#i think slovak also has similar letter

[number-one-fan-of-doktor]

This isn't super related but in Lithuanian we have a "ž" letter that makes that sound, so for me it's easier to understand bc English also has the "sh" and "ch" sounds that have letters "š" and "č" in Lithuanian

Yes! Is same sound as in most Slavic languages. But most that do not use Cyrillic alphabet have separate letter for it. In Russian this sound has its own letter, but when you transliterate to English, it is written with ZH combo. But it is same sound!

[tolstayas]

tagged by @transmutationisms for top 9 movie watches of 2024 !

not entirely consistent with my ratings on letterboxd because idk i contain multitudes, also not in any particular order

one second: saw this at the bfi and there was a cool talk after which reminded me that i am actually also a china studies guy. really worked for me despite the sickly sweet presumably reshot ending

the story of qiu ju: zhang yimou film number two! very much in the same genre as one second. watched with a friend from wuhan and 30 seconds in we look at each other and go "i think we should turn on chinese subtitles." accents <3

in the mood for love: good movey. nice to look at

leto: a friend has been telling me to watch this for like 5 years now and i'm glad i did! fun concept, good summer vibes

between the temples: this movie made me feel weird

orlando, my political biography: okay hear me out. i think everyone criticizing this for being corny, didactic, politically confused, elitist, colonial, unsubtle, pretentious etc. is completely right. however i also read woolf's orlando last year and... it's exactly like that. i wrote about this here and on letterboxd too but i genuinely think it's the perfect adaptation. it's a love letter to orlando in the same way that orlando is a love letter to vita. preciado's fawning, uncritical, self-involved universalism is completely earnest, just like woolf's is. honestly made orlando itself way more interesting to me

much ado about nothing: sexy as hell. was on a shakespeare kick this summer and this was my favourite recorded play i watched

ivan vasilyevich changes professions: did not expect to like this nearly so much! the russians were right after all

pelišky: watched this with my slovak friend and had a great time. similar to ivan vasilyevich re: these slavs are onto something with their classic comedies

tagging @ueberdemnebelmeer @mollymooon @kafkaesquegf @kutyozh @transpigeon @girafeduvexin if you want!

[butchlynz]

How to identify languages

a summary of this article by James Harbeck.

Languages that don’t use the Latin Alphabet (alphabetical order)

Ř, ř: Czech 

Å, å: å, ø, and æ = Norwegian or Danish. Danish sometimes uses aa instead of å.

Ð, ð; Þ, þ ø: Faroese. Icelandic is similar but uses ö.

Ő, ő; Ű, ű: Hungarian

Ð, ð; Þ, þ, ö: Icelandic.  ö = öinstead (as in jökull, which means "glacier").

の = Japanese

Ģ, ģ; Ķ, ķ; Ļ, ļ; Ņ, ņ: Latvian

Ł, ł: probably Polish. For further confirmation, look for Ż/ż.

Ã, ã: probably Portuguese, especially if it looks a lot like Spanish

Ă, ă: Romanian (unless you're looking at Vietnamese, but read on for more about that). For further confirmation, look for Ț/ț and Ș/ș (that's T and S with a comma beneath).

ö, å and ä (with crowns, like Swedish royalty) = Swedish.

I, ı; İ, i: Turkish, probably. Also look for ğ.

Vietnamese:  short words, most of its vowels having one or two accents each, so that it looks like someone with a lot of piercings. Here's an example from Wikipedia: Hà Nội là thủ đô của nước Cộng hoà Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam và cũng là kinh đô của rất nhiều vương triều Việt cổ.

Languages using the Latin Alphabet

Spanish has ñ, unlike French and Italian. (though other languages also use it). Italian has common words è ("is") and e ("and"), which in French are est and et and in Spanish are es and y.

Dutch, German, and Afrikaans: Of these three close relations to English, only German uses Ä/ä, Ö/ö, and Ü/ü. Only Dutch frequently uses ij; Afrikaans uses y in the same places (e.g., Dutch mij and Afrikaans mymean "me"). German for "is" and "and" are ist and und, while in Dutch and Afrikaans they're is and en.

Irish, Scots Gaelic, and Welsh: Welsh is actually quite different from the other two. It uses lots of ll and ff and it uses w as a vowel (e.g., cwm). The two Gaelics (Irish and Scots) are easily identified because both have lots of bh, ch, dh, fh, gh, mh, ph, sh, and th (none of which are pronounced like you probably think they are), and both use accents on vowels, but only Scots uses grave (left-pointing) accents, like on à in Gàidhlig.

Finnish and Estonian: Finnish has long words and lots of double letters (as in moottoripyöräonnettomuus, which means "motorcycle accident"), making it look (and sound) like it's speeding past you. Almost none of it looks related to words you could recognize. If you see a language that looks a lot like Finnish but has words ending in b or g and has the character õ, it's Estonian.

Albanian and Xhosa: These two languages are completely unrelated, sound nothing alike, and are from different continents. But both use xh (as well as c and q) and if you don't know either of them you may be stumped by looking at them. Albanian uses a lot of ë (as in Tiranë, the capital of Albania). A lot. Xhosa does not. (On the other hand, Xhosa and Zulu look very similar, and if you're not sure which you're looking at, maybe just ask someone.)

Languages that are really similar

Croatian and Slovak - just give up on differentiating them.

Serbian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Ukrainian, and of course Russian all use the Cyrillic alphabet (like русский) . Some Central Asian languages do, as well. Remember: Just because it uses the Cyrillic alphabet doesn't mean it's Russian. (Also, just because a language uses Arabic script doesn't mean it's Arabic. It could be Farsi or Urdu, for instance, neither of which are actually related to Arabic.)

[catholiccruisesandtours]

St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) Our Family Traditions | Wellness Mama

The Tradition of St. Nicholas Day Around the World (December 6th) Katie Wells 18 Comments Updated: December 1, 2018 This post contains affiliate links Thanks to a European influence on both sides of the family, my husband and I both grew up celebrating the tradition of St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. Many people just know St. Nicholas by the name Santa Claus. While the modern figure of Santa derives from St. Nick, you’d hardly find this patron saint of children making toys in the North Pole. Who Was St. Nicholas? The real man behind the fictitious modern day Santa Claus was St. Nicholas of Myra. Born in 280 A.D. in Asia Minor, he lost his parents at an early age, though they left him great wealth when they died. He was known for giving anonymous gifts to help those in need and was eventually made a bishop. The good bishop died on December 6th; thus this day is now St. Nicholas Day. (For a fascinating explanation of how a man with a beard, reindeer, and the North Pole came to be associated with St. Nick, see this podcast episode about Santa Claus and the roots of the story in Finnish culture.) Why the Gift Giving? The history of leaving shoes or stockings out for St. Nicholas likely stems from the story of him leaving small bags of gold for a man and his three daughters. During those times women had to bring a dowry to a marriage in order to find a good husband. St. Nick heard of a man who had three daughters but could not afford the dowry. Without it, the daughters would most likely enter a life of prostitution instead of being able to marry. According to legend, St. Nick threw three bags of gold through their window at night, saving them from a life at a brothel and cementing his place as the patron of gift giving. St. Nicholas Day Around the World The feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated around the world in various cultures. Our own family tradition is a hybrid of several cultural traditions related to St. Nick. This is how some cultures around the world remember this day: Shen’Kollë in Greece In Greece (as well as Albania, Serbia, and Bulgaria), St. Nicholas is celebrated on the eve of his feast day, December 5th. This day is known as Shen’Kolli i Dimnit (Saint Nicholas of Winter). In these cultures, this day is one of fasting, not gift giving. In fact, on this day, most people abstain from meat or fast completely or prepare a feast to eat just after midnight. Sinterklaas in Belgium & Netherlands In these countries, children leave their boots in front of the fireplace for St. Nicholas. Often, they include a carrot or a treat for his horses, as legend has it that he arrived with his horses via sleigh or steamboat in these areas. St. Nicholas and Père Fouettard in France In France, St. Nicholas arrives on December 6th and gives children small gifts and chocolates. In the weeks leading up to this day, parents and grandparents tell stories of the legend of St. Nick, including a disturbing but popular one. The story goes that three children wandered away and got lost. A butcher lured them into his shop where he killed them and salted them away in a large tub. According to legend, St. Nicholas revived the boys and brought them home to their families. (At least there’s a happy ending!) This story earned St. Nicholas his reputation as protector of children in France. The butcher (known as “Père Fouettard,” meaning “Father Whipper”) is imagined to follow St. Nicholas in penance and leave lumps of coal or even whip misbehaving children. In France, statues and paintings often portray this event, showing the saint with children in a barrel. Sankt Nikolaus and Krampusnacht in Germany and Austria The way our family honors St. Nicholas mainly centers on this tradition. In Germany and Austria (and some other countries in this region), children leave out a boot for St. Nicholas and receive small toys, coins, or candy. In these areas, St. Nicholas still dresses like a bishop and often is portrayed on a horse. Like the French story, a sinister companion accompanies St. Nick, in this case the even more terrifying demon-like Krampus. In these areas, they don’t mess around with an Elf on the Shelf to encourage kids to be good: they invoke the legend of the Krampus! This beast is thought to punish children who misbehave and to capture particularly naughty children in his sack and carry them away to his lair. The Krampus has roots in Germanic folklore and its influence has spread to Austria, southern Bavaria, South Tyrol, northern Friuli, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, and Croatia. December 5th is known as Krampus Night, or Krampusnacht, in which the hairy devil appears on the streets. Traditionally young men dress up as the Krampus on the night of December 5th and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells. How We Celebrate St. Nicholas Day Spooky stories are fun in their own way, but never fear … there is a more cheerful way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day! He was a good bishop known for helping others, after all. We honor St. Nick’s feast day in our family by celebrating in a few ways, adapting a mix of celebrations from around the world. Leaving Shoes or Boots Out on December 5th We leave out a shoe or boot in the hallway on the evening of December 5th for St. Nick’s arrival on December 6th. This is similar to the idea of doing stockings, though we do that as well on Christmas Day. In the boots, our kids usually find: Coins: Each child receives some quarters in their shoe to signify the money St. Nicholas gave. Healthy Treats: We also give some healthy treats like dark chocolate, small bags of nuts,  or homemade marshmallows. Oranges: These signify the gold St. Nick gave away and our kids love oranges this time of year (which we don’t usually get because they aren’t in season). Random Acts of Kindness The most important lesson from the legend of St. Nicholas is his generosity. To help us all remember this, we make a point to do random acts of kindness this time of year. We brainstorm creative ways to help those in need in our local area, and set about our “secret” mission to bring some joy to others. In the past, we’ve done things like: Drop off grocery store gift cards to families in need. Give a big box of wrapped gifts and clothes to families who need them. Anonymously pay the utility bills of someone in need. Wrap gifts or donate items to local foster programs. The list of possibilities is endless, and it’s always a good lesson in gratitude for all our blessings. The Traveling Christmas St. Nicholas (or Angel) This is perhaps the most fun tradition and one I hope you’ll consider starting in your own area. In the spirit of St. Nicholas Day, we start a traveling Christmas St. Nicholas (or Angel) tradition to spark generosity all over our area. Here’s how it works: Get some kind of small St. Nicholas statue or angel statue. Think of another family in your area you want to pass on the statue to and something kind to do for them. This could be a small gift, a family activity, or just an act of kindness. Anonymously leave the statue on their front door mat one evening with a letter indicating that they’ve been touched by the spirit of Christmas generosity and that it is now their turn to pass on a kind act to another family in the area. We also print out a paper that “We’ve been visited by St. Nicholas” that they can post in their front window so others know they’ve already been visited. Whether you celebrate St. Nicholas Day or not, a random act of kindness is a great way to honor the Christmas season and we certainly need more of it in the world. Happy Feast of St. Nicholas, from my family to yours! Does your family celebrate St. Nicholas Day? What are your traditions? Filed Under: Natural Home This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate policy. Twitter Facebook Google+ Pinterest Linkedin Reddit You May Also Enjoy These Posts... Healthy Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day 39: Is ADHD Under Diagnosed? 101: Critical Thinking in a Social Media World (What You Didn’t Learn in History Class) About Katie Wells Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder and CEO of Wellness Mama, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox. Primary Sidebar Enter your name & best email address below to join the Wellness Mama community and get the latest articles, podcasts, & healthy discounts delivered to your inbox!

Webmasters's insight:

A look at the Traditions of #SaintNicolasDay around the World. #CatholicCruisesAndTours 

[mymoneycomparison-com]

St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) Our Family Traditions | Wellness Mama

The Tradition of St. Nicholas Day Around the World (December 6th) Katie Wells 18 Comments Updated: December 1, 2018 This post contains affiliate links Thanks to a European influence on both sides of the family, my husband and I both grew up celebrating the tradition of St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. Many people just know St. Nicholas by the name Santa Claus. While the modern figure of Santa derives from St. Nick, you’d hardly find this patron saint of children making toys in the North Pole. Who Was St. Nicholas? The real man behind the fictitious modern day Santa Claus was St. Nicholas of Myra. Born in 280 A.D. in Asia Minor, he lost his parents at an early age, though they left him great wealth when they died. He was known for giving anonymous gifts to help those in need and was eventually made a bishop. The good bishop died on December 6th; thus this day is now St. Nicholas Day. (For a fascinating explanation of how a man with a beard, reindeer, and the North Pole came to be associated with St. Nick, see this podcast episode about Santa Claus and the roots of the story in Finnish culture.) Why the Gift Giving? The history of leaving shoes or stockings out for St. Nicholas likely stems from the story of him leaving small bags of gold for a man and his three daughters. During those times women had to bring a dowry to a marriage in order to find a good husband. St. Nick heard of a man who had three daughters but could not afford the dowry. Without it, the daughters would most likely enter a life of prostitution instead of being able to marry. According to legend, St. Nick threw three bags of gold through their window at night, saving them from a life at a brothel and cementing his place as the patron of gift giving. St. Nicholas Day Around the World The feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated around the world in various cultures. Our own family tradition is a hybrid of several cultural traditions related to St. Nick. This is how some cultures around the world remember this day: Shen’Kollë in Greece In Greece (as well as Albania, Serbia, and Bulgaria), St. Nicholas is celebrated on the eve of his feast day, December 5th. This day is known as Shen’Kolli i Dimnit (Saint Nicholas of Winter). In these cultures, this day is one of fasting, not gift giving. In fact, on this day, most people abstain from meat or fast completely or prepare a feast to eat just after midnight. Sinterklaas in Belgium & Netherlands In these countries, children leave their boots in front of the fireplace for St. Nicholas. Often, they include a carrot or a treat for his horses, as legend has it that he arrived with his horses via sleigh or steamboat in these areas. St. Nicholas and Père Fouettard in France In France, St. Nicholas arrives on December 6th and gives children small gifts and chocolates. In the weeks leading up to this day, parents and grandparents tell stories of the legend of St. Nick, including a disturbing but popular one. The story goes that three children wandered away and got lost. A butcher lured them into his shop where he killed them and salted them away in a large tub. According to legend, St. Nicholas revived the boys and brought them home to their families. (At least there’s a happy ending!) This story earned St. Nicholas his reputation as protector of children in France. The butcher (known as “Père Fouettard,” meaning “Father Whipper”) is imagined to follow St. Nicholas in penance and leave lumps of coal or even whip misbehaving children. In France, statues and paintings often portray this event, showing the saint with children in a barrel. Sankt Nikolaus and Krampusnacht in Germany and Austria The way our family honors St. Nicholas mainly centers on this tradition. In Germany and Austria (and some other countries in this region), children leave out a boot for St. Nicholas and receive small toys, coins, or candy. In these areas, St. Nicholas still dresses like a bishop and often is portrayed on a horse. Like the French story, a sinister companion accompanies St. Nick, in this case the even more terrifying demon-like Krampus. In these areas, they don’t mess around with an Elf on the Shelf to encourage kids to be good: they invoke the legend of the Krampus! This beast is thought to punish children who misbehave and to capture particularly naughty children in his sack and carry them away to his lair. The Krampus has roots in Germanic folklore and its influence has spread to Austria, southern Bavaria, South Tyrol, northern Friuli, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, and Croatia. December 5th is known as Krampus Night, or Krampusnacht, in which the hairy devil appears on the streets. Traditionally young men dress up as the Krampus on the night of December 5th and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells. How We Celebrate St. Nicholas Day Spooky stories are fun in their own way, but never fear … there is a more cheerful way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day! He was a good bishop known for helping others, after all. We honor St. Nick’s feast day in our family by celebrating in a few ways, adapting a mix of celebrations from around the world. Leaving Shoes or Boots Out on December 5th We leave out a shoe or boot in the hallway on the evening of December 5th for St. Nick’s arrival on December 6th. This is similar to the idea of doing stockings, though we do that as well on Christmas Day. In the boots, our kids usually find: Coins: Each child receives some quarters in their shoe to signify the money St. Nicholas gave. Healthy Treats: We also give some healthy treats like dark chocolate, small bags of nuts,  or homemade marshmallows. Oranges: These signify the gold St. Nick gave away and our kids love oranges this time of year (which we don’t usually get because they aren’t in season). Random Acts of Kindness The most important lesson from the legend of St. Nicholas is his generosity. To help us all remember this, we make a point to do random acts of kindness this time of year. We brainstorm creative ways to help those in need in our local area, and set about our “secret” mission to bring some joy to others. In the past, we’ve done things like: Drop off grocery store gift cards to families in need. Give a big box of wrapped gifts and clothes to families who need them. Anonymously pay the utility bills of someone in need. Wrap gifts or donate items to local foster programs. The list of possibilities is endless, and it’s always a good lesson in gratitude for all our blessings. The Traveling Christmas St. Nicholas (or Angel) This is perhaps the most fun tradition and one I hope you’ll consider starting in your own area. In the spirit of St. Nicholas Day, we start a traveling Christmas St. Nicholas (or Angel) tradition to spark generosity all over our area. Here’s how it works: Get some kind of small St. Nicholas statue or angel statue. Think of another family in your area you want to pass on the statue to and something kind to do for them. This could be a small gift, a family activity, or just an act of kindness. Anonymously leave the statue on their front door mat one evening with a letter indicating that they’ve been touched by the spirit of Christmas generosity and that it is now their turn to pass on a kind act to another family in the area. We also print out a paper that “We’ve been visited by St. Nicholas” that they can post in their front window so others know they’ve already been visited. Whether you celebrate St. Nicholas Day or not, a random act of kindness is a great way to honor the Christmas season and we certainly need more of it in the world. Happy Feast of St. Nicholas, from my family to yours!

Webmasters's insight:

Does your family celebrate St. Nicholas Day? What are your traditions?#MyMoneyComparison