01 Give a language calendar

Start off the New Year with a 2011 calendar in Spanish, French, German or Italian! At under $15 (or under £10 each), you’ll be able to learn to speak a little bit of your new language every day, as well as to find out when important international holidays and events take place.  Get your friends, family and colleagues organised and give them the language advantage too!
for more information and to buy a language calendar in the UK>>
for more information and to buy a language calendar in the USA>>

02 Give a foreign language movie

Give a foreign language film on DVD to learn a bit of the language you are learning, and see it in real use!  Pop on and follow the subtitles or see how much you can pick up by just watching the film. You’ll learn a lot about the culture of the country the film is set in too. With prices from $5 (or £3), this is a perfect budget gift and a perfect present for your friends, relatives or colleagues to help them to pass a cold winter’s night!
for more information and to buy a foreign language film in the UK>>
for more information and to buy a foreign language movie in the USA>>

03 Give a CD in another language

A CD in another language is a great budget gift for language advantage aficionados!  Take a look at our selection of world music – there is music in many languages and from many cultures. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will be learning the language and singing along.  A great gift
for the music lover in your family and it is sure to get a party going over this holiday season!
for more information and to buy world music in the UK>>
for more information and to buy world music in the USA>>

04 Give a language course

There are lots of language learning courses to choose from, and we have hand-picked the bestselling ones on languageadvantage.com! Why not give a Michel Thomas or Pimsleur language course? Or, how about something from the Teach Yourself range? We have a range of self-study courses for the complete beginners, as well as language courses up to intermediate and advanced levels – perfect for that friend or colleague who has let their language skills go a bit rusty.  The language courses vary in price and are not as expensive as you might think, especially if you order them a new one for their iPhone!
for more information and to buy a language course in the UK>>
for more information and to buy a language course in the USA>>

05 Give a language gadget

With surprisingly reasonable prices (some are under $30 or £20), an electronic language dictionary or translator is a great gift to give the person who has everything, especially if they are an avid world traveller!  They’ll never be stuck for words – and will always be able to find a phrase to start a conversation in another language.  You will find the latest in language technology with speech-to-speech translators and dictionaries for your iPhone.  These language gadgets are really cool!
for more information and to buy a language gadget in the UK>>
for more information and to buy a language gadget in the USA>>

Find more great ideas for language gifts>>

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The monthly amount they receive depends on the language and proficiency level. The most popular languages being learnt are French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish, but a growing number of airmen are learning Chinese, Arabic and Pashto, one of the official languages of Afghanistan.

And to make sure they maintain their language skills, airmen must pass the test every year to keep receiving the bonus. That’s an incentive to keep learning!

Find out more about how to earn a bonus for learning a foreign language in the US Airforce>>

Browse our language list and learn a language  to get the language advantage in your profession!

• Ajami from Israel
• A Prophet (Un Prophète) from France
• The Milk of Sorrow (La Teta Asustada) from Peru
• The White Ribbon (Das Weisse Band) from Germany

These are definitely all films to go and see in 2010 if you are passionate about foreign language movies.

To find our recommended foreign language films, visit our World Film section>>

To buy a foreign language film, browse our Language Advantage World Film shop [UK]

To buy a foreign language movie, visit our Language Advantage World Film store [USA]

• The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany), director Uli Edel. Languages: In German, English, French and Swedish.
• The Class (Entre les murs) (France), director Laurent Cantet.   Languages: In French.
• Departures (Okuribito) (Japan), director Yojiro Takita.   Languages: In Japanese.
• Revanche (Austria), director Götz Spielmann.   Languages: In German and Russian.
• Waltz with Bashir (Israel), director Ari Folman. Languages: In Hebrew, German and English.

These are definitely all films to go and see in 2009 if you are passionate about foreign language movies.

To find our recommended foreign language films, visit our World Film section>>

To buy a foreign language film, browse our Language Advantage World Film shop [UK]

To buy a foreign language movie, visit our Language Advantage World Film store [USA]

Slumdog Millionaire is set in Mumbai, India.   It is about an 18 year-old boy named Jamal, who finds himself competing on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The questions he needs to answer give him a chance to look back at his earlier life. The show’s host, however, believes that he must be cheating and tries to force the boy to admit that as he is someone from an impoverished background he could not possibly be clever enough to win the show’s top prize. This entertaining but endearing film is one to watch.
Languages: in English, Hindi and Urdu.

Penélope Cruz won Best Supporting Actress in Vicky Cristina Barcelona for her portrayal of the fiery Maria Elena, a divorced woman still locked in a complex relationship with her ex-husband.
Languages: in Catalan, English and Spanish.

The French language film I’ve Loved You For So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t’aime), directed by Philippe Claudel won the BAFTA for Best Film not in the English Language.   In France, older sister Juliette is sent to prison for 15 years.   While her sister, Léa, tries to rebuild their relationship and welcomes her into her home on release from jail, her parents abandon her.
Languages: French.

Other foreign language films nominated for the BAFTA 2009 Best Film not in the English Language were:

• The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany).   Languages: In German, English, French and Swedish.
• Gomorrah (Italy).   Languages: In Italian, Mandarin and French.
• Persepolis (France).   Animation.   Languages: English and French language version available.
• Waltz with Bashir (Israel).   Animation.   Languages: Hebrew, German and English.

These are definitely all films to go and see in 2009 if you are passionate about foreign language movies.

To find our recommended foreign language films, visit our World Film section>>

To buy a foreign language film, browse our Language Advantage World Film shop [UK]

To buy a foreign language movie, visit our Language Advantage World Film store [USA]

Languages & Business 2009 takes a professional look at the subject of language training for business. The annual event offers a forum for the exchange of experiences and the chance to get up-to-date with best practice. Training professionals from corporate groups, SMEs, schools and universities will show how foreign languages and intercultural competence can be effectively conveyed and aligned to specific target groups. In practical workshops, up-to-the minute presentations and comprehensive plenary sessions experts will cover themes ranging from the challenges of quality assurance to innovative learning tools, methods, tests and current research. In addition, the accompanying exhibition will allow both providers and users to come together to discuss recent trends, exchange ideas and find relevant solutions for their individual requirements. The conference languages are German and English.

To find out more about how to learn a language for business>>

To find out more about the Languages & Business Conference 2009>>

Here are our top ideas for giving a language gift. Give the language advantage!

01 Give a language calendar

How better to start off the New Year with a 2012 calendar in Spanish, French, German or Italian? You’ll be able to practice a little bit of your language every day and you’ll also know all about international holidays and events that have occured on a particular day too. Get organised and get the language advantage!
for more information and to buy a language calendar, browse our Language Advantage Gift shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a language calendar, browse our Language Advantage Gift Store on amazon.com>>

02 Give an audiomagazine subscription

How about this for a very different kind of gift! Give them an audio magazine from the Think Language range. We recommend the Think Spanish, Think French and Think Italian audio magazines, which are proving to be a very popular way to learn Spanish, French and Italian online.They are designed to improve your Spanish, French or Italian the fun way, whilst also teaching you about the life and culture.

There are between eight and ten articles every month, covering topics from people, fiestas, ecotourism and recipes.  It is an authentic approach for learning French, Spanish or Italian online, for intermediate and advanced learners.  You can even download the audio onto your iPhone or mp3 player and listen while you’re away, following a print out of the audio in magazine style, along with explanations of vocabulary.

Browse the Think Spanish, Think French and Think Italian audio magazines>>

03 Give some magnetic poetry

For the creative wordsmiths among you, why not get your friends and family some magnetic poetry in French, Spanish and Italian? They might drive you crazy by sticking words all over your kitchen – or you may be surprised at how romantic the ‘feed the dog’ messages can seem when left in French! Fun and you’ll absorb new words while opening the fridge and clearing the dishwasher.
for more information and to buy magnetic poetry, browse our Language Advantage Gift Shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy magnetic poetry, browse our Language Advantage Gift Store on amazon.com>>

04 Give a language gadget

Give the latest in language technology, the speech-to-speech translator, to the person that has everything, but is always travelling across the world! They’ll never be stuck for words – and will always have something to start off a conversation. This is really cool! There are many more language gadgets including dictionaries for your PDA.
for more information and to buy a language gadget, browse Ectaco in the UK and USA>>

05 Give a language toy or game

Bilingual dolls, board games in other languages, sticker books, story books, dvds, videos, CD-ROMs and more! You may even enjoy Scrabble or Monopoly in Spanish! Give your children a language gift and they’ll be having so much fun, they won’t realise they’re learning a language … and you’ll be giving them one of the most fantastic gifts a parent can give a child!
for more information and to buy a language toy or game, browse our Language Advantage Gift shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a language toy or game, browse our Language Advantage Gift store on amazon.com>>

06 Give a foreign language movie

Give a foreign language film on DVD to learn a bit of the lingo in real use! Follow along with subtitles or just see how much you can pick up by just watching the film. You’ll learn a lot about the culture too. A perfect present to help pass a cold winter’s night!
for more information and to buy a foreign language film, browse our Language Advantage Gift shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a foreign language movie, browse our Language Advantage Gift store on amazon.com>>

07 Give a CD in another language

Take a look at our selection of world music – there is music there from many languages and many cultures. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will be singing along. A great present for the music lover in your family and it is sure to get a party going over this holiday season!
for more information and to buy world music, browse our Language Advantage Gift shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy world music, browse our Language Advantage Gift store on amazon.com>>

08 Give a language course

There are lots of language courses to choose from, but the most popular are the audio-only courses. Try out Michel Thomas and Pimsleur – these courses are so addictive, you may not see your friend or relative for a good few hours – they’ll be driving around in the car or they’ll be tied to the stereo. For intermediate or advanced learners, a language audiomagazine is a language gift to last a year! You’ll be giving a CD with an accompanying vocabulary and study guide – and the opportunity to keep up with the latest news and views straight from the country.
for more information and to buy a language course, browse our Language Advantage shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a language course, browse our Language Advantage store on amazon.com>>

09 Give a language book

If your friend or relative is really passionate about languages, then there are some superb books and dictionaries for them. Some are amazing reference books such as the encyclopedia of languages or whet the appetite of your friends and family for New Year travel with a travel novel. They are all books that someone who is language-mad would be proud to own! And they’ll be so absorbed by their new book, that they’ll leave plenty of food and drink for you!
for more information and to buy a language book, browse our Language Advantage Gift shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a language book, browse our Language Advantage Gift store on amazon.com>>

10 Give a culture book

A culture book is an ideal gift for anyone in your family that is an avid traveller, whether for pleasure or for business. From a light-hearted look at the different customs and foibles of different nationalities, to a serious look at the academic theory behind cultural management – they’ll be something here to engage the traveller in your midst.
for more information and to buy a culture book, browse our Language Advantage Culture shop on amazon.co.uk>>
for more information and to buy a culture book, browse our Language Advantage Culture store on amazon.com>>

11 Give a language holiday

If you’re really flash with cash, then you may want to treat your loved one to a language holiday. How would they like Spanish and Dancing or Spanish and Scuba Diving? Or for those passionate about food and drink, you have French and Wine Tasting or Spanish and Cuisine. You can combine your language holiday with nearly any activity – try Golf, Sailing, Yoga for a few!
browse language courses abroad>>

Browse more language gifts from our Language Advantage Gift shop UK and Language Advantage Gift store USA

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Our top 10 foreign language films

01 Downfall German
02 House of the Flying Dagger Chinese
03 Motorcycle Diaries Spanish
04 Amelie French
05 Il Postino Italian
06 Life is Beautiful Italian
07 Y Tu Mama Tambien Spanish
08 Delicatessen French
09 Spirited Away Japanese
10 Manon des Sources French

Foreign language movies by language

We have selected the most popular foreign language movies for you:

Foreign language film reviews

This is where we tell you what we really think about foreign language films on language advantage! We’ve picked out a selection of our favourite foreign language movies and written a short review of each. They are all very different, but excellent viewing – and of course will motivate you to get the language advantage.

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