Tag: language

Ixmilquilpan.

Ixmil…what?

About three hours away from our place is a place called Tolontongo, where you can enjoy a volcanically-heated river along with a falls, cave, and tunnel. It’s an incredible display of the Creator’s artistry and if you have the time, it’s worth a visit. To get there, you pass through the town of Ixmilquilpan. The name is a bit of a mouthful, but compared to other places in Mexico, it’s not too bad. For example: Nezahualcóyotl or Azcapotzalco. These names are a reminder of the way Nahuatl has shaped the Spanish language.

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What Does Arabia Have To Do With Mexico?

You might not think the Arab world has much to do with México, but it’s true. The architecture, cuisine, and especially the language of México have all been shaped by the Arab world. The reason? The Moors (Muslim people group of Arab descent) invaded Spain back in the 8th century. Their stay in that country for several centuries impacted the Spanish culture, which in turn impacted the Mexican culture when the Spaniards sailed across the Atlantic and landed in México.

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That We Might Speak

Most of us have tried to learn a language at one point or another. For many this attempt came in the form of a required class in school. We had to learn French (or whatever language) and would show up to class (maybe?) and endure the lesson. Trying to learn a language without the motivation necessary usually ends up as an exercise in futility, as many teachers can attest to, including and perhaps especially, my own.

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Un Mundo Nuevo

We have now been here in Querétaro for three weeks.

In many ways, it has been a very different experience than our short visit almost a year ago. The most obvious difference is the permanence of it. While it is unlikely we will spend the rest of our lives here, we have committed for six years and our mindset is to settle in and inculturate as best as we can into our mundo nuevo. Continue reading “Un Mundo Nuevo” →

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Learning to Learn a Language

Last week at Mission Training International (MTI) we spent more time looking at the way language works and how we learn to communicate through a language. Our main language teacher is both wise and experienced—he first learned and then helped write down the language of the Jeh people group in Vietnam. He has developed a language learning method and during our first two weeks at MTI we got to put it into practice. With the help of native speakers, we went through a few of the many language projects we will be able to implement on the mission field. Continue reading “Learning to Learn a Language” →

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