The etymology of chocolate

  • Posted by Stephen Whiteley
  • On 20/01/2020
  • etymology, language learning, Linguistics, Spanish, Translation
The etymology of chocolate Chocolate is beloved by many, so much so that some call it “the food of the Gods”! Used as currency and traded by the Aztecs, chocolate arrived in Europe via the Spanish conquistadors, and was soon a favourite drink with the upper classes. There are different stories about the origin and etymology […]
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How to speak Guatemalan Spanish like a local!

  • Posted by Stephen Whiteley
  • On 15/01/2020
  • dialect, Guatemala, language, language learning, Quality, Spanish, traducción
10 Guatemalan Slang Words and Phrases To Speak Like A Local In Latin America as every country has its version of Spanish, and there are significant variations of the language in every country. Guatemala is no exception! Guatemalan Spanish has many slang words that may not appear in your textbook, yet are commonly used in […]
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Gender in language

  • Posted by Stephen Whiteley
  • On 27/07/2019
  • Chinese, English, Linguistics, Spanish, words
Gender in language – A mysterious thing For most native English speakers, gender in language is a mysterious thing. Why is an inanimate object like a chair feminine in Italian but masculine in Russian?   Examples of gender in languages The first thing to note is that the gender isn’t so much a property of […]
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Top five language learning questions answered

  • Posted by Stephen Whiteley
  • On 16/07/2019
  • Chinese, English, etymology, French, German, language learning, poetry, Portuguese, Spanish
Learning a new language can seem like a difficult task. But when you go through the process you will enjoy the rewarding experiences that a new language will offer you. However, next time you come across those funny ads that guarantee you’ll learn a language in 2 weeks or 1 month, don´t believe it!
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The history of dollar

  • Posted by Stephen Whiteley
  • On 29/12/2015
  • English, etymology, Linguistics, literary translation, literature, Spanish
The word dollar has a curious and convoluted history: It is derived, as a word, from Thaler, which itself comes from the  Joachimsthal silver mine in Bohemia. In 1519, the silver from Joachimsthal was first used to mint the Bohemian coin Guldengroschen (‘great guilder’, made of silver but equal in value to a gold guilder). […]
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