Homophones are those confusing words that exist in every language. They are pronounced the same as each other but totally differ in meaning. Needless to say, this can make things complicated for somebody learning a second language. Homophones are often used in word plays and games because the confusion which they create can be both confusing and amusing! Want to know more about homophones in other languages? Take a look at these articles on homophones in English, Hindi, Russian, Korean and French.

Homophones in English

Homophones in Hindi

Homophones in Russian

Korean Homophones

Homophony mania

Food - we all need it to survive, but that doesn’t mean that we all eat the same things! So how much do you know about international food? What is appetising to people from one culture may seem inedible to someone from another. That’s why we have a series of article for you about food, so you can know what local delights to eat when you go abroad, rather than just sticking to what you’re used to.

Breakfast, Brunch and Brinner, gives an overview of food throughout the world. Russian Cuisine, talks about the most popular dishes in Russia - yummy! So you think that rice and beans is all people eat in Brazil - wrong! Way beyond the Rice and Beans sets the record straight.

A day in Umbria, looks at the delicious food which is common in Umbria in Italy. Ever wondered why the Japanese have a long life expectancy? This article explains all -  it’s because of their super healthy diet. A (Romanian) meal without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze, talks about the prevalence of cheese in the Romanian diet.

Want to know more? Then look at the full articles below:

Russian Cuisine

A day in Umbria

Why Japanese have a long life expectancy

Way beyond the rice and beans

A (Romanian) meal without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze

Breakfast, Brunch and Brinner?

Kanpai! Cheers!

Sweet Brazil (Part 1)

Sweet Brazil (Part 2)

A Typical Dutch Breakfast

Santé! The Tradition of Apéritif in France

The Mysterious Case of the Butter Cake

Cooked and Eaten, the Italian 2010 bestseller

Today is feijoada's day!

Happy hour, the evening ritual

Won’t you have some more?

(Alternative) lunch is served: Happy Easter to you all!

Land of olive trees

It is generally agreed that language and culture are closely related. Language can be viewed as a verbal expression of culture. It is used to maintain and convey culture and cultural ties. Language provides us with many of the categories we use for expression of our thoughts, so it is therefore natural to assume that our thinking is influenced by the language which we use. The values and customs in the country we grow up in shape the way in which we think to a certain extent.

Cultures hiding in languages, examines the link between Japanese language and culture. An Insight into Korean Culture through the Korean Language discusses how Korean culture influences the language.

Languages spoken in Ireland, focuses on the status of the Irish language nowadays and how it has changed over time. In our big world every minute is a lesson looks at intercultural communication and examines how it can affect interactions between people from countries and backgrounds.

Read the articles below for a greater insight into the topic:

Cultures hiding in languages

An Insight into Korean Culture through the Korean Language

Languages spoken in Ireland

In our big world every minute is a lesson

Simplified Introduction to Irish Names

Language, culture and thoughts: do languages shape the way we think?

The power of words

Breizh: an endangered regional language?

Languages, marketing and advertising

An International Sea Sponge

Have you ever wondered what kind of things people from different cultures believe in? Do you know if they have the same superstitions as people in your native country? Each country in the world has its own unique set of beliefs and values. Obviously there are overlaps between these beliefs, but no two countries believe in exactly the same things. Different cultures have opposing opinions when it comes to horoscopes and fortune telling.

Poland is a Religious country but that doesn’t mean that the people there ignore all ancient pagan traditions, "Do you believe?", gives more insight into the matter. There is a strong, age-old belief in fate or predestination in China, as explained in the article, is fortune determined? Predicting the future is quite a lucrative profession in India; find out more in the article, "The future is no mystery".

In Latin America the limits between superstition and Religion are not very clear, as is outlined in this great article, "Holy Toast!". "Tasseography… it’s written in the tea leaves" takes a look at the popularity of reading tea leaves in England. Most people view it as fun but inaccurate.

Want to know more about beliefs and superstitions? Then read the full articles!

Do you Believe?

Is fortune determined?

The future is no mystery

Holy Toast!

Tasseography...it's written in the tea leaves

Christmas time is here, even though it’s traditionally a Christian holiday, nowadays it is also celebrated by many non-Christians throughout the world. Several nations share similar traditions such as giving gifts, preparing a large celebratory dinner and displaying various decorations. We have a collection of articles about various Christmas celebrations and customs internationally.

Ever wondered how Christmas is celebrated in the United States? Or Russia? Or how about Poland and Romania? Take a look at the articles to see how different nations celebrate this special time of year in their own way.

Christmas is coming home-let’s find the joy in anticipation, explores whether or not there are any Christmas traditions which are uniquely German. Lights over a river, discusses Colombian Christmas traditions. Christmas shopping time, talks about Christmas in China. Christmas is not celebrated there for religious reasons, but rather to encourage economic growth.

See the articles below for more information. Happy holidays!

Christmas in United States

Get in to Christmas with Lexiophiles

Christmas, shopping time!

Working hard during holidays? You are not the only one

Russian Christmas mix

Christmas is coming home- let’s find the joy in anticipation

Christmastime in Poland

Christmas around the world

Romanian Christmas traditions

Lights over a river?

Interjections are parts of speech which are usually not grammatically connected to the rest of the sentence. They are often an expression of emotion or an interruption. They are words which are used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion. They are a useful part of speech to be able to use and understand in another language. You know that you’ve reached a high level of fluency in a second language when you intuitively start using the local interjections. Have a look at the articles below to learn more about Portuguese, French, Korean, Hindi and German interjections.

Interjections and popular expressions in Brazil

Express yourself…French style

Korean interjections and colloquial expressions

Uff! These Interjections!

Dammit!- I mean verdammt!

Take a look at these great articles about all things language related which we discovered on the web this week. We liked them so we wanted to link to them and share them with you. Enjoy!

What does it really take to learn a foreign language?

Becoming a better EFL teacher is a blog by author and EFL teacher Larry M. Lynch. Take a look at this informative post about what it really takes to learn a foreign language.

Thanksgiving Menu

Tecla Sap is a blog by Ulisses Wehby de Carvalho and other contributors. We liked this article about typical Thanksgiving food.

A influência do sotaque brasileiro na pronúncia da língua inglesa

English for all is a great blog written by Vanessa Prata. This article is about how the Brazilian accent interferes with English pronunciation.

100 Ways to Entertain Guests visiting from Japan

Tofugu is written by Koichi, Viet and Erin. Their aim is to teach non-Japanese about Japan’s culture and its language. This post about entertaining guests visiting from Japan could come in useful

Consumption habits vary globally. In recent years, people’s spending spiraled out of control. This overspending contributed to the cause of the global recession. As a result of the recession people are generally more cautious with their money. So what kind of things do people from different countries spend their money on?

Do the Russian launder their money, looks at the fact that nowadays Russians are more inclined to spend their money than save it. Alcohol, fruit, fish, household goods and cosmetics are items which Russians tend to spend their money on.

How do Latin Americans and the Spanish spend their money? In South America spending varies from country to country depending on the economy. For example, it is very hard to get mortgages in Argentina so people tend to spend their money on cars. On the other hand, Colombians tend to invest their money in property.

The introduction of credit cards has had a big influence on consumption habits in Turkey. Impulse buying has become widespread as a result of this. Consumption differences between the Chinese and the Americans, discusses the differences in both cultures where money is concerned. Americans are more likely to borrow money when they want something new, whereas the Chinese are more likely to save for it.

The fun loving Romanians spend most of their money on alcohol and tobacco. Read the articles below to find out more about this interesting topic:

Do the Russians ‘launder’ their money?

How do Latin Americans and the Spanish spend their money?

Consumption habits in Turkey

Consumption differences between the Chinese and the Americans

Money, money, money… How do Romanians spend it?

It's the time of the week when we share all the cool language related articles we found on the web with you. Come back next Monday for some more great reads!

Ampliando o Vocabulário: BAG

The English Experts is a blog which was started by Alessandro Brandão. It is a guide for people who want to learn English by themselves. Many English language professionals write articles for the blog. We liked this post about the word “bag”. It compares how the word is used in Brazil and Portugal.

Budgeting for Study Abroad

The study abroad blog is full of useful information and tips for studying abroad. There are any articles about studying in certain regions. We like this article about budgeting for study abroad, because that can often be one of the more difficult aspects.

Global Understanding Vs. Individual Words

The language geek is written by Josh who is a student and language lover. He started the blog in order to help himself and others learn languages. This article about global understanding vs. individual words is a good read.

French: Gauche ou droite?

The 37 languages blog is a project by Keith Brooks. He decided to embark on a process of reviewing 37 languages in order to find the one perfect for him. We enjoyed this article about French.

Homework revolt in Canada

The Linguist on Language by Steve Kaufmann, is a great blog about all things language related. Homework revolt in Canada raises some interesting questions about the kind of assignments that language students have to complete.

Regardless of what city in the world you visit, you will generally come across at least one Irish pub or restaurant serving traditional Irish food and drink. This indicates how popular the native food and drink is, but of course if you want the best there is, you should sample it in its homeland. In Ireland there is no particular drink which is exclusively associated with Christmas. However, there are numerous hearty beverages which Irish people consume in winter in order to combat the frosty chill in the air. So if you’re still sipping on Pina Coladas or Vodka and Coke then you need to get into the festive spirit with some traditional Irish winter warmers!

Ireland is well known for Guinness, but there are many other great traditional drinks. Irish whiskey is popular throughout Ireland all year round, and comes in many forms - including single malt, single grain and blended whiskey. It is not only consumed on the rocks, but is also the staple ingredient of numerous hot Irish winter drinks. Personally, my favourite drink of the winter season is Irish coffee. This beverage was invented on a cold winters evening in 1942 by an enterprising Irish barman in Shannon Airport in the West of Ireland. It consists of a large shot of Irish whiskey, a spoon of sugar, hot and strong black coffee, topped with thick cream poured over the back of a spoon. If made correctly, the lightly whipped cream floats on the coffee as you sip. It’s the perfect way to warm your insides on a cold evening.

Hot Whiskey (similar to toddy) is another popular winter drink. It is made as follows: stud a lemon slice with cloves; stir a teaspoon of sugar into a shot of whiskey in a glass, add the clove/lemon and fill the glass with hot water; stir and enjoy! Hot whiskey is often viewed as medicinal and can be a great cure for the start of a head cold.

Hot port is another common drink for cold, winter evenings. It is made in the same way as whiskey, except the whiskey is substituted with port. With a chill in the air and holiday's beckoning nearer, Irish people enjoy this comforting drink.

Baileys Irish cream is an Irish whiskey and cream based liqueur. It is popular all year round but makes a nice winter drink because of its heavy consistency. Baileys coffee is a great winter drink. It is the same as an Irish coffee, except Baileys is used in place of Irish whiskey. Normally you don’t need to add sugar as baileys is a lot sweeter than whiskey, but that depends on personal taste.

Looking for a way to cheer up from the winter doom and gloom? Make yourself one of these drinks! They’re very easy and well worth it. I guarantee you a warm, fuzzy feeling from the inside out.