variety to your Pilates routine.The frame of the reformer supports a carriage which is attached to it by springs to provide resistance ¦ source: Pixabay - mydominatoAlthough this is not a piece of equipment you would necessarily have at home, that does not mean to say that Pilates reformer exercises are reserved for men or the strongest or most experienced practitioners of Pilates. In fact, the reformer comes with a range of attachments that you can add and remove to increase and decrease the level of resistance in the carriage.Check out  yoga Manchester  now.CadillacThis Pilates machine is the biggest of the various apparatus invented by Joseph Pilates. It features a flat, static bed which is supported by a large metal frame. This frame has attachments including a trapeze, roll-down bar and springs to work out the limbs.The idea behind the Cadillac (also known as the trapeze table) is versatility. With its simple tabletop as well as its many simple yet effective attachments, it can be used in conjunction with mat Pilates exercises or on its own.Pilates ChairTaking up slightly less room than the reformer and Cadillac, the Pilates chair doesn’t really resemble a chair at all â€" it’s more like a stool which supports bodyweight without restricting movement. In fact, as the traditional design is becoming modernised, there are many varieties becom ing available on the market.Most chairs feature pedals which use springs to provide resistance to your arms or legs when using them.Pilates Ladder BarrelThis is a simple yet versatile piece of equipment that can be used in many ways. It is made up of a vault-like, curved box and a ladder which resembles a ballet barre in some ways.The Pilates barrel is particularly beneficial for strengthening the back muscles as well as helping users to improve their spine mobility.Pilates FootwearTraditionally, Pilates is performed barefoot. The benefits of going barefoot include a lower chance of slipping (and therefore injury) and more natural movements which are not restricted by footwear.However, for some, it is not always possible to do Pilates barefoot. In the Winter months, for instance, it may simply be too cold to go barefoot and the cold can make it more difficult to relax the muscles comfortably.If you’d prefer to keep your feet covered during your Pilates or yoga classes, here are so me options to consider:Non-Slip Yoga SocksIf you’re prone to getting cold during your strength workouts but wearing socks isn’t ideal, a pair of non-slip socks could do the trick.They’re just what they sound like: socks which have a non-slip material on the soles to prevent you  from slipping while you exercise on the mat.Keep your feet warm and flexible during your workout ¦ source: Visualhunt - smilygrlStudio ShoesStudio shoes are used in Pilates, yoga and barre exercises. Like yoga socks, they have a non-slip sole, however, their wrap-around design makes for a more snug fit than socks.The purpose of studio shoes is to provide a non-slip cover for the soles (which may be essential for hygiene reasons in some studios) which feels like a second skin. This way, the range of mobility of the foot is not restricted and exercises can be performed as usual.Studio shoes are usually made with breathable material and are shaped in a way that the top of the foot is not entirely covered to prevent feet from getting too hot.Rubber-Soled Pilates ShoesLess common but still available are Pilates shoes. Upon first glance, these resemble the wrap of the studio shoe, however, although they still allow full movement of the ball and arch of the foot, they do have a rubberised sole which makes them similar to a dance shoe.

Hard Times Talking about the Economic Crisis in English

Hard Times Talking about the Economic Crisis in English In just about every English class I teach these days, the subject of the current global economic crisis is mentioned. Not only is it on everyones mind these days, whether you live in Spain, Brazil, Mexico or the United States, but it seems to be one of the motivations for a lot of students to learn English.Some of them are working on their English as a way of holding onto their current job, others have lost jobs and are trying to get new ones that require English, still others are hoping to start new businesses that require them to be able to speak English.Ive also been seeing the signs of the crisis since returning to the U.S. from Buenos Aires last month. A lot of businesses have closed down, and many people are out of work. When I see people I havent seen since I left for Buenos Aires two years ago, their first question is often, Have you found work? Its certainly a sign of the times.There are a few mistakes that students consistently make when discussing the crisis. One, they oft en use the word economical when they mean to say economic.Ive heard phrases such as, I lost my job because of the economical crisis, The economical situation in my country is not very good right now, or My company is having economical problems.Economical is an adjective that means that something gives a good value or service related to the amount of money, time, or effort spent. For example, you might say that a small, reliable, fuel efficient and inexpensive car is economical.Economic is also an adjective (this may be part of the reason for ESL students confusion), used to describe things relating to the economy or economics.Unfortunately, a lot of people are talking about losing their jobs. In some languages, there tends to be a single word for losing your job, but in English, we have at least two. If you tell someone you were fired from your job, it carries a negative connotation. You get fired for being late, for fighting with your boss, getting drunk at work, attacking your co- workers, or just being really bad at your job. If you lose your job because the economy is bad, because the company is having problems, or for other reasons you have no influence over, we say youve been laid off. (If you have trouble understanding the difference between job and work, click here).In the U.S. and other countries, the economic crisis was accompanied by a sharp rise and fall in the price of real estate. This is often referred to as the housing bubble, which burst. Due to high unemployment and other factors, many people are losing their homes to their banks, a process known as foreclosure, because they cannot afford to pay their home loan, or mortgage.There are several phrases and expressions we are using to describe the crisis in English, some of these are new, others have been used to describe the economy for a long time. Many people are calling this period the Great Recession after the Great Depression that, in the U.S. lasted from 1929 to the late 1930s or early 40s. People are also referring to the crisis in general as the Global Economic Crisis. People often refer to difficult economic periods as tough times, or hard times.These are certainly hard times for a lot of people, but hopefully better times are around the corner.Got questions about any of the phrases or expressions above? Email us!Pingback: Sebastian Pamperin()

How to Chat With Billions of People Learn the 20 Most Common Languages in the World!

How to Chat With Billions of People Learn the 20 Most Common Languages in the World! How to Chat With Billions of People? Learn the 20 Most Common Languages in the World! Youve heard the big names: Chinese, Spanish, English.But have you heard of Lahnda? What about Telugu?This may come as a surprise, but  Lahnda and Telugu are, respectively, the 10th and 15th most commonly spoken languages in the world!Although they might not be quite as widely spoken as Chinese, Spanish or English, millions of people still speak them every day.According to The Washington Post, there are over 7,000 languages in the world.While most of these are spoken by a very small population and are therefore  obscure languages, there are some common languages that you may never have heard of, either.Since these are  practical languages to learn  and many are even  easy to learn, theyre a dream come true for language learners.But before we jump in and take a look at some things you might not know about the worlds 20 most commonly spoken languages, lets consider for a moment  why you should learn about them. Why You Should Know About the Worlds Most Common LanguagesOne obvious reas on to learn about the worlds most spoken languages is that they are useful. Once you know more about these languages, you might consider which language you should learn next. Speaking a foreign language can help you land a job, and since these languages are so widely spoken, theyre particularly useful.Additionally, you may very well encounter native speakers of these languages. If you learn their language, itll be tremendously helpful for communication. And even if you cant learn them all, just knowing a little about these languages will help give you more insight into the languages spoken by a majority of the people in the world.Finally, knowing more about these common languages will help you better  understand the world around you. The world is a complex place, but learning about the most common languages will give you insight into culture and geography that can help improve your overall understanding of the world around you.How to Chat With Billions of People? Learn the 20 Most C ommon Languages in the World!The figures included in this list are from Ethnologue, which tracks world languages to provide details on them and their speakers. While Ethnologue is available as a hardbound volume, information is also available through their online database.This list focuses on how many people speak each language as their first language. Lists of most spoken languages often vary quite wildly based on two factors: First, whether they include total number of speakers or just native speakers, and second, what languages or dialects are grouped together into a bigger language.Its also important to note that language usage is widespreadâ€"you may very well find any of these languages spoken in any corner of the globe. For the purposes of this list, well identify the places where each language is most common.Ive also included a common greeting for each languageâ€"in other words, an equivalent of hello in that language. Thatll also give you a taste of the different writing sy stems that some of the languages use. However, its very difficult to convey pronunciation for 20 different languages, especially those with tones and/or different writing systems, so instead Ive linked to a pronunciation site for each greeting. If you want to hear what a greeting sounds like, just click on it!Finally, you may not know about the other (free!) language and culture blogs that we have at FluentU. We currently have many blogs that are full of useful information to help you learn over a dozen different languages, so Ill include links to those blogs below when applicable.Lets begin!1. ChineseNumber of Speakers:  1.28 billionWhere Its Spoken:  China, Taiwan, SingaporeCommon Greeting:  ??Fun Facts:Chinese is a Sino-Tibetan language, making it a relative of Burmese and Tibetan.While English speakers lump Chinese together as one language, its actually a group of related languages. But even though theyre related, some of the languages are mutually unintelligible, meaning that s peakers cannot easily understand each other.Mandarin is by far the most spoken form of Chinese. Ethnologue estimates that there are 898 million Mandarin Chinese speakers.Chinese is tonal, which means pitch is used to convey meaning.The Chinese alphabet contains over 3,000 characters.There is written evidence of the Chinese language from 1250 B.C.The World Bank estimates the total world population at about 7.5 billion. Therefore, native Chinese speakers account for about 17% of the worlds total population.Chinese is one of the languages you can learn on FluentU!  You can also learn a lot more about Chinese on our Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture Blog!2. SpanishNumber of Speakers:  437 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Spain, most of Central America and Latin America, Equatorial GuineaCommon Greeting:  HolaFun Facts:Spanish is an Iberian Romance language, putting it in the same family as Portuguese. Iberian Romance languages evolved from the type of Latin spoken by merchants and soldiers .Hints of the Spanish language are evident in texts from the 9th century. However, it wasnt used systematically until the 13th century.While its vocabulary is largely based on Latin, a significant number of Spanish words also have Greek, Arabic and Gothic origins. Spanish has also borrowed words from indigenous American languages and other European languages.Spanish uses inverted exclamation points and question marks at the beginning of exclamations or questions. For instance,   ¡Hola!  (Hello!) or ¿Qué? (What?). This change was recommended by the Spanish Royal Academy in the mid-1700s and is fairly unique to the Spanish language. The only other languages that use these punctuation marks are other languages within Spain.The Spanish Language and Culture Blog is one of FluentUs most popular blogs!3. EnglishNumber of Speakers:  372 millionWhere Its Spoken:  United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, many Caribbean nations including the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada and moreCommon Greeting:  HelloFun Facts:English is a West Germanic language, making it a relative of German and Dutch.Anglo-Saxons who immigrated from continental Europe introduced Old English to the British Isles in the 5th century.Middle English emerged under French influence during the Norman conquest of the 11th century.According to Business Insider, English is the most popular second language to learn.According to the BBC, I is one of the oldest words in the English language.FluentU offers two different English blogs: one for regular English learners, and one for those interested in learning business English.4. ArabicNumber of Speakers:  295 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Most of the Middle East and North AfricaCommon Greeting:  ?????Fun Facts:Arabic is a Semitic language, making it a relative of the Hebrew language.While Classical Arabic developed in the 6th century, the roots of the language go back to nomads, with written evidence dating to the 1st cent ury.Arabic has influenced dozens of languages including Spanish, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi, Greek and many more.Arabic is traditionally written from right to left.Formal Arabic used in media and formal settings is significantly different from colloquial Arabic.You can learn more about the language on FluentUs Arabic Language and Culture Blog.5. HindiNumber of Speakers:  260 millionWhere Its Spoken:  India, FijiCommon Greeting:  ??????Fun Facts:Urdu and Hindi are mutually intelligible, which means that speakers of each language can usually understand each other. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that theyre often lumped together as Hindustani.Hindi is an Indo-Aryan language, making it a relative of several other Indian languages like Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi and Romani.Hindi is a descendant of Sanskrit, which originated in the second millennium B.C.Hindi has borrowed words from Arabic and Persian. In fact, the very name Hindi comes from the Persian word Hin d, which means land of the Indus River.6. BengaliNumber of Speakers:  242 millionWhere Its Spoken:  BangladeshCommon Greeting:  ??????Fun Facts:Like Hindi, Bengali is an Indo-Aryan language.In Bangladesh, Bengali is also called Bangla.Bengali evolved from Sanskrit between 1000-1200 A.D.Encyclopedia Britannica reports that a study from the 1960s and 1970s revealed that only about half of Bengali words are original to the language. Another 45% come directly from Sanskrit.The remaining 5% were foreign loanwords, most frequently from Persian.Bengali doesnt have gendered nouns, and there are no capital letters.7. PortugueseNumber of Speakers:  219 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Portugal, Brazil, Goa (India), Macau (China), East Timor, many African nations including Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, Mozambique, São Tomé and PríncipeCommon Greeting:  Olá  Fun Facts:Portuguese is an Iberian Romance language, making it a close relative of Spanish.The language evolved in th e medieval era and was named the official language of Portugal in 1290.The Portugal News reports that UNESCO has found that the languages popularity is on the rise.Most Portuguese words come from Latin. However, some words also come from pre-Roman Portugal, Arabic and German Gothic roots.Three letters were added to the Portuguese alphabet in 2009: K, Y and W. The letters were added because of increased English loanwords.If you want to hop on the Portuguese Train, head on over to our Portuguese Blog!8. RussianNumber of Speakers:  154 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Russia and several former Soviet statesCommon Greeting:  ????????????Fun Facts:Russian is an East Slavic language, related to Belarusian and Ukrainian.Old East Slavonic, an early form of the Russian language, dates back to the 10th century.Reports indicate that Russian is the second most used language on the internet.Based on comparing numbers of words in dictionaries, Lingholic  estimates that the Russian language has approxima tely 200,000 words. Compare that to 615,000 definitions in an English dictionary.FluentUs Russian Language and Culture Blog is a great place to find out more about this Top 10 language!9. JapaneseNumber of Speakers:  128 millionWhere Its Spoken:  JapanCommon Greeting:  ?????Fun Facts:Japanese is a member of the Japonic family of languages. This family includes several dialects of Japanese. The only other language in this group is Ryukyuan, which is sometimes considered a dialect of Japanese, although Japanese and Ryukyuan speakers often cannot understand the other language. Most dialects of Ryukyuan are endangered.It is thought that the predecessor of the Japanese language arrived in Japan around the 1st or 2nd century B.C. with settlers from Asia or Pacific islands.The Japanese language uses four different scripts. These include Kanji, in which one character represents an idea;  Hiragana, in which characters represent syllables; Katakana, which is similar to italics and used mostly for foreign words; and Romaji, which uses Latin script and is mostly used for foreigners.Japanese has no official status in Japan.Suffixes are often used to show different degrees of respect.You guessed it: FluentU also has a blog thats all about Japanese language and culture!10. LahndaNumber of Speakers:  119 millionWhere Its Spoken:  PakistanCommon Greeting:  ?? ???? ????(Lahnda-specific translations are difficult to come by, so please note that this is in Punjabi).Fun Facts:Lahnda can also be called Lahndi or Western Punjabi, though Western Punjabi is sometimes considered a dialect.Rather than being one language, Lahnda is a group of dialects.Lahnda is an Indo-Aryan language, making it related to Hindi, Urdu, Marathi and Bengali.Lahnda has much in common with Punjabi, but has a few different pronunciation and grammar rules.11. JavaneseNumber of Speakers:  84.4 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Java, IndonesiaCommon Greeting:  HaloFun Facts:Javanese is classified as an Austronesian langu age. This family of languages covers areas including Madagascar, islands in the Indian Ocean and islands in the Pacific Ocean. However, despite their apparent relation, Javanese has little in common with other languages in this group.Javanese can be written in three different scripts: Latin, Javanese or Arabic. Latin script is most common, but Javanese script is still widely taught.While there are three different dialects, speakers of each dialect can generally understand speakers of other dialects.Javanese contains loanwords from Sanskrit, Arabic, Dutch and Malay.12. KoreanNumber of Speakers:  77.2 millionWhere Its Spoken:  North Korea and South KoreaCommon Greeting:  ?????Fun Facts:Korean is considered a language isolate, meaning it isnt related to other languages. However, debate still exists as to whether it might be related to Japanese or South Indian languages.Korean has also sometimes been considered a possible Altaic language, meaning it could be related to languages as seem ingly disperse as Finnish and Mongolian.Korean has evolved through several stages. The earliest form of Korean was used in prehistoric times.According to Hunminjeongeum Haerye, a scholarly work, the Korean alphabet is meant to represent what your tongue, throat, teeth and palate must do to form the sounds.Our Korean Language and Culture Blog is one of the newest additions to FluentUs lineup of blogs!13. GermanNumber of Speakers:  76.8 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, LiechtensteinCommon Greeting:  HalloFun Facts:German is a West Germanic language, making it a close relative of English and Dutch.Evidence of Old High German, modern Germans ancestor, dates back to the 6th century.While German is composed primarily of original vocabulary, it also contains loanwords from Latin, French, Greek and Italian.German has a lot of compound words. These occur when several existing words are combined to make one word. Needless to say, it can lead to som e really long words.FluentUs German Language and Culture Blog is your one-stop-shopping choice for learning more about this beautiful language!14. FrenchNumber of Speakers:  76.1 millionWhere Its Spoken:  France, Canada, Haiti, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, Monaco and over 20 African nations including Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Chad and moreCommon Greeting:  Bonjour  Fun Facts:French is a Gallo-Romance language, making it a close cousin of lesser known regional languages like Picard, Normand and Bourgignon. As a Romance language, its also a more distant cousin of Spanish and Portuguese.The earliest known text in French appeared in 842.French is an official language in 29 countries.From the 17th century through the middle of the 20th century, French was the most common language used for diplomacy.Learn more about French language and the culture of different French-speaking countries on  our French blog. 15. TeluguNumber of Speakers:  74.2 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Eastern IndiaCommon Greeting:  ?????????Fun Facts:Telugu is a Dravidian language, related to languages in India and Sri Lanka. However, its also related to some languages found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.Telugu was influenced greatly by Sanskrit.The first text describing the language appeared in the 13th century.Native tradition holds that the grammar has ancient origins.Inscriptions in Telugu go back to 400 B.C.16. MarathiNumber of Speakers:  71.8 millionWhere Its Spoken:  IndiaCommon Greeting:  ????Fun Facts:Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language related to Hindi, Bengali, Urdu and Lahnda.Marthi is thought to date back more than 2,000 years. It  descends from Maharashtri Prakrit, a language spoken from 500 B.C. to 500 A.D. Maharashtri Prakrit descended from Sanskrit, so Marathi also has a significant Sanskrit influence.The Marathi language appeared in 11th century inscriptions .Marathi uses the  Devanagari alphabet, which Hindi also uses. However, they use slightly different versions of the alphabet.17. TurkishNumber of Speakers:  71.1 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Turkey, CyprusCommon Greeting:  MerhabaFun Facts:Turkish is a Turkic language, related to languages found from Southeast Europe through Central Asia.Inscriptions in Old Turkic, the predecessor of modern Turkish, date to the 8th century.Large numbers of Persian and Arabic loanwords were added to the Turkish language in the 10th century.Turkish used to be written in a version of an Arabic script. In 1929, Latin script was made compulsory for public communications.18. UrduNumber of Speakers:  69.1 millionWhere Its Spoken:  Pakistan, IndiaCommon Greeting:  ????Fun Facts:Urdu and Hindi have a lot in common and are frequently grouped together. In fact, Urdu was often called Hindi from the 13th to 18th century.Hindi and Urdu have separate writing systems and each is usually associated with a different cou ntry. Urdu is more often linked to Pakistan, while Hindi is associated with India.Since Urdu and Turkish both borrow from Persian and Arabic, they share some pronunciations.Urdu is written from right to left.19. VietnameseNumber of Speakers:  68.1 millionWhere Its Spoken:  VietnamCommon Greeting:  Xin chàoFun Facts:Vietnamese is currently thought to be an Austroasiatic language, in the same family as Khmer.The Vietnamese language borrows heavily from Chinese and French.Vietnamese doesnt have articles, plurals or gendered words.There are six different tones. This means that changing the tone of a vowel can change an entire words meaning.Written Vietnamese used to employ Chinese characters but has since adopted a modified Latin script.20. TamilNumber of Speakers:  68 millionWhere Its Spoken:  South India, Singapore, Sri LankaCommon Greeting:  ???????Fun Facts:Tamil is a Dravidian language, related to Telugu and other languages in India and Sri Lanka. Additional Dravidian languages ar e found in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.Tamil inscriptions have been found from the 5th century B.C.The first known book printed in an Indian language was written in Tamil.Modern Tamil adheres to linguistic purism, which means the language avoids loanwords.For more information on language distribution and importance of world languages, the  World Economic Forum  provides helpful charts.  Additionally, the CIA World Factbook provides a detailed breakdown of what languages are spoken in each country.With thousands of beautiful languages, these 20 most common languages are just the tip of the iceberg. Dont hesitate to delve in deeper and learn more about the many magnificent languages of the world!

The impact of online games on kids - Aloha Mind Math - ALOHA Mind Math

The impact of online games on kids Thisarticleabout how kid’s online games might surreptitiously be introducing advertising targeted at kids raises a very real concern. While most parents may have parental control measures on their computers to protect kids, we might not always think about the messages sent to kids through advertising gimmicks like this one. These are not the only concerns related to children spending too much time online either; here are some more things for parents to be aware of: Behavioral changes:When kids spend too much time online, you might find a lot of changes in their behavior and attitudes. This could be a range of things starting from becoming more of a loner because of preferring to spend time with their computer, or in some cases there have even been reports of an increase in violent or aggressive behavior. Parents need to be aware of the exact contents of a game, maybe sit and play a few times with a child before allowing anything, instead of only depending on the creator’s age labeling. Online identity exposed:Depending on the kind of game the child is playing, it might expose his or her identity to wrongdoers, for example in chat rooms connected with the game. Though the actual game might be age appropriate, it is difficult for parents to regulate all associated pages or popups. Not just in games, this is a concern even when kids spend unregulated time on social networking sites. http://www.flickr.com/photos/whiteafrican/2870711774/ Affects schoolwork:If the time spent online and on gaming is not strictly watched, it is possible for kids to get addicted to a particular game, that leads to too much time being spent on it. We know the thrill of playing something new that can grip us even as adults, so children are all the more susceptible. This could lead to a string of actions related to spending too much time online, not doing homework or studying in the time allotted for it, and finally leading to a sliding of grades before the child realizes what is happening. These are some of the biggest possible impacts on kids playing games online, not meant to frighten you, but make you aware of what to watch out for when your child is spending time online. At Aloha, we provide you a great way to engage your child’s attention, which will result in regulating their free time spent online too. Please see our website for more details about our classes:http://www.aloha-usa.com