Taiwan has one of the biggest industries for publishing Chinese language books and is doing a roaring trade as it tries to capitalize on the potential 1.3 billion readers in China. The Taipei International Book Exhibition opened recently selling many of the censored Chinese language books banned in China.

Read more about the boom in Chinese language books in Taiwan>>

Read our recommended top ways to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese>>

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In December 2011, the United States warned Latin American countries against closer links with Iran. Despite this, the Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez, praised the launch of Hispan TV.

The Spanish language channel Hispan TV joins the English language channel Press TV and the Arabic language channel al-Alam, all financed by Iran.

Read more about the Spanish language TV channel recently launched in Iran>>

According to the survey, it appears that UK companies rely too much on using English to communicate with overseas clients when using the local language would be more beneficial. Stephan Chambers who is the MBA programme director at the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, said that “Fluency in languages other than our own must help insight and understanding and, in turn, our national competitiveness.”

It is essential for UK firms to reduce their reliance on using English when dealing with overseas clients particularly if they trade with the world’s growth markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC countries). Companies with staff who can speak Mandarin, Spanish, Russian, Arabic or Portuguese could potentially win more business and build stronger relationships with their customers in countries where these languages are spoken.

Read more about the Regus survey and why a lack of language skills is damaging UK businesses>>

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The pupils learn French in class and now have the confidence to speak with the footballers in French. Overall enthusiasm for French at the school has been increased due to the footballers’ visits. Gillet, from Bordeaux said ”This is a new thing for me. I try to talk to them and help them as well.”

Read more about the Scottish Premier League footballers helping local pupils to learn French

Help your child learn French with a Kids French language course>>

Learn to speak French with a French language course>>

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Learning a language will never be this easy again. Up to the minute scientific research shows that the brain’s ‘window of opportunity’ for learning a second language is from birth to ages 10 or 12. Experts say early learning enriches overall mental development, including improved memory and better cognitive and listening skills.

This famous BBC course uses the award-winning character MUZZY, engaging kids’ natural ability to learn language.  The current BBC Muzzy Language Course includes story DVDs, song DVDs, vocabulary CDs and more.  Available in Levels 1 and 2, the BBC Muzzy 20th Anniversary Edition language courses combine 5 languages in one – French, German, Italian, Spanish and English.

Find out more about BBC Muzzy language courses for kids>>

But, let’s begin by talking about the meaning of the Chinese New Year. The festivities for the Chinese New Year – also known as the Spring Festival – usually last for 15 days starting before the New Year and the full moon and include many celebrations such as: spring cleaning, fireworks, bursting of crackers, lion dance, lantern festivals, Chinese New Year Eve family dinners and a Chinese New Year Day holiday. If you’re around, go and join in the festivities. Some of the more famous celebrations outside of China take place in London’s Trafalgar Square and Chinatown and San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Day Parade.

The Chinese New Year is always in late January up to mid-February, depending upon the timing of the New Moon that month.  The Chinese lunar calendar follows the movements of the moon very closely and all months have 29 or 30 days. Every few years, there is a leap year, but instead of having just one extra day (as in the Western Gregorian calendar), there is an extra month added to even up the fact that there are about 365.25 days a year (the real time it takes the earth to go around the sun).

It is said that the Chinese lunar calendar started as the Xia calendar in the 21st – 16th century BC. It is still used widely for cultural festivals and agricultural life, although the Western Gregorian calendar was adopted with the arrival of the People’s Republic of China in the early 20th century to bring China in line with the national calendars of most of the rest of the world.

On top of this, we have the Chinese zodiac system, which is based upon the movements of the Earth around the sun and lunar activity.  Then, add in the twelve animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat/ram, monkey, rooster, dog and pig/boar), the five elements (metal, water, wood, fire and Earth), Yin and Yang and you’ll start to see why the Chinese zodiac system is so complicated!  The Chinese believe that the date that you were born in these cycles heavily influence your personality traits and your direction in life. This close relationship between the earth and the moon are reflected in the language. The word for day is in fact, the Chinese for ‘sun’ and the word for month is ‘moon’.

Find out about our recommended top ways to learn to speak Mandarin Chinese>>

Watch a Mandarin Chinese language film>>

Read more about China and the Chinese culture>>

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Nowadays, this day is a national day, much like our public holidays. The Australian federal government tries to promote Australia Day with more of an Australian profile. Festivities celebrate what is truly great about Australia with more of an emphasis on its cultural diversity and an appreciation of what it means to be Australian. Festivities include flying the Australian flag, singing the Australian National Anthem, fireworks and public ceremonies although most people tend to spend the day with family and friends. There are many Australians who will be soaking up the sun and ‘putting on the barbie’ on this day! Unfortunately in England, this may not quite be so possible!

Find out more about Australia Day and what it means to be Australian

A more academic approach toward the promotion of the Persian language will also be put forward at the congress. Around 250 guests will be attending the congress at the Allameh Tabatabaii University in Tehran, including scholars and professors from academic institutions around the world.

Read more about the congress and promotion of the Persian language in Tehran, Iran

Learn Persian today! For more information and to buy a Eurotalk Persian language course>>

For more information and to buy other Persian language courses>>

Get the Persian language advantage. Claim your competitive advantage!

The company provides e-faxing services via email either through a computer or through a mobile device. Customers can select to pay in one of 20 currencies including Danish Krone, Mexican Peso and Brazilian Real. This level of multiple language services (to also include live sales and customer services support) and international growth in this level of communication, allows international customers local access and, most importantly, in their own native language.

Read more about j2 Communications Inc and its multiple language-specific websites and services

The term ‘Miss’ is usually addressed to young, unmarried women and is meant to be a sign of respect of that status. This term of address can be heard in many countries and languages around the world but is not used as frequently as it once was. According to the Cesson-Sevigne community in France, a more general term of address for women, such as ‘Madame’, would avoid misunderstandings and discrimination.

Read more about the meaning and history of the word ‘Mademoiselle’ and why is has been banned in Cesson-Sevigne, France