Tag: languages

Summer language learning - a book on the grass.

My Language Learning Life : July 2025 Update

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So the summer hols are here – and what better time to take stock of my own polyglot progress? July’s been solid – not life-changing, but the kind of steady language learning momentum that actually gets you places over time.

Here’s where things stand.

Greek: From Textbooks to TikTok

Greek continues to be my most active language learning project right now. I’m keeping up weekly iTalki sessions with my usual tutor, grinding through Τα λέμε Ελληνικά – a B1-B2 course that’s about as exciting as it sounds but gets the job done. Grammar drills aren’t everybody’s cup of tea (well – they are mine, actually), but they work.

The real fun’s been on social media. @greekoutwithmaria is gold – idiomatic, useful Greek with clear explanations. I’ve compiled a whole list of other useful Greek accounts here if you want more where that came from!

To not get lost in the scroll, I dip in occasionally and bookmark stuff as I go. Then, I make sure to have a weekly session where I actually do something with it – vocab decks, Anki cards, and the like. It’s a system that’s added some real conversational polish to my Greek.

German: Going Old School Again

I’ve been gravitating back to actual books to maintain my German lately. There’s something about physical pages that screens can’t replicate – maybe it’s the weight, maybe it’s not getting distracted by notifications every five minutes.

I threw myself at two very different reads this month. First up is Torsten Sträter’s Es ist nie zu spät, unpünktlich zu sein, which serves up observational comedy that’s heavy on dad jokes but light on mental effort. It makes perfect train reading when your brain’s already fried from the day. Then there’s Hermann Hesse’s Siddhartha, which I’m finally tackling after seeing it on every German language and literature syllabus for years. And it’s a thoroughly readable classic – there’s something very soothing about it as an adventure into the soul.

A little light Readly

Readly, the multi-magazine app, still gets plenty of action on long journeys. I’ve been reading Men’s Health Germany and Sweden’s Språktidningen (pop linguistics in Swedish – a real treat) regularly. Saying that, the platform recently axed most of their Norwegian titles, which is annoying thanks to shifting licensing deals.

As for target language reading of any kind the golden rule applies: read what you’d actually want to read, just in another language.

Life’s too short for boring books in any tongue.

Podcasts: When Your Day Job Meets Your Hobby

I’ve started listening to Der KI Podcast, which covers AI developments in chatty, accessible German. It’s the perfect overlap with both my work and PhD research, so it basically counts as multitasking disguised as language practice. That’s really the sweet spot we’re always looking for: finding content that ticks multiple boxes, rather than forcing language learning into spaces where it doesn’t naturally belong.

Side Quests: Persian, Albanian, and Library Rabbit Holes

Joy of joys – my university library recently added the entire Routledge Colloquial series digitally, which has proven dangerous territory for someone with my particular brand of linguistic OCD. My latest obsession has been Persian, which I’ve been exploring through both the recently updated Routledge title and an ancient Teach Yourself Persian volume that’s pure grammar-translation throwback. You can sense the layers of metaphorical dust on it, but I genuinely love the methodical approach of dissembling languages during the learning process to see how they tick.

Albanian also got a brief look-in after Dua Lipa’s Wembley extravaganza sent me down a cultural rabbit hole. Yes, continuing that trend of letting pop culture determine my dabbling directions. I don’t have any grand plans with it, just some structured curiosity that might lead somewhere (or probably not).

Trips: Lyon and Dublin in Linguistic Technicolor

I took two quick city breaks this month to Lyon and Dublin, which meant the usual soundtrack of overheard conversations and multilingual signage. Nothing was particularly structured – just casual linguistic tourism really. It was great to be the designated restaurant orderer in France, though – that feeling of achievement and usefulness we linguaphiles yearn for!

The Verdict

So that was the past couple of months: steady progress rather than dramatic breakthroughs. Greek keeps moving forward, German feels natural and flowing, podcasts are doing their job, and my side projects are staying appropriately peripheral (but very interesting).

It might not be Instagram-worthy content, but it’s sustainable, and that matters more in the long run than any flashy sprint.

How was your language learning month? Let us know in the comments!

The Greek flag flying in a sunny sky

Greek participles – meet the -μένος gang!

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There’s a class of words in Modern Greek that are derived from verbs but not used to form tenses – they’re purely adjectival. I’ve written about them in the past, in terms of how they contrast with another class of adjectives, and knowing a bit more about them can really help polish your fluency.

It’s worth revisiting these as they’re so widespread. In fact, the Duolingo Greek course has a whole unit on them, which is why they’re suddenly on my own radar again! I’m talking about passive past participles – they describe something that has been done to someone or something.

Meet the -μένος gang

You can usually spot them by their characteristic -μένος ending. In fact, you’ve probably been using a couple without even knowing it:

κουρασμένος (tired)

απασχολημένος (busy)

These words are passive as they describe a state of having had something happen to you – something has tired you out, for example (even the English is a past participle here). For busy, it’s closer to translate απασχολημένος  as ‘occupied’, which is what has been ‘done’ to busy people!

These passive past participles are formed from the verbal root. And in most cases, they’re completely transparent, containing all the elements of that root:

κουράζω (I tire) > κουρασμένος (tired) (ζ and σ are a common alternation in Greek roots)

απασχολώ (I occupy) > απασχολημένος (occupied, busy)

A disappearing act – Greek assimilation

Sometimes, however, the connection is not so obvious. There’s a group of Greek verbs that have a root with -β- and -φ- where that element disappears from the participle:

κόβω (I cut) κομμένος (cut)
κρύβω (I hide, tr.) κρυμμένος (hidden)
ράβω (I sew) ραμμένος (sewn)
βάφω (I paint) βαμμένος (painted)
γράφω (I write) γραμμένος (written)

What’s happened here is called assimilation – a case of one sound becoming more like another. Because the root consonant of these verbs is labial, ie., pronounced with the lips, it matches the place of articulation of the /m/ of the ending -μμένος. For ease of pronunciation, one becomes even more like the other – and it’s that /m/ that wins out here, passing its properties backwards (so this is regressive assimilation rather than progressive, where the properties of an earlier segment move to a later one).

There’s even a set of these participles that are formed additionally via reduplication – a doubling of syllables to express some category change (for instance, an imperfective / perfective distinction). Here are a couple:

δίνω (I give) δεδομένος (given)
πείθω (I convince) πεπεισμένος (convinced)

These are particularly exciting to scholars of Indo-European, as it’s a quite an ancient mechanism found in the proto-language, and not particularly productive in modern day Indo-European languages. When you see it fossilised in forms like this, historical linguists can get very excited.

Peeking under the bonnet of Greek grammar reveals just how deep some of these patterns run – and how much historical linguistics can supercharge your understanding and retention!

A stylised image of Lyon

Lyon, Briefly: A Language Lover’s City Break

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I spent a couple of days in Lyon with friends recently – and what a gem of a city it is for a short break. Pretty, walkable, and full of energy, it’s the perfect mini-escape just a hop over the water.

As the group’s only French speaker, it turned into a bit of a linguistic mission, too. French was actually the first foreign language I ever met – but somewhere along the way, I left it behind for other loves. Lately, though, it’s crept back into my life, especially for quick trips like this. France is just so temptingly close, and being able to handle day-to-day French opens so many doors (and menus!).

In Lyon, that turned out to be more than just handy – it was essential. English wasn’t the fallback, and rightly so. A bit of practical French went a long way in shops and restaurants. I even dared to shake off the phrasebook stiffness this time, swapping the trusty je voudrais for a breezier on va prendre. Oh, I was flying with gallic flare, well beyond my ken… Credit to ChatGPT here, actually – it’s brilliant for providing colloquial alternatives to given situations on demand.

As always, one of my favourite ways to learn is by looking up – and around. Street signs and storefronts are rich with real-world language, and Lyon didn’t disappoint. I came back with a camera roll bursting with quirky and useful French, like this little gem:

A cabaret bar in Lyon

Au pied dans l’plat – a fun-looking cabaret bar in Lyon

This bar’s name – Au pied dans l’plat – caught my eye straight away. A foot in the dish? Turns out it’s a cheeky twist on the idiom mettre les pieds dans le plat. This is the French equivalent of “putting your foot in it” – who knew ‘it’ was a dish? Perfect pun fodder for a cabaret joint, and a reminder that idioms don’t just survive in textbooks – they live and breathe on the high streets.

Lyon gave me a little French confidence boost – and a reminder that language learning’s at its best when it’s out in the wild, not just on the page. À la prochaine, belle France!

Hiking in the countryside

Hiking Tips for Language Learners: Stay Safe, Go Far, Learn More

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This post’s a little step off the usual path for Polyglossic, but only just. Walking and language learning go hand in hand, especially when you’re exploring a country where your target language is spoken. So much of language acquisition happens when your mind is open, your eyes are alert, and your feet are moving.

For me, some of the best moments with my languages haven’t come from a screen or a study book – they’ve arrived out in the wild. Sometimes it’s just about that space for cogitation and mulling over stuff you’ve read or heard in recent weeks. Whether I’m up in the Highlands, rambling a trail in Norway, climbing in Austria or sweating through a Greek coastal path, I’m always learning, or thinking – about words, about landscapes, and a bit about myself.

Still, a good hike is only enjoyable when you’re properly prepared – and I’ve had more than one trip nearly derailed by rookie mistakes. So here are my tried-and-tested hiking tips, with a wee nod to my fellow language lovers.

Smart Hiking Tips for Language Lovers on the Move

1. COMPEED BLISTER PLASTERS

Genuinely life-saving. These little miracles act like a second skin – perfect for rescuing rubbed heels or toes mid-walk. I’ve come close to turning back before applying one and enjoying their almost magical healing powers. These days, I often pop one on before any trouble starts, especially with new boots or a steep climb ahead.

2. Carry more water than you think you’ll need

I once started a walk with a single 1L bottle, thinking it would be plenty. Big mistake. Even in cooler weather, you lose a surprising amount through sweat, especially uphill. There is nothing worse than being miles from the end of a hike and worrying about how much water you have left.

I now carry two bottles minimum, plus an isotonic drink (make your own with fizzy isotonic tabs) if I’m walking for hours in the sun. Keep those salts in, gang.

3. Sunscreen and a hat – even when it’s cloudy

UV rays don’t care about clouds. I’ve returned from a grey, misty day on a Scottish ridge looking like a boiled ham. Don’t be fooled. A cap and high-factor sunscreen are musts. Apply generously, and reapply – especially if you’re sweating. Neck, ears, backs of knees: don’t forget the usual suspects.

4. Make space for language

Even though this post is mostly about hiking prep, a quick nudge for the polyglots: download a podcast in your target language, or look out for waymarkers, signs and posters in the local lingo. Snapping photos of unknown words on the trail and translating them later is one of my favourite lazy-vocab activities.

A roadsign in Gaelic and English spotted whilst hiking in the Highlands

A roadsign in Gaelic and English spotted whilst hiking in the Highlands

Language Learning While Walking: A Natural Pairing

There’s something meditative about walking. It frees the mind to notice – and languages thrive in that kind of space. You don’t have to turn every hike into a vocab test, but letting the target language hover around your walk – in sound, signage, or even internal monologue – makes the whole thing richer.

So yes, this is a post about hiking tips – but it’s also a gentle nod to how walking and language learning complement each other. Travel with intention. Pack wisely.

And keep one ear tuned to the words on the wind.

A rainbow flag for Pride - celebrating queer language

Pride Across Languages: A Queer Lexicon for 2025

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June is Pride month, and as linguists (a proudly diverse crew if ever there was one), it’s the perfect moment to celebrate the vibrant vocabulary that queer speakers use — and create — in the languages we love.

Queer language isn’t just about labels. It’s about visibility, resistance, solidarity, and joy. And like any living part of language, it evolves. Some terms come from institutions and activism; others bubble up from youth slang, subcultures, or the internet. Some are reclaimed from slurs, and others are lovingly borrowed from English. What they all have in common is that they tell stories — about culture, politics, humour, and belonging.

Here’s a multilingual sampler of queer vocabulary in the languages I work with and love, as well as terms to be aware (and wary) of — updated for 2025 and with a couple of notes to explain where and how these terms are used. As you’d expect, English terms have been co-opted in many cultures and are widely understood.

FRENCH

French queer vocabulary bridges formal discourse and rich colloquial creativity, particularly in urban and activist spaces. Youth and LGBTQ+ communities often borrow from verlan (urban backslang), argot, and pop culture.

Formal / Inclusive:
– LGBTQIA+ — widely used in activist and legal discourse.
– Une personne transgenre / non-binaire — trans / non-binary person.
– Homos / lesbiennes / bisexuel·le·s — broadly accepted and understood.

Colloquial / Reclaimed:
– Gouine — dyke; used proudly by some lesbians.
– Tarlouze / tapette — pejorative and generally not reclaimed (yet).
– Draguer — to flirt or cruise.
– Militant·e LGBT — LGBTQ+ activist.

Regional variant: In Québec French, you may encounter allosexuel·le (non-heterosexual) or personne queer, used in a slightly different way than in France.

GERMAN

German queer language mixes formal clarity with rich subcultural registers. Germany has a strong LGBTQIA+ history, with Christopher Street Day (CSD) being the main Pride celebration.

Standard Terms:
– Schwul / lesbisch / bi / pan — gay / lesbian / bi / pan; widely accepted.
– Queer — directly borrowed and proudly used.
– Nicht-binär / trans / inter — gender-inclusive language.
– Regenbogenfamilie — literally rainbow family.
– Coming-out — borrowed directly from English.

Colloquial / Subcultural:
– Homo — casual term; can be neutral or teasing.
– Gay sein — “to be gay,” borrowed and adapted from English.
– Tunte — an effeminate gay man; can be camp and celebratory within communities but also historically a slur.

Sociolinguistic note: German LGBTQ+ youth often use a hybrid of German and English (“queer sein”, “pride month feiern”, and “nonbinary Person” are common).

GREEK

Greek queer vocabulary is lively but still shaped by ongoing stigma in some spheres. Younger generations and activist circles are doing brilliant work coining and promoting respectful terms.

Formal / Inclusive:
– ΛΟΑΤΚΙ+ (LOATKI+) — LGBTQIA+.
– Ομοφυλόφιλος/η, λεσβία, αμφιφυλόφιλος/η — standard but formal.
– Τρανς άτομο — trans person.
– Κουήρ — transliteration of “queer.”

Slang / Reclaimed:
– Πούστης — historical slur for gay men; sometimes reclaimed but still very charged, so use with care.
– Λεσβού / λεσβία — lesbian (the former more colloquial).
– Ντραγκ κουίν — drag queen.
– Καμάκι — flirtation or cruising (not exclusively queer).

Cultural note: Greek queer media increasingly uses international terms like non-binary and queer without translation, reflecting global influences and activist solidarity.

NORWEGIAN

Norwegian LGBTQIA+ vocabulary is inclusive, modern, and quite straightforward, with excellent mainstream acceptance of terms like skeiv.

Standard / Positive:
– Skeiv — literally “crooked”; now a proudly reclaimed umbrella term for queer identities.
– Homofil / lesbisk / bifil / panfil — general, neutral orientation terms.
– Transperson / ikke-binær — trans / non-binary person.
– Regnbuefamilie — rainbow family.
– Pride-parade / skeiv kultur — directly borrowed terms.

Today, skeiv is actively used by government in public comms, youth organisations, and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups across Norway. Neighbouring Swedish has co-opted the English queer in most cases, although also has the reclaimed bög for gay men – occasionally, the word Regnbågspersoner (rainbow people) is found in Swedish event blurb and similar as an umbrella term.

SCOTTISH GAELIC

Gaelic queer vocabulary is vibrant and developing all the time, with new terms emerging thanks to community activism. Much of the lexicon is borrowed, calqued or adapted respectfully.

Affirming / Respectful Terms:
– Co-sheòrsach — same-sex attracted (literally “same-gendered”).
– Boireannach co-sheòrsach / fear co-sheòrsach — lesbian / gay man.
– Gèidh — gay.
– Neo-bhìnearaidh — non-binary.
– Gnè-sòisealta — gender identity.
– Gnèitheachas — sexuality / sexual orientation.
– Aithris gnè — gender expression.

Emerging language: Community groups are also exploring terms like cuèir (queer), far-ghnèitheach (genderqueer), and coimhearsnachd gèidh (gay community). These are not yet standardised but are used lovingly in queer Gaelic circles.

FINAL THOUGHTS: LANGUAGE AS RESISTANCE, JOY, AND KINSHIP

Words are powerful. They help us name ourselves, find each other, and push back against silence. In each of these languages, queer terms are not just dictionary entries — they’re evidence of visibility, resistance, and renewal.

What’s more, the growth of queer vocabularies often mirrors broader shifts in society — whether it’s skeiv being used in official policy, κουήρ entering mainstream Greek media, or Gaelic activists forging new terms for non-binary identities. Each new word is a signal of change, community, and possibility.

OVER TO YOU

Do you know other queer terms in the languages you’re learning or using? Have you seen how words can include — or exclude — depending on context? Drop a comment or share your favourites with me on the socials!

With love and linguistic Pride,
Rich x

A French flag with earbuds on top.

Feel-Good French Pop

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French was never one of my core language projects. It was always a bit of a distant, side interest – something I dipped into now and again. That was, until all sorts of fun stuff started happening in France (cough, Olympics and Paralympics 2024), and I realised how easy it was to flit there for some cultural immersion.

As a returner learner with a newfound love of France – it was my very first foreign language at school, after all – it was always about reactivation, rather than systematic learning from scratch. And one of the nicest ways back in has been music (and not just Eurovision, although that features quite high on my francophone pop playlists!).

Here are my top ten French tracks – and not a Eurovision track in sight, I promise. Track titles all link to Spotify, so you can add them to your own playlists!

COMA IDYLLIQUE (THERAPIE TAXI)

Therapie Taxi spent just short of a decade spreading their edgy, alternative flavour of francopop. This existential, hypnotic ode to oblivious tipsiness is the best of a very good bunch.

LA FLEMME (NELL WIDMER)

I credit this one with teaching me a great colloquial phrase in French: j’ai la flemme de … (I can’t be bothered to…). It’s gloriously Gallic off-the-cuff, can’t-be-bothered apathy, wrapped in a catchy and infectious refrain I find myself humming for hours afterwards.

ENVOLE-MOI (MATT POKORA & TAL)

A feel-good French playlist couldn’t exist without some Matt Pokora, and you have two in my top ten. This track, a duet with TAL, featured on Génération Goldman, a homage to 80s superstar Jean-Jacques Goldman. Dare I say, the cover knocks the spots off the original.

CETTE ANNÉE-LÀ (MATT POKORA)

Matt Pokora really spoils us in terms of solo tracks to add. I went for this cover of Frankie Valli’s Oh, What a Night!, as it’s just incredibly cheery – I defy you not to foot-tap along to this! It’s been covered by other French artists, but Matt’s takes the prize for happy-clappy production.

LAISSE-TOI TRANQUILLE (MALO)

Malo almost breaks my non-Eurovision rule for this list – he was a contestant in Déstination Eurovision 2018, the show to select France’s entrant that year. He nearly made it, too, finishing in third, but it’s this follow-up song which is the standout for me. Quirky, cute and fun, it’s a always puts me in a good mood.

JE DANSE LE MIA (IAM)

This one is pure club, and effortlessly cool. Released in 1994, it has a familiar hook, thanks to the George Benson Give Me The Night resample, but blends hip-hop and rap to produce one of the biggest French hits of the decade. It still sounds as fresh as it did the year of its release – some feat.

DERNIÈRE DANSE (INDILA)

There’s a touch of chanson to this one, and its other-worldly, soporific vibe was clearly a recipe for success for singer Indila – in December 2023, ten years after its release, it became the first francophone track to reach a billion streams on YouTube.

VOYAGE, VOYAGE (DESIRELESS)

A French 80s classic, Voyage, voyage was given a huge public airing and second life as part of the Paris 2024 pre-event soundtrack. Absolutely timeless.

MOI… LOLITA (ALIZÉE)

Arguably the French breakout hit of the early noughties, this one stormed the charts across Europe. Alizée’s debut single still holds up as sultry, slick French pop.

COMMENT TE DIRE ADIEU (POMPLAMOOSE)

I’m old enough to remember Jimmy Somerville covering this evergreen. But Pomplamoose, a US alternative outfit with its heart (and now home) this side of the Atlantic, have turned it into something utterly dreamy. A warm, francophile hug of a track.

So there you have it – ten French bangers to bop (and learn) to. What would you put on your list? Feel free to share in the comments – always up for some extra choons!

The Greek flag flying in a sunny sky

Greek Feeds on Insta You’ll Actually Want to Follow

Not all scrolling is bad for you – especially when you’re learning Greek. Language learning content feeds are popping up left, right and centre these days, so you can hop online and feel wholesome rather as you swipe and learn.

Instagram is probably my platform of choice for lingua-content, not least because of the number of language learning channels on it. Insta has nifty, intuitive bookmark folders, which allow you to save content in separate streams for each of your languages.

My Greek folder has seen a lot of recent action, thanks to a raft of edu-taining reels that are only getting better and better. They range from everyday grammar tips to mini lessons on colloquial, slangy phrases – the kind of thing that really sets your language apart from ‘book Greek’.

So what’s worth sharing in my bookmarks?

GREEK WITH DIMITRIS

If you’re new to the language, then Greek with Dimitris makes for a nice way in. He focuses on building basic vocabulary with some excellent, clearly narrated videos, but also runs regular pop quizzes in his stories.

GLOSSONAUTS

Props to Glossonauts for the wonderful channel name – etymologically hellenic and evocative of us all as language explorers (γλώσσα glossa = language, ναύτης náftis = sailor). The content is more geared towards beginner and lower intermediate learners, but with some great bonus content on people and culture.

GREEK OUT WITH MARIA

Greek Out With Maria falls firmly into the ‘learn the language like a local’ camp, and is excellent if you’re an intermediate learner looking to speak more idiomatically. Maria focuses on expressive, colloquial phrases that you won’t find in a textbook.  What’s especially great about this channel is the amount of cultural content and nod to the ‘hellenic soul’. I particularly loved this explanation of one of the lyrics from this year’s superb Eurovision entry by Greece’s Klavdia.

LEARN GREEK WITH KALLIA

Learn Greek with Kallia is another wonderful source of colloquialisms, with a growing catalogue of micro-lessons on sounding like a native. The language is informal and really colourful – exactly the kind of thing you’ll be reaching for if you’re spending any serious time in Greece.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ7JnXiMbd0/

THE GREEK SCHOLAR

In contrast to the other channels here, this feed takes a more traditional text / infographic approach to content that works really well as a mini-lesson format. Of particular interest is its great library of swipe-through guides to colloquial vocabulary usage. Take this video on φτάνω (arrive) – who knew it could be such a versatile verb?

GREEK LEARNING HUB

Greek Learning Hub has a really good range of content from vocab for beginners to longer, in-context dialogues. Some of the channel’s best reels are those where vocabulary is introduced through subtitled conversation, like this supermarket topic lesson.

So that’s what’s been filling my bookmark folder up. Have you found any other essential channels στα ελληνικά? What have I missed? Let me know in the comments!

Lighting ready for Eurovision

Eurovision 2025: Lingua Franca? Nein Danke!

Eurovision 2025 was a good vintage for lovers of language diversity. It’s clear that English isn’t a default for many countries any more, and ditching the lingua franca is certainly no bar to success.

In the first semifinal, for example, the five jettisoned entries were all in English , while nine of the ten qualifiers contained national language lyrics. The second semifinal was less kind, ditching Georgian, Montenegrin and Serbian in the last three places, but still, seven out of the ten successful songs chose not to rely entirely (or at all) on English.

And then, of course, to the final. After a pretty intense finish, it’s time for a stocktake. Just how, exactly, did our foreign languages fare?

A good start – and a good finish

The final promised much, with 21 of the 26 entries sung fully, or partly, in a language other than English. Admittedly, for the third year in a row, we do have another anglophone winner, although a wonderful one, with Austria’s sensational popera number Wasted Love by captivating countertenor JJ.

But our top ten is an encouraging one for fans of non-anglophone lyrics. Runner-up Israel manages to squeeze another two languages in alongside English, with lines in both Hebrew and French.  A single point behind, Estonia managed third place with arguably Anglo-Italian (or is it Mocktalian?) lyrics. Favourites Sweden, showcasing the national language for the first time since 1998, unexpectedly just missed out on the top three.

The rest of the top ten is made up almost exclusively of songs with national tongue lyrics – Italian, Greek, French, Albanian and Ukrainian. And if we take the coveted left-hand side of the scoreboard as the measure of general success at Eurovision, then we can add Finnish and Latvian to the list too.

Eurovision 2026 – Onwards and Upwards!

And that’s it for another year. Huge, deserved congratulations to Austria on its win, English lyrics or otherwise. Here’s hoping that the success of national languages in 2025 tempts even more countries to dare to switch back in 2026!

Lighting ready for Eurovision

Eurovision of Languages, 2025 Edition

Europhiles, unite! It’s time once more for our annual pilgrimage to Eurovision. And this year’s celebration of music and language is coming to us live from Basel, Switzerland.

Switzerland, of course, is the land of multiple national languages, with an impressive four to its constitution. For most of us, languages one of the main draws of the contest (it was certainly my way in!). And as it turns out, 2025 has a few nice surprises in store.

Eurovision 2025 : What’s In And What’s Out?

Icelandic is back, thanks to the Væb brothers – but Norwegian gives way to English again. After norsk-singing Gåte’s last place in the 2024 final, perhaps the appetite for a national language song wasn’t there. Perhaps most surprisingly, Swedish is back, and after a 27-year gap! Sverige is represented by the winsome KAJ, hailing from the Swedish-speaking region of Finland, and are bookie’s faves with their ode to the sauna, Bara bada bastu. It’s been a long time waiting since Jill Johnson’s Kärleken är in my lovely home city of Birmingham.

That makes two Finnish entries this year, then – well, almost. As for the Finnish broadcaster, YLE, there’s more language joy in store. Yes, Finnish is back! And Suomi’s Erika Vikman is proving, like Käärijä in 2023, that singing in your national language is no hobbler. The cheeky Ich komme not only squeezes a bit of German in there via the title, but has consistently featured in the bookie’s top ten favourites since its selection.

Francophone Delights

French is back big for 2025. For a start, Louane’s emotional Maman is currently third favourite to win. Joining her in francophone pop celebration are Luxembourg’s Laura Thorn, singing an up-to-date homage to the 1965 luxembourgeois winner Poupée de cire, poupée de son, Swiss home defender Zoë Më with the charmingly beautiful ballad Voyage, and Israeli singer Yuval, whose lyrics are partly in French (she lived in Geneva as a child).

Hardy Annuals

Italy, Portugal and Spain continue with France their long-held tradition of sending songs in the national language – welcome bulwarks against the tide of anglophone pop unleashed when the national language rule was dropped (again) in 1999. But they’re joined this year by Germany, who send a song in German for the first time since the late Roger Cicero’s 2007 entry. Baller is a fresh-sounding Ohrwurm that has worked its way into many fan favourite lists.

Neighbouring Baltics Latvia and Lithuania have both chosen this year’s edition to showcase their own languages. That’s a double rare occurrence – both countries have overwhelmingly opted to sing in English for most of their Eurovision journey. Estonia doesn’t quite join their club this year, but isn’t entirely in English; the quirky Espresso macchiato is sung partly in English, and partly in ‘Mocktalian’, which has caused some consternation with native speakers.

Completing the language line-up, we have Albanian, Greek, Hebrew, Montenegrin, Polish, Serbian and Ukrainian.

Now that doesn’t compare too shabbily with 2024, does it? Whichever country you’re supporting, have a great Eurovision – and see you in Basel!

Advert for Assimil language learning courses in The Scotsman, 1959

Selling Language Learning : Two Hundred Years of Promises

A lot has changed in contemporary language learning and teaching in a pretty short space of time. Anyone over 30 might still remember two distinct types of courses being sold on bookshop shelves – the traditional grammar-translation type, and those following a newer communicative approach.

The former is all about rules and drills, while the focus of the latter is language skills for real-world situations. In short, book language versus people language. There’s merit to both, of course – I get a lot from course books both old (sometimes very old) and new. But as the communicative approach is now such a natural first step for many, it’s easy to forget how recently it arose and became mainstream.

In my travels through the British Newspaper Archive, I come across countless ads and reviews for language course books through the decades. Of course, they’re almost all in that rules and drills vein. Writers were constantly coming up with the latest and greatest new system for ‘mastering’ a language. The Victorians seemed particularly obsessed with ‘system’ and ‘mastery’, and that fixation comes through in so many of the titles from that era.

So, here’s a selection of recent finds, spanning 150 years or so. What’s familiar – and what has changed?

A Practical German Grammar (1825)

Advert for "German Grammar" by John Rowbotham in Bell's Weekly Messenger, 1825

Advert for “German Grammar” by John Rowbotham in Bell’s Weekly Messenger, 1825

Two hundred years ago, German learners might have been tempted by Rowbotham’s A Practical German Grammar. There’s already an eye to later Teach Yourself courses, as the book is useful to “Private Students” too. And the biggest selling point? The author is “an Englishman” who knows well “those points which are attended with difficulty to his countrymen“. There’s nothing like solidarity!

Hebrew Verbs Simplified (1852)

Advert for "Hebrew Verbs Simplified" by Tresham D. Gregg in The Morning Herald (London), 1852

Advert for “Hebrew Verbs Simplified” by Tresham D. Gregg in The Morning Herald (London), 1852

The 19th Century saw the idea of efficiency and system fetishised to a fault, and you find simplified titles at every turn. There’s a drive to divide knowledge up into orderly chunks so that mastery – a Victorian fixation – is in the reach of everyone. This volume on Hebrew Verbs from 1852 is a lovely example of it. Learn it here and it will be “scarcely forgotten“!

An Easy And Rapid Method for Learning French Verbs (1881)

Advert for "An Easy and Rapid Method for Learning French Regular and Irregular Verbs" by A. E. Ragon in the Dundee Courier, 1881

Advert for “An Easy and Rapid Method for Learning French Regular and Irregular Verbs” by A. E. Ragon in the Dundee Courier, 1881

We have yet another system described in this short 1881 newspaper review, this time for French verbs. It’s easy! And it’s rapid! And you can sense the thrill of the efficiency-seekers, setting the messy world of language in order. It’s nothing new, of course; plenty of modern courses promise to simplify difficult paradigms. But the idea is so bound up with the Victorian ideal of progress and scientific understanding, that there’s a real feeling of Zeitgeist about these pieces.

Italian Conversational Course (1870)

Review for "Italian Conversational Course" by Giovanni Toscani in the Educational Times, 1870

Review for “Italian Conversational Course” by Giovanni Toscani in the Educational Times, 1870

Learning Italian in 1870? You might like to try Giovanni Toscani’s Italian Conversational Course. In the 19th Century spirit of logic and order, it’s organised perhaps a little differently from courses you might be used to. Namely, you’ll focus on verbs first, before moving onto nouns. You have to wonder how ‘conversational’ you’d be after only the first few chapters (“well, I can say I want but I can’t say what I want…”). Saying that, most of the Polish grammar I know is from a 1948 course that only taught neuter nouns for a surprisingly high number of chapters…

Hugo’s In Three Months (1957)

Advert for Hugo language courses in Bookseller, 1957

Advert for Hugo language courses in Bookseller, 1957

Skipping forward to the mid-20th Century, things start to look a little more familiar, even if the language sounds old-fashioned. Hugo – a language learning brand you’ll still see in bookshops today – ran this substantial ad piece in 1957. As a testament to the books’ popularity, the ad tells us that they’re now available as hardbacks (“bound in boards“), and available for a mere seven shillings and sixpence. That’s a bargain for language learning without a master!

Assimil Languages (1959)

Advert for Assimil language courses in The Scotsman, 1959

Advert for Assimil language courses in The Scotsman, 1959

Another evergreen language brand many will be familiar with from modern editions, Assimil was well on the game in 1959. And these courses were fully multimedia, at least in the format of the day – they came with a set of “gramophone records” to speed learners along the path of their three-month journey.  It’s that magic three months, again – both Hugo and Assimil were making that claim back in the 1950s, and it’s one you still see in today’s Hugo titles. The Victorians weren’t the only ones selling the simple system for mastery; it’s a tantalising (and book-selling idea) right into our own era.

Exploring the history of language learning seems like a tangential side-quest for the language learner, but it’s such a worthy one, if only for the social history of it all. The ideas that drove us, the tools we used to realise those ideas – its reflections are in each of these ads.

And sometimes, it’s surprising how little we’ve changed.