“A different language is a different vision of life.”

“A different language is a different vision of life.”

-Federico Fellini

Language is a soul of society. It connects and intertwines different cultures. The official figure of 'mother tongues' spoken in India is 1,683 of which an estimated 850 are in daily use. Now, imagine the number of languages spoken across the world. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could converse in a language other than your mother tongue? More often than not, have you heard that it is not the land that is foreign; but the man! Each of us holds an ambition inside us to visit different nations of the World. It would make your trip much easier if you could speak in the language spoken by the people in the country you visited.  Learning a foreign language not only reveals how other societies think and feel but also what they have experienced and value. Moreover, how they express themselves, it provides a cultural mirror in which we can more clearly see our own society. A great man once said. “You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.” One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way. Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but also learning another way to think about things. You can immerse yourself into a different culture altogether and see the world through a new pair of eyes. So go ahead, learn a new language, a new culture and embrace a new perspective to life.

Remember: Language is the road map of a culture.  It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.

Happy Learning!

Why people write and why you should write too?

              Love writing. Love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.

There is no better way to improve your language than reading and/or writing. Now, you may pass it on by saying that, “Writing? It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.” We beg to differ. Writing is not an inborn talent. Just like driving or swimming, you just have to start doing it and gradually you will be on your way. The best means to write and write well is to develop a reading habit. Read, read, and read. Read everything -- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You will absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it is not, throw it out of the window then start all over again. You must write every single day of your life...You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. Start by writing small; write a hundred words on anything- may it be your daily routine or little incidents of your life. Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either. Write for yourself, note down ordinary details of your life, and observe people and places around you, stories of your lives, stories of others. Remember, everyone around you lives in a world that you create.

Happy writing!

“A different language is a different vision of life.”

“A different language is a different vision of life.”

-Federico Fellini

Language is a soul of society. It connects and intertwines different cultures. The official figure of 'mother tongues' spoken in India is 1,683 of which an estimated 850 are in daily use. Now, imagine the number of languages spoken across the world. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could converse in a language other than your mother tongue? More often than not, have you heard that it is not the land that is foreign; but the man! Each of us holds an ambition inside us to visit different nations of the World. It would make your trip much easier if you could speak in the language spoken by the people in the country you visited.  Learning a foreign language not only reveals how other societies think and feel but also what they have experienced and value. Moreover, how they express themselves, it provides a cultural mirror in which we can more clearly see our own society. A great man once said. “You can never understand one language until you understand at least two.” One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way. Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but also learning another way to think about things. You can immerse yourself into a different culture altogether and see the world through a new pair of eyes. So go ahead, learn a new language, a new culture and embrace a new perspective to life.

Remember: Language is the road map of a culture.  It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.

Happy Learning!

Beyond Gangnam Style: Learning Language via Music

Language learning offers unique and exciting opportunities to integrate music. Many people have had the experience of learning a world language and singing simple, silly songs in class. The introduction of music provides a light-hearted and fun way to interact with another language and culture.

In fact, music and language are linked in Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences. The Multiple Intelligences theory states that there are eight basic ways of people being "smart." In this case, "smart" is defined as the strengths that each learner has in acquiring new information. The eight intelligences are:

·  Logical-mathematical intelligence (number/reasoning smart)

·  Linguistic intelligence (word smart)

·  Spatial intelligence (picture smart)

·  Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (body smart)

·  Musical and Linguistic intelligence (music and language smart)

·  Interpersonal intelligence (people smart)

·  Intrapersonal intelligence (self smart)

·  Naturalist intelligence (nature smart)

Musical and linguistic intelligence could be supported by listening to and analyzing popular songs from the times. Every person has these intelligences, but we all have our preferences and strengths, so a lesson plan that includes a variety of activities is bound to capture students' attention and facilitate learning.

In addition, it is worth noting that different kinds of activities may give English Language Learners an opportunity to participate in ways that build their confidence or fit their learning styles — a student who is shy or insecure may surprise you with a remarkable music or art assignment!

If you are studying or planning to study a particular language, learning the language partly through music would be a great option available to you. If you want to find the lyrics for a particular song, you can, most of the time, simply google the name of the band and song, and get them translated. It only takes a couple of days of study to get the hang of it, so don’t be put off by these strange characters!

Otherwise, simply enjoy discovering a new culture. Remember, music is truly diverse, creative, and addictive. If you have any additional bands you think are worthy of mention, please let us know in the comments section! Also, this list is highly subjective, there are simply too many good bands to include in one go, so don’t hesitate to make your own suggestions and we will most likely write an additional post in the future by request, lingholic, if people are interested!

Ten Reasons to learn the interesting language- English!

There are many reasons behind learning English. It is one of the most ambitious languages to learn and therefore it is important to focus on exactly why you should learn English. Here, we will look at the ten great reasons to understand why English is very important. This could probably motivate you to keep going even when you are tired of trying to figure out which witch is which!

1. Learn English to be able to communicate with millions of people around the world!

English is the most commonly spoken language around the world. Every one person out of five understands it! Imagine being able to communicate successfully with all those people if you learn English.

2.  Enjoy the Latest Movies, Books, and TV When You Learn English!

Learn English and enjoy the Hollywood Oscar movies or follow TV series and read some bestseller novels. You can get more source of entertainment this way and it will add a language to your resume.

3. You will be able to visit the 45 countries where English is the official language!

English is the official language of United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Sudan, South Africa, Singapore, Mauritius, Canada, Bahamas, and so on. If you are fluent in English, you can visit these countries for job opportunities or simply to spend holiday.

4. Speaking English is a tremendous asset to your professional career!

English is the official language of India. Thus, many companies prefer English-speaking employees to people who do not speak it. Getting a hold of this language can lead to growth in your career.

5. If you learn English, you will be able to visit most websites!

The number of websites available in English is far more than the sites in regional languages. Not only the quantity but also the quality of English websites is far better. The picture and video qualities are very clear. You can enjoy them when you learn English.

6. Learning English will help you make new friends.

Wherever you travel around the world and you are not sure what to talk about when meeting new people abroad, well-known British brands such as The Oxford University and Manchester United are sure to provoke opinions, no matter who you may be talking to!

7. Learning English will not only add a language to your resume but will also give great knowledge to you.

If you learn English, you will be able to interact with more people, read more books, and get more exposure. This will help you be part of the globalized market.

8. English is the international language of business.

If you are a businessperson and think that you do not need to learn English, you are absolutely wrong. If you learn this language, you can market your business worldwide and can interact with more people and deal with international clients.

9. If you are a student, you can think of going abroad for further studies.

Be it a third world country, youngsters always like to travel abroad especially for studies. Getting a hold of the English language makes things easier and convenient at any point of time.

10. English is an easy language.

English is not hard to learn, compared to many other foreign languages! If you are dedicated and really want to learn it, then it will not be very difficult for you.

Besides all these advantages, who would not like to learn English?

Symbiosis (ELTIS) offers you a helping hand in learning English. Join ELTIS to learn international English!

Writing Worries!!

Writing- something that everyone is afraid of, next to public speaking of course! Whether you are a 12-year old or 22-year old person, everybody tries to run away from writing as much as they can. From a simple letter to essays to report writing, all these things are guilty of inducing fear in the heart of students, irrespective of whether they are in school, high school or college. But not anymore. Today, we will provide you some simple pointers which will help you overcome this fear.

1.     First and foremost, make sure you know all the words you are using and their correct usage. A diverse, large vocabulary is impressive, no doubt. But using words in wrong context has a negative impact on the reader.

2.     Keep changing your sentence structures. Use short, simple, complex and compound sentences to induce some variation. It makes it more exciting for the reader.

3.     Use correct punctuation and grammar. If you are confused about something, it’s always better to look it up first, instead of making an error. There is nothing more putting off for a reader than coming across spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.

4.     Get your facts right. There is no margin for error here. If you are putting up data or some kind of facts or principles, make sure you have sufficient and absolutely correct information.

5.     Organise your thoughts. When writing an essay or an article, it’s always advised to think of some points before you actually start writing. Jot them down so that you can compile everything in a structured format later on.

6.     Avoid repetition of words. Don’t use the same words or terms again and again. Look up for synonyms if needed. One needs to put a lot of time and patience to develop a powerful vocabulary. For others, there is always the world wide web.

7.     Keep practising. Now, this theory is very difficult to implement, especially for people who run away from writing. But let us tell you, there is no substitute for hard work. A journal entry in your own words or just by copying a newspaper article, you can learn a lot. Even editing other people’s work teaches you a lot.

8.     Lastly, READ whether it’s a newspaper article or a health magazine. The more you read the better your writing will get.

To conclude, equip yourself with these tips. Having a strong command over the language will definitely help you in boosting your confidence. It will also give you an edge over all those people who still fear writing.

Make An Impressive Introduction!

New place, new faces, unfamiliar surroundings!

It is natural to get homesick and feel that you are all alone and helpless. You start missing your friends. It gets even worse if you feel you are being treated unfairly because there is a language barrier. But don’t worry. We will tell you how to make that charming first impression and set the ball rolling with the new set of people around you. No need to get nervous. Just follow these simple tips and we assure you, you will be a hit wherever you go:-

Initiating a conversation:

Always begin with a smile. A nice gentle smile goes a long way in establishing that initial connection with a stranger. It gives you an opportunity to say something about yourself.

You can start with a simple greeting - “Hello! I am ____.”And then ask for the other person’s name. It is also a good habit to slow down and say your name clearly. Once you know the name of the other person, ask something about the person like “Where are you from?” or “What do you do?” Also make sure you take the person’s name while asking the question. This will help you remember the name and it shows your interest in the other person.

e.g. What do you do, Sneha? / Sneha, where are you from?

Body Language:

While you are saying the initial words, remember that your tone of voice as well as body language have a major impact. You will want to project enthusiasm by using an upbeat and a positive tone of voice. While hand gestures should be as less as possible, make sure you maintain eye contact as looking into the eyes of the listener while speaking shows that you are giving your complete undivided attention.

What to talk about:

You could start by giving some personal details about yourself like your native place or even hobbies after which you can casually ask the other person about the same. Try to talk about something in common and if not, choose common topics such as sports, music, food or even the weather. It will help you establish a rapport with the other person. Try to stay away from boring or depressingly serious news events. Moreover, if you are talking about religion or politics, do not try to impose or force your beliefs as some people could be really sensitive when it comes to such issues. Try and use humour. Be supportive and positive. Always avoid asking for a favour or money.

Closing the conversation:

You could end your conversation with a cordial “Hope to see you around” or “It was really nice meeting you”. And last but not the least, always be POLITE!

Don’t forget, people quickly form opinions based on first impressions and that is why making a good first impression is extremely important. Whether you are in a classroom, a coffee house, a conference room, a restaurant or online, the ability to introduce yourself effectively is a useful communication skill. Thus, follow the above mentioned pointers and go out and impress everybody with your newly acquired social skills!