Annyeonghashipnikka is a common greeting in Korean. We present to you some interesting information about Korea.

In case you are from Korea and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Korean is an East Asian language spoken by about 77 million people, mainly Korean, as of 2010. It is the official and national language of both North Korea and South Korea.

Here we will disclose some cool facts about the Korean language and Korea especially South Korea:

Most linguists classify Korean as a language isolate as it doesn’t share the same language family with other Asian languages like Japanese or Mandarin. It might have one living relative: the Jeju language, spoken in South Korea’s Jeju province. Jeju is sometimes considered a dialect. However, it is quite distinct and not mutually intelligible with the Koreans of the mainland.

The Korean language uses special nouns and verb endings to indicate formality. If your business has Korean audiences, you need a skilled translator for Korean translation.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.koreaboo.com/)

Currently, people started recognizing South Korea mostly due to K-Pop especially BTS, Black Pink; K-Drama, Korean Cinema, K-beauty but the international popularity starts with “Gagnam Style,” the song by the musician Psy, that was the first song to hit one billion views on YouTube. You may not know that the song is about the Gangnam District, an affluent district in Seoul, South Korea.

(Image Courtesy: https://besthqwallpapers.com/)

Seoul is a vibrant and exciting city, one that deftly combines ancient history with ultra-modern design and technology and got a lot of tourist attractions. You can visit Seoul Tower or the world’s 5th tallest building, the Lotte World Tower skyscraper, for a dramatic 360-degree city view; For a taste of Korean traditional culture and architecture, head over to the Bukchon Hanok Village: Seoul Museum of Art is excellent for the art-enthusiasts; Dongdaemun Design Plaza is perfect for shopaholics, or you can visit Cheonggyecheon, a natural creek that flows through central Seoul was covered over by highways, there you can also do hiking, walking and biking trails in the creek-side.

(Image Courtesy: https://inhabitat.com/)

South Korea is a popular destination for medical tourism, specifically cosmetic surgery. People come from all across the globe to have their looks enhanced during a short trip to South Korea.

South Korea has a strong drinking culture compared to its neighboring countries in Asia. This can be rooted in their tradition and culture, where most holidays are celebrated with alcohol.

(Image Courtesy: https://asiasociety.org/)

Korean food is delicious, full of flavor, and a little bit spicy. There are hundreds of different types of kimchi, one of the popular dishes of Korea. The most popular sauce in Korea is gochujang, a red pepper paste that can be used with soups, most meats, vegetables, and rice dishes, like bibimbap. Korean desserts generally are fresh-cut fruit, teas, cookies, or rice cakes but Koreans love Belgian waffles with ice cream, so they made a traditional variation of waffles, bungeoppang, a fish-shaped pastry filled with red bean paste. Koreans also believe food is medicine — if you eat well, your mind and body will both benefit, thus, medicinal herbs, such as ginseng, reishi, and wolfberry are often used in their cooking.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about South Korea, let us all know!

Source: https://www.multibhashi.com/
https://www.k-international.com/
https://www.90daykorean.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/

The true spirit of Holidays lies in our hearts.
On this festive season, we want to thank all the fabulous players for loving us and being with us all around the year.
We are providing a flat 20% off on Lexulous subscriptions. You can apply code LEX20 to avail of the holiday-special offer.

We are also inviting all Lexulous players to greet good wishes to each other here.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Salut is a common greeting in French. We present to you some interesting information about French and France.

In case you are from France and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

French is a Romance language with 220M speakers worldwide. French is the official language of France and 28 other countries. Here we will share some astonishing details about the French language and French people.

Rules of the French language are decided by Académie Française, established in 1635.

E is the most used and W is the least used letter in French.

The French are very formal people, and when greeting each other – they either shake hands or kiss on the cheek twice.

The French don’t appreciate late arrivals.

The French will always bring you flowers in even numbers and will expect the same from you.

The French put utter importance to Table Manners, in addition to how the table is set.

Talking about French culture; the word "culture" actually comes from France.

French cuisine was inscribed by UNESCO in 2010 as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. Some classic French dishes include boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin. Due to their unique concept called Terroir, which means “from the earth”, they are fond of eating locally produced meals.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.trendhunter.com/)

Many French people dress in a sophisticated, professional, and fashionable style, but it is not overly fussy. Typical outfits include nice dresses, suits, long coats, scarves, and berets.

Art is everywhere in France — particularly in Paris and other major cities — and Gothic, Romanesque Rococo, and Neoclassic influences can be seen in many churches and other public buildings. In Paris alone, there are an estimated 206 museums and 1016 art galleries. Authors are treated like stars in France.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.timeout.com/)

The Louvre Museum in Paris is among the world's largest museums and is the most visited museum in the world with 10M visitors per year. It is home to many famous works of art, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.

(Image Courtesy: https://news.cgtn.com/)

The first fashion magazine ever to be published was created in France, back in 1678. It was called ‘Le Mercure Galant’

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about French or France, let us all know!

Source: france7.weebly.com
https://www.french.org/
https://snippetsofparis.com/
https://www.livescience.com/

Miga is a common greeting in Teribe. We present to you some interesting information about the language and the people who speak the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Teribe and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Teribe is a Chibchan language, spoken mainly by the Teribe Indians or Naso, one of the smallest indigenous groups in Panama, with only an estimated 3,800 individuals, and are considered an endangered group. Geographically, it is spoken in northwestern Panama, especially in Changuinola city and along the Teribe and Changuinola rivers in the province of Bocas del Toro. There used to be Teribe speakers in Térraba, a town in the neighboring Puntarenas province of Costa Rica, and the Teribe people there are making efforts to revive their language and culture.
(Source: https://omniglot.com/)

Here are 9 amazing things about Teribe language and Naso people,

Teribe has many alias such as Nortenyo, Quequexque, Terraba, Tiribi or Tirribi and In Costa Rica the language is known as Térraba or Brorán.
(Source: https://omniglot.com/)

The name Teribe is a Spanish version of "tjer di" which means "river of the Grandmother", according to folklore, the Grandmother was a spirit who protected the area.

The majority of Teribe of Panama live as farmers or laborers.
(Source: https://www.everyculture.com/)

Tito Santana, the actual King of the Kingdom of Naso, is responsible for protecting the interests of his people against the barrage of influences that often threaten the Nasos' cultural survival and their language.
(Source: https://www.unesco.org/)

Much of the Naso region is protected by La Amistad International Park and the Palo Seco National Forest.
(Source: https://www.southernexplorations.com/)

(Image Courtesy: https://peakvisor.com/)

The tribe is best known for its impressive eco-tourism project in the village of Wesko for international visitors on Panama tours.

Though the tribal dress is no longer worn by the men, some Naso women still dress in the traditional single bright colored skirt and print blouse.

As a traveler, you can get offered guided nature hikes in the tropical wildlife, especially birds. The weather here is milder than in most of Panama. If planning to include this destination among one's Panama tours, the best time to go is March during the dry season.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.liveandinvestoverseas.com/)

Some fascinating Naso folktales have endured, some are about evil spirits, some of the hidden cities of gold, and some of the ancient rivals. One is about a tribe of nocturnal striped-rabbit Indians (Indios Conejos) described by the Nasos as fast and fierce and may be based on the now extinct Miskito Indians who once inhabited the Chiriqui highlands.
(Source: https://www.southernexplorations.com/)

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Teribe, let us all know!

Ya is a common greeting in Greek. We present to you some interesting information about Greece.

In case you are from Greece and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

The Greek speakers are mainly in Greece and Cyprus, but also in Italy, Albania, Turkey. The Greek diaspora, which can be found in Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, and other countries, is also using Greek daily.

Let’s find out some mind-blowing facts about Greece and Greek too,
Greek is unique and one of the oldest documented living languages in the indo-european language family.

Greek has influenced languages, mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. Many English words related to these fields are of Greek origin. Along with Latin, Greek is still used for creating new words in English and other languages.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.greeka.com/)

Ikaria is one of the world’s blue zones where people live the longest and healthiest lives in general. The average lifespan in Ikaria has even led scientists to investigate how the population here can live so long lives.

People in Greece are very kind and inviting to tourists and they are great at hospitality with their friendly and warm welcome.

At traditional Greek weddings, everyone dances and throws plates.

(Image Courtesy: www.thecompletecityguide.com)

Greece is one of the most popular travel destinations of summer. There are more tourists in Greece than Greeks during summer, and the land offers its visitors some of the best nightlife scenes in all of Europe with plenty of festivals and big music events. In addition to that, many nightclubs and bars are open until the sun goes up!

(Image Courtesy: https://www.itinari.com/)

Greece has one of the richest varieties of wildlife in Europe. It is home to 116 species of mammals, 18 species of amphibians, 59 species of reptiles, 240 species of birds, and species 107 of fish. Among these animals are the Monk Seal, Wild Dolphins, the Loggerhead Sea turtle, and many more.

(Image Courtesy: https://curlytales.com/)

Greek Food is diverse, delicious, and world-famous. Some of the Greek delicacies that you should try in your lifetime are, Tzatziki, Feta Cheese, Moussaka, Gyros, Spanakopita, Souvlaki, Greek Salad, Calamari, Kleftiko, Pastitsio, Stifado, and many more dishes. Well, if you visit Greece, we are sure that wherever you eat, you will not leave that place hungry.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Greece, let us all know!

Source: https://www.languagecoursesuk.co.uk/
https://www.swedishnomad.com/

Salut is a common greeting in Romanian. We present to you some interesting information about Romania.

In case you are from Romania and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Romanian is a Balkan Romance language spoken by approximately 24–26 million people as a native language, primarily in Romania and Moldova, and by another 4 million people as a second language.

Let us share some awesome facts about Romania,

(Image Courtesy: https://dreamworldtravel.co.uk/)

Romania is a country where centuries-old traditions and crafts are strongly rooted in the local culture. Some of their traditional festivals are Târgul de Fete de pe Muntele Găina, Sus pe Muntele din Jina, Festivalul Ouălelor Încondeiate, Junii Brasovului Parade, Shepherd’s Festival. But the land also welcomes the modern-day culture with open arms. Some of the contemporary festivals that you as a visitor can take part too are Rockstadt Extreme Fest, Untold Festival, Dakini Festival, After Hills, Sighișoara Medieval Festival, Maiden’s Festival, RO-Wine, George Enescu Festival, Astra Film Fest, ARTmania Festival.

Romanian wedding customs include stealing the bride at weddings. Romanian traditions dictate that a few of the guests steal the bride for a ransom of candy or booze or in exchange for small gifts. Most guests end up taking the bride to a popular club or pub to dance for a short while.

(Image Courtesy: https://rolandia.eu/)

Romania is on the UNESCO List of Immaterial Cultural Heritage with its ritual dance, named Calusul. This dance is extremely old, and it is believed to represent both the galloping of a horse and dances with the fairies. The dancers belong to a secret, men-only society, and they have known for “their ability to create the impression of flying in the air.”

(Image Courtesy: https://www.bookallsafaris.com/)

Romania is the home of brown bears. Approximately 6,000 brown bears are to be found in the Romanian Carpathians, from a total of 200,000 brown bears worldwide, forming the largest population in Europe outside of Russia. Here you can also find Bison, the largest mammal in Europe.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

Romania has many tourist spots like The Scărișoara Glacier, a hidden glacier underneath the Bihor Mountains, and is the second-largest underground glacier in Europe; The Merry Cemetery, an unusual cemetery with a colorful twist; Sinaia, a mountain resort famous for hiking and downhill skiing; Mamaia, a seaside resort with water park and wind-surfing academy; Danube Delta to observe nature, God’s bridge, the only natural bridge in the world open to road traffic; and if you are a fan of getting spooked Baciu Forest in Cluj Napoca, the most paranormal area on the planet. Other than those you can also visit Narcissus Valley, Salina Turda, Corvin Castle, Cascada Bigăr, Sighișoara Historic Centre, Peles Castle, Iași Palace of Culture. Also, it has the only museum in Europe dedicated to gold. This museum exhibits over 2,000 pieces from all over the world.

(Image Courtesy: https://imgur.com/)

One of the Romanian bookstore chains, called Carturesti, has been shortlisted for the Bookstore of the Year Award at the 2018 Excellence Awards of the London Book Fair. It has more than 20 bookstores across the country, and each location has its own unique design concept. It holds over 10,000 books, 5,000 albums and DVDs, and a top-floor bistro.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.romania-insider.com/)

Romanian cuisine is a near-perfect reflection of the country's agrarian roots and history. Dishes borrow heavily from neighboring cultures – Turkish, Hungarian, Germanic, and Slavic. The Romanian food palette includes comforting food such as Ciorbă (soup), sarmale,considered the national dish of Romania, Tochitură, Vegan food such as salată roşii, salată castraveţi, Mămăligă; and delicious desserts like strudels, cakes, clătite, papanaşi. Romanian street foods like Covrigi (similar to pretzel), Gogosi (similar to Doughnut), Mici, Shoarma (a local version of shawarma) are also very tasty.

(Image Courtesy: https://worldfood.guide/)

Romanians love drinking Wine or beer, but when it comes to serious drinking, locals will tell you the only true contender is ţuică (plum brandy), and most of the time it's homemade.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Romania, let us all know!

Source: https://dbpedia.org/
https://theculturetrip.com/
https://karolinapatryk.com/
https://karolinapatryk.com/

Velkomnir is a common greeting in Icelandic. We present to you some interesting information about Iceland.

In case you are from Iceland and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Icelandic is a North Germanic language spoken by about 314,000 people, the vast majority of whom live in Iceland where it is the national language.

Let us share some awesome facts about the Icelandic language and Iceland,

When Icelanders need a new word, they consult the Icelandic Language Institute, a branch of the Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies. Instead of adopting foreign terms to explain new ideas, they create a new Icelandic word. This form of linguistic purism protects the language from change.

Icelanders celebrate Icelandic Language Day on November 16. This coincides with the birthday of Jónas Hallgrímsson, one of Iceland’s most beloved authors. Hallgrímsson started a magazine and wrote poems to support Icelandic independence in the 19th century. On Icelandic Language Day, an individual who made significant contributions to the language wins the Jónas Hallgrímsson Award.

Instead of using a family name, Icelanders traditionally used their mother’s or father’s first name as a surname. To create the surname, females add -dóttir (daughter) and males add -son (“son”) to the name.

(Image Courtesy: https://icelanddefrosted.com/)

The national sport is Handball. It’s played indoors on a basketball court, but the nets are more like the size of hockey nets and the ball is small enough to be held in the palm of your hand.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.earthwonders.co/)

The tölt and the flying pace are unique gaits to Icelandic horses. It makes the Icelandic horses different from all other horse breeds.

Fishing is the largest export of Iceland. Thus, the main industry is fishing and fish processing.

(Image Courtesy: https://tiplr.com/)

Icelanders coat all of their food in sauce, especially gravy, bearnaise sauce, and various dipping condiments. There is a unique sauce for everything. Icelandic cuisine is all about the ingredients that locals have around them. If you visit Iceland, you will encounter new flavors and ancient dishes. Some top of their authentic food list is Skyr, the Icelandic yoghurt; Kjötsúpa, a delicious Icelandic lamb soup; Harðfiskur (dried fish), Plokkfiskur (mashed fish stew), Mussel Stews and Langoustines (Norway lobster), Rye bread, Reykjavik’s hot dog and of course Ice Cream.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.mustseespots.com/)

Iceland is an island of fire and ice and one of the top travel destinations in the world. Here is the list of places which you can explore in Iceland: Blue Lagoon, Strokkur Geysir, Landmannalaugar Nature Reserve, Myrdalsjökull Glacier Park, Skaftafell Ice Cave, Dettifoss Waterfall, Kirkjufell Mountain, Hallgrímskirkja, Gullfoss Waterfall, Lake Myvatn & Nature Reserve, Glacial Lagoon.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.royist.com/)

In Iceland, festive spirit prevails around the year, even they celebrate weekly events too. We have made a list of happening festivals that you can take part on Iceland Airwaves, Secret Solstice Music Festival, Menningarnótt, Reykjavík's Art Festival, Food and Fun Festival, and Sónar Reykjavík.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Iceland, let us all know!

Source: https://www.altalang.com/
https://icelandwithaview.com/
https://guidetoiceland.is/

Mhoro is a common greeting in Shona. We present to you some interesting information about the language and the people who speak the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Shona and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Shona is a Bantu language of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. It is one of the most widely spoken Bantu languages and some of the Shona words are similar to Swahili.

Here are some interesting things about the Shona language and its speakers, that you would love to know:

According to Ethnologue, Shona, comprising the Karanga, Zezuru, Ndau, Manyika, and Korekore dialects, is spoken by about 10.8 million people.

It is one of the official languages in Zimbabwe and enjoys the support of the majority as it is spoken by all the people of the ethnic group known as Shona.

Besides Zimbabwe, Shona people are found in Botswana and southern Mozambique in Southern Africa and bordering South Africa.

The tongue is written in Latin script and has five vowels. The vowels are pronounced just the way they are in Spanish.

(Image Courtesy: https://mapanzure.wordpress.com/)

In rural areas, a simple homestead of the Shona tribe usually has four huts: one for the kitchen, one as a master bedroom, one as a hut for the boys of the family, and another for the girls. Generally, there is also a small hut that is used as a granary by the family.

A village of the Shona tribe is headed by a village headman who answers to the chief. The chief usually has more than ten headmen under his jurisdiction and he also acts as a judge.

In this community, traditional healers recommend Scientific medicines which are obtained from plants and have been developed through trial and error, experimentation, and systematic observation over a long period.

The Shona people practice farming grains such as millet, sorghum, and maize. They also farm sweet potatoes and groundnuts. They are known to rear cattle, which are a symbol of wealth and are mainly used for draft power, and milk.

(Image Courtesy: https://mapanzure.wordpress.com/)

The ancestors of the Shona built great stone cities in Southern Africa over a thousand years ago. It’s no wonder that this inheritance has led to Zimbabwe being world-renowned for its stone sculptures. Among the Shona, sculpting is not only an art but a means of expressing the relationship between the physical and spiritual worlds. Through this skill which is passed down through generations, sculptors can explore legends, ancestry, belief, and even the human condition.

(Image Courtesy: https://consciousitems.com/)

The indigenous stones were a huge guide for the Shona Sculptors – the popular ones were green, brown, and black serpentine, opal, spring stone, leopard rock, verdite, rapoko, and red jasper. The work of new artists continues to evolve but remains culturally specific and representative of Shona belief and myth.

Drawing on ancient sculpting traditions, the Shona people have produced a modern art movement of dignified, exquisite works. Reminiscent of Picasso and Henry Moore, these extraordinary, intense works speak to all humanity.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.africanfabric.co.uk/)

The Shona Tribe of Zimbabwe has a rich artistic heritage, which includes decorative fabric painting using Sadza which is a Maize, a primary basis of their diet, instead of wax. The Shona Designs often use traditional geometric patterns mixed with stylized objects from everyday Shona life.

(Image Courtesy: https://alchetron.com/)

In the Shona household, Maize (corn) is grounded into a fine meal, which is then cooked with water until it is the consistency of mashed potato. Although eaten plain, Sadza is often served with a vegetable or meat sauce to give it flavor. Apart from maize, common foods of the tribe are cereals, meat and meat products, milk and milk products, vegetables, groundnuts, and other foods including soft and alcoholic drinks. During the winter, people face shortages of fresh foods thus they adopt major methods to preserve food throughout the year.

(Image Courtesy: https://alchetron.com/)

Even before 1200 AD, the Shona people were wearing cotton body wraps. The married and older women wore a shoulder strapped garment while young women wore a simple strapless bodycon wrap with bare shoulders.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Shona, let us all know!

Source: https://wikimili.com/
https://www.universal-translation-services.com/
https://theculturetrip.com/
https://colors-newyork.com/
https://yorksshonagallery.com/
https://www.africancraftsmarket.com/

Ciao is a common greeting in Romansh. We present to you some interesting information about the language and Switzerland.

In case you are from Switzerland or one of them who speaks Romansh and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Romansh is a Romance language spoken predominantly in the Swiss canton of the Grisons.

Here we will share some amazing facts about the Romansh language and Switzerland,

Romansh has been recognized as a national language of Switzerland since 1938, and as an official language in correspondence with Romansh-speaking citizens since 1996, along with German, French and Italian.

Romansh is the umbrella name for five written regional variants of Romansh: Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, and Vallader. These, and many other spoken dialects, developed over time because of the remoteness of many villages in Graubünden, making it hard for people from different areas to mingle.

In 1982 a standardized written version of the language, known as Romansh Grishun, was created by a Zurich linguist. It’s used for representing Romansh in official texts and on Swiss banknotes. But Romansh people don’t use it, they speak the variant for their area instead.

The most similar Romance language to Romansh is Italian, particularly the dialects of Lombardy in northern Italy.

The Romansh variants of the Engadine region are heavily influenced by Italian. As for centuries, people from that area of Switzerland emigrated over the border to Italy to work, regularly coming back to Engadine in the summer months.

All Romansh speakers are bilingual, speaking and writing fluent German/Swiss German.

Lia Rumantscha was founded in 1919 to help save the language after a wave of immigration from German speakers into Romansh-speaking areas threatened its future.

Switzerland is the Birthplace of the Red Cross. The Red Cross has 97 million volunteers and was founded in 1863 in Geneva, Switzerland, where its headquarters still remain today.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.gourmetexpedition.com/)

Just like the official languages Switzerland has diversity in its cuisine. Some of the traditional delicacies are Fondue, Tarts and Quiches, Landjager, Älplermagronen (Alpine Macaroni), Raclette, Rosti, Saffron risotto, Malakoff, Polenta (Cornmeal), Zürcher Geschnetzeltes.

(Image Courtesy: Twitter)

Swiss Chocolate is world-famous. But Swiss dessert is more than that, it includes Apple Strudel, Gelato, Apricot Cake, Berliner, Raspberry Cake, Spitzbuben Biscuits.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.alpineascents.com/)

Switzerland has a ravishing storybook charm. To experience the enchanting beauty you must visit the following places Matterhorn Museum, Gornergrat observation platform, Theodul Glacier, Château de Chillon, Sphinx Observatory, Jungfraujoch, Schweizerischer Nationalpark, Lake Geneva, Lugano, Zytglogge, Chapel Bridge, Rhine Falls, Zurich.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.eurotunnel.com/)

Switzerland is truly a travelers’ paradise and the country is also famous for its music and cultural festivals like International Balloon Festival, Geneva Motor Show, Paléo Festival De Nyon, Basler Fasnacht, Montreux Jazz Festival, Fête De L’Escalade, Festichoc, Fête Nationale Suisse, Gauklerfest – International Street Performer’s Festival.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Romansh and/or Switzerland, let us all know!

Source: https://wikimili.com/
https://www.thelocal.ch/
https://studyinginswitzerland.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/

@mapmakere Hi, Thank you for your suggestion. You can check the blog about Ojibwe here,

https://forum.lexulous.com/topic/865/aniin-hello-in-ojibwe

The true spirit of Holidays lies in our hearts.
On this festive season, we want to thank all the fabulous players for loving us and being with us all around the year.
We are providing a flat 20% off on Lexulous subscriptions. You can apply code LEX20 to avail of the holiday-special offer.

We are also inviting all Lexulous players to greet good wishes to each other here.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!

Kuwakaribisha is a common greeting in Swahili. We present to you some interesting information about the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Swahili and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Swahili, also known by its native name Kiswahili, is a Bantu language and the native language of the Swahili people.

The name Swahili comes from the Arabic word Sawahil and means "coastal dwellers".

Swahili is predominantly a mix of local Bantu languages and Arabic. Swahili also has English, Persian, Portuguese, German, and French influences due to trade contact.

(Image Courtesy: https://alchetron.com/)

Swahili is the lingua franca of the East African Union and is the official language of Tanzania, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also widely spoken in Uganda and, in smaller numbers in Burundi, Rwanda, North Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique.

The earliest known documents of the Swahili language are letters written in Arabic script in 1711 in the region of Kilwa, present-day Tanzania. They are now preserved in the Historical Archives of Goa, India.

Swahili is the easiest African language for English speakers to learn, as it’s one of the few Sub-Saharan African languages without a lexical tone, similar to English. Besides, it is also easier to read as Swahili words are pronounced the same way they are written.

(Image Courtesy: https://brittlepaper.com/)

Swahili people have a very rich literary culture that they cherish, as shown by the dozens of myths and legends that exist in their language. For language learners, reading these folkloric texts could be an interesting and enriching way to learn Swahili.

Several international media outlets have various Swahili programs, such as BBC Swahili.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

Fun fact: the iconic line from The Lion King "Hakuna Matata" is a Swahili expression meaning “no worries”. It is a combination of the words Hakuna (‘there is not’) and Matata (‘problem’ or ‘worries’).

Swahili culture is the product of the history of the coastal part of the African Great Lakes region.

(Image Courtesy: https://kalliemamba.com/)

The diverse history of the Swahili Coast has also resulted in multicultural influences on Swahili arts, including furniture and architecture. Swahili designs are primarily geometric.

The most typical musical genre of Swahili culture is Taarab (or Tarabu), sung in the Swahili language. Its melodies and orchestration have Arab and Indian influences, although Western instruments, such as guitars, are sometimes used.

(Image Courtesy: https://lamuislandproperty.com/)

Swahili architecture, a term used to designate a whole range of diverse building traditions practiced or once practiced along the eastern and southeastern coasts of Africa, is in many ways an extension of mainland African traditions, although structural elements, such as domes and barrel vaulting, clearly connect to Persian Gulf area and South Asian building traditions as well. Exotic ornament and design elements are also present in their architecture.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Swahili, let us all know!

Source: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/
https://www.languagetrainers.ca/
https://theculturetrip.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/

Gouden Dai is a common greeting in Frisian (Saterfrisian). We present to you some interesting information about the language and the people who speak the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Plautdietsch and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Saterland Frisian, also known as Sater Frisian or Saterlandic (Seeltersk), is the last living dialect of the East Frisian language. It is closely related to the other Frisian languages: North Frisian, spoken in Germany as well, and West Frisian, spoken in the Dutch province of Friesland.

Sater Frisian uses the Latin alphabet like other Frisian languages. It is rarely spoken as its native speakers are very old.

(Image Courtesy:https://www.deutsche-fehnroute.de/)

Saterland Frisian is spoken in the three villages of Ramsloh, Scharrel, and Strücklingen in the Community of the Saterland in the northwest corner of the Lower Saxon county of Cloppenburg in northern Germany. The language is taught to a limited extent in some kindergartens and primary schools; articles appear regularly in Cloppenburg newspapers, and there are some theatrical performances in the language.

Saterland Frisian is the only living remnant of Old East Frisian. It is an endangered language, with an estimated number of 2250 speakers, and is spoken in the municipality of the Saterland, which is located in the federal state of Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany.

The Saterland is known as the smallest “language island” in Europe according to the Guinness Book of Records. In 1996 it was reported that Sater Frisian was neither the language used for administration nor in church. Only two hours a week were offered for teaching in primary school. There were no audiovisual teaching materials available. However, this was already an improvement from 1988, when Sater Frisian was not present in schools at all, although people would have supported it.

Dr. Marron Fort is one of the researchers who is helping to maintain Sater Frisian significantly. He came to Germany in 1965 and fell in love with the language. He decided to stay in Germany and has since helped considerably in reviving Sater Frisian. Moreover, he has translated the New Testament into Sater Frisian and created the Sater Frisian Dictionary. This laid the foundation for more Sater Frisian literature. The work of Fort is also used as a reference for school materials.

Sater Frisian is covered by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages under Part II and Part III since 1999. It encourages the use of Sater Frisian in pre-school, primary school, secondary and higher education.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Saterland Frisian, let us all know!

Source: https://dbpedia.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://www.proquest.com/
https://wiki.mercator-research.eu/

Bone die is a common greeting in Sardinian. We present to you some interesting information about the Island of Sardinia.

In case you are from the Island of Sardinia and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Sardinian or Sard is a Romance language spoken by the Sardinians on the Western Mediterranean island of Sardinia. Many Romance linguists consider it the language that, together with Italian, is closest to Latin among all its genealogical descendants. It’s a rich and beautiful language. Today, there are over 1,350,000 native or second-language speakers of Sardinian.

Here are some amazing facts about the Sardinian language and the Island of Sardinia:

The only standard form of Sardinian is the Sardo illustre, a literary language used mostly for folk verse. Italian is the island’s official language, and few literary works exist in Sardinian. The earliest written materials date from c. 1080.

In Sardinia, there are four main dialects of the Sardinian language. Logudorese, Campidanese, Gallurese, and Sassarese. Logudorese and Campidanese are the main two Sardinian dialects and have written standards.

Sardinian was recognized as one of the official minority languages of Italy, complete with its grammar and lexicon, in 1999 – although it took decades of petitions from the Sardinian-speaking community (and the other 11 linguistic minorities of Italy) for the law to be approved.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

Generations of painters have given a robust flavor to Sardinian art. That influence is visible in a nearly mythological fashion, in portraits of shepherds, farmers, women, and the varied landscape. Artists such as Filippo Figari, Francisco Çusa, Eugèniu Tavolara, and Felici Melis Marini have all contributed masterfully.

(Image Courtesy: https://artemest.com/)

The Sardinians demonstrate innovation and style in their application of natural materials. Throughout the generations, cultural themes have been cultivated on pottery, wood carvings, and jewelry. Sardinian crafts hold a charm of the island heritage with its native elements such as wool, hemp, wicker, coral, asphodel, cork, and silver.

(Image Courtesy: https://assael.com/)

Red coral has been used for thousands of years to make fine jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings. It’s found in great quantities in Sardinia, in the underwater caves of Alghero, also known as the Coral Riviera. Thus Sardinia produces fine red coral jewelry.

Sardinia is the first blue zone of the world where people live for more than 100 years.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.long-travel.co.uk/)

Perhaps the secret of such long life is their tranquil way of life and a healthy diet. There is no consistent culinary culture but the cuisine is heavily focused on fresh seasonal ingredients which include aromatic bread, tempting roasted meats, fabulously fresh seafood, numerous styles of Pecorino cheese, garden-fresh fruits & veggies straight from the grower, and full-bodied wines from provincial vineyards.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about the Island of Sardinia, let us all know!

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://answerstoall.com/
https://www.britannica.com/
https://strictlysardinia.com/
https://www.trips2italy.com/
https://www.kevmrc.com/

Mabuhay is a common greeting in Tagalog. We present to you some interesting information about the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Tagalog and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by the ethnic Tagalog people, who make up a quarter of the population of the Philippines, and as a second language by the majority.

(Image Courtesy: https://unsplash.com/)

Filipino, a standardized form of Tagalog, is the national language of the Philippines and an official language of the country along with English. though only around a quarter of the people in the Philippines speak Filipino.

It is believed that the majority of the features of the Tagalog language were developed based on Sanskrit, and it used to be written using a script called the Baybayin writing system.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.abebooks.com/)

Based on theory, it is believed that Tagalog's first written record dates back to 900 AD, while the first book known to be written in Tagalog – the Doctrina Christiana – came to light by the end of the 16th century (1593).

Until 1987, Tagalog was based on a writing system consisting of 20 Latin letters, the so-called ABAKADA alphabet.

Tagalog has been greatly influenced by several other languages including Spanish, Chinese, English, and Arabic.

Despite being only spoken in the Philippines, Tagalog is one of the most widely scattered languages globally since there are many overseas Filipino workers across the globe.

There are some languages closely related to Tagalog, including Bikol, Visayan, and Ilocano. They are official languages around Taiwan, Hawaii, Maori, and Malay.

The number of dialects of Tagalog is unknown. But visibly there are four common dialects: The Bulacan dialect is popular in the Northern parts of the country, while Manila is heard in Central Philippines and Batangas in the Southern part of the country. Marinduque is the fourth dialect, which is the dialect that differs the most from the others. This is a dialect that is only really spoken in the Marinduque region.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Tagalog, let us all know!

Source: https://www.pinhok.com/
https://www.globalizationpartners.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/

Mono is a common greeting in Himba. We present to you some interesting information about Gabon.

In case you are from Gabon and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Himba, also known as Simba, is a moribund Bantu language of Gabon. Though the official language of Gabon is French.

Let us share 6 interesting facts about Gabon:

Gabon was settled prehistorically by Pygmies during the late Stone Age and then by Bantu-speaking migrants during the Iron Age.

The name Gabon comes from the Portuguese word “gabao” meaning “cloak”. Early explorers thought the estuary of the Komo River by the capital of Libreville was the shape of a cloak.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.zambezi.com/)

Loango National Park in Gabon is known as “Africa’s Last Eden” and is considered one of the world’s best wildlife-watching destinations with animals such as elephants, gorillas, crocodiles, and sitatunga antelopes found on its savannahs, lagoons, and beaches.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.bbc.com/)

In a 2004 National Geographic article, Gabon was described as “the land of the surfing hippos” when a photographer captured hippos playing in the ocean just off the beach in Loango National Park.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

Gabon’s Mayumba National Park is a marine park that sees 550 leatherback turtles. That makes Gabon home to the world’s largest species of sea turtle. The Park is also a mating ground for humpback whales and large pods of dolphins, including the rare humpback dolphin.

(Image Courtesy: https://stujarvis.com/)

Gabon’s Kongou Falls is one of the strongest-flowing waterfalls in the world which is located on the Ivindo River.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Gabon, let us all know!

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://oxfordre.com/
https://www.factsinstitute.com/

Namaste is a common greeting in Malayalam. We present to you some interesting information about Kerala.

In case you are from Kerala and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India.

Here are some amazing facts about the Malayalam language and Kerala:

Malayalam is also spoken in the neighboring states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Given the prominence of Malayalam speakers abroad, there are certain universities in the USA and Canada that teach Malayalam as a foreign language. Malayalam is a language with speakers around the globe.

Malayalam, like Tamil, is classified as a classical language in India. The oldest written evidence of the Malayalam language is thought to be an inscription known as the ‘Vazhappalli’ from 830 A.D.

Fun Fact: Malayalam is perhaps the only language that is a palindrome when written in English. This means that the word is read the same when spelled forwards and backward.

(Image Courtesy: https://danceask.net/)

Kerala is known for its wonderful art forms like Kathakali which has been recognized by UNESCO on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is a sublime dance-drama that depicts episodes from Indian epics. Another classical art form is Mohiniattam which evokes the highest form of femininity through its graceful movements.

(Image Courtesy: https://blog.southindiajewels.com/)

Keralite brides are famous for being decked in gold. The yellow metal is cherished by Malayalis not just for ornamentation purposes, but as a mark of honor during marriages and as a financial investment.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.keralatourism.org/)

One of the oldest surviving martial art forms in the world, the current form of Kalaripayattu (Kerala’s martial art form) dates back to the sixth century. Vedic sage Agastya is considered as the founding father of the combat form, which includes a combination of steps and postures, known as Chuvattu and Vadivu. The main aim is the coordination of body and mind.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.incredible-southindia.com/)

Kerala is referred to as “God’s own Country” for pristine tropical beauty. It is a perfect place for a leisure vacation. So, if you visit Kerala make your trip enduring by visiting some amazing places like Fort Kochi, Marari Beach, Periyar National Park, Munnar, Varkala Beach, Wayanad, Kannur, Kovalam, Poovar Island, Trivandrum, Jatayupara Earth's Center, Sargaalaya Crafts Village, The River Nila, Alleppey, Kochi, Kumarakom, Kozhikode, Bekal, Thrissur, Kollam, Nelliyampathy.

(Image Courtesy: http://www.keralahoneymoons.com/)

Besides its exquisite natural landscapes, Kerala is famous for its lip-smacking cuisine that includes Puttu and Kadala Curry, Appam with Stew, Idiyappam, Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu (Spicy Chicken Fry), Kerala Prawn Curry, Naadan Beef Fry, Malabar Parota, Kerala Style Fish Molee, Banana Fritters, Palada Payasam, Sadhya, Erissery, Thalassery Biryani, Naadan Kozhi Curry, Erachi Varutharacha Curry, Ada Pradhaman, Chatti Pathiri, Coconut Toddy, Kappa and Meen Curry, Mussel Stir Fry, Thattu Dosa with Chutney, Banana Halwa.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.india-tours.com/)

In Kerala, festivals are celebrated with intense passion and gusto. Some popular festivals here are the Kerala Boat Festival, Theyyam Festival, Onam, Temple Festivals, Vishu, Attukal Pongala, Christmas, Maha Shivarathri, Makaravilakku, Thiruvathira, The Arattu of Lord Padmanabhan, Ambalapuzha Arattu.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Malayalam and Kerala, let us all know!

Source: https://artsandculture.google.com/
https://en.wikibooks.org/
https://cudoo.com/
http://www.ghastlyawards.com/
https://www.milestoneloc.com/
https://theculturetrip.com/

Na nga def is a common greeting in Wolof. We present to you some interesting information about the language and the people who speak the language.

In case you are one of them who speak Wolof and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Wolof belongs to the Senegambian branch of the Niger-Congo language family. But unlike most other languages of this family, Wolof is not a tonal language.

Wolof is a language of Senegal, the Gambia, and Mauritania, and the native language of the Wolof people.

Wolof can be written using two different scripts: Arabic-based or Latin-based. The Arabic-based script, Wolofal, is the language’s first-script, predating the introduction of the Latin system of writing. However, as the official script of Senegal, the Latin script is widely used in formal contexts.

Wolof is Senegal's dominant language, although French is the country's official language.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.ducksters.com/)

In Wolof and Senegalese society, there are professional storytellers, known as Griots. They are historians, poets, musicians, and entertainers.

(Image Courtesy: https://zoede.com/)

The Wolof are known for their woodcarvings. Wolof are also fine tailors. Wolof men prefer silver bracelets and rings, while women wear gold necklaces, chains, and rings. Some Wolof people are traditional weavers.

(Image Courtesy: https://theculturetrip.com/)

Some classic Wolof dishes are Thiéboudienne, Mafé, Dibi, Yassa poulet, Thiof, Fataya, Bissap.

(Image Courtesy: http://hayo.co/)

If you visit Senegal to get familiar with Wolof culture, you can visit some other hotspots as well like Dakar, Goree Island, Pink Lake, St. Louis, Ziguinchor, Popenguine, Saloum Delta National Park, Senegal River, Casamance, Touba, Lompoul Desert, Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary, Joal-Fadiouth, Kafountine, Tambacounda, Kaolack, Kedougou.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Wolof, let us all know!

Source: https://wlc.howard.edu/
https://www.altalang.com/
https://www.everyculture.com/

Lumela is a common greeting in Sesotho. We present to you some interesting information about Lesotho.

In case you are from Lesotho and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Sesotho is a Southern Bantu language of the Sotho-Tswana group, spoken primarily by the Basotho in Lesotho, where it is the national and official language; South Africa, where it is one of the 11 official languages; and in Zimbabwe where it is one of 16 official languages.

Lets unravel some amazing facts about the Sesotho language, Sotho people and Lesotho:

Sesotho is also known as Suto, Souto, Sisutho, and Suthu. The dialects originate from Suto, Pedi, and Tswana, but these are all considered to be separate languages.

Sesotho is also spoken in Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia.

According to scholars, the original written form of Sesotho was based on the dialect from Tlokwa and is today based mainly on the dialects from the Kwena and Fokeng.

The Sotho people, who speak Sesotho, are divided into three major branches, the southern Sotho (Basuto and Sotho), the western Sotho (Tswana), and the northern Sotho (Pedi).

The origins of the early Sotho remain unknown. However, it is believed that the Ironworkers, who were most likely Sotho-speakers, had lived in the town of Phalaborwa since the eighth century and in the Melville Koppies of the Johannesburg region since the 11th century.

Based on oral history, the founding lineage of the Sotho people was skilled in the art of smelting.

(Image Courtesy: Pinterest)

The majority of Sotho people living in Lesotho subsist on rearing horses, goats, and sheep. They also hunt and cultivate crops like grains and tobacco. Additionally, they are great artisans, knowing leatherwork, metalwork, and ivory and wood carving.

Lesotho is the world’s southernmost landlocked nation and has no direct access to beaches/ seas but, it has many mountain streams with the potential to generate hydroelectric power. The country is nearly self-sufficient in electricity production. It also sells water and electricity to neighboring South Africa.
Another Biggest Treasure of Lesotho is Diamonds. It has large diamond reservoirs and diamond export also earns great revenue for the nation.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.worldatlas.com/)

Lesotho is highly popular among paleontologists and archeologists since one of the largest dinosaur footprints in the world has been discovered here.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.tasteatlas.com/)

The main staple in Lesotho, as in much of southern Africa, is a stiff heavy maize porridge known as mealiepap, papa, or phuthu. It is usually accompanied by meat, bean, or vegetable-based stew. Some other remarkable foods of Lesotho are Butha-buthe, Afrikaanse stoofschotel, Nyekoe, Lekhotloane, Makoenva, Basotho Burger, Borotho.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.visitlesotho.travel/)

To explore the beauty of Lesotho, travelers prefer to visit these places - Tsehlanyane National Park, Maseru, Semonkong, Katse Dam, Bokong, Liphofung, Leribe, Thaba Bosiu, Ha Kome, Mohale, Mafeteng, Teyateyaneng, Morija, Sehlabathebe National Park.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.uitvconnect.com/)

Holidays in Lesotho are centered around its rich heritage and culture. So to experience the warmth of Lesotho’s culture, travelers can participate in the following festivals - Family Day, Easter, Morija Arts and Cultural Festival, Lesotho Jazz Festival.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Sesotho, Sotho and Lesotho, let us all know!

Source: https://en.google-info.org/
https://en.wikipedia.org/
https://kidskonnect.com/
https://www.visitlesotho.travel/
https://www.tasteatlas.com/

Malo e lelei is a common greeting in Tongan. We present to you some interesting information about Tonga.

In case you are from Tonga and wish to report inconsistencies, please reply to this topic.

Tongan is an Austronesian language of the Polynesian branch spoken in Tonga. It has around 187,000 speakers and is one of the national languages of Tonga.

Let us share some amazing facts about the Tongan language and Tonga:

The Tongan language is locally known as Fakatongan! Its closest relative languages are Samoan, Tahitian, Hawaiian, Niuean, and Maori.

Tongan was first written by missionaries in the early 19th Century, which has a number of different spelling systems. The current spelling system for the Tongan language was officially proclaimed by the Privy Council of Tonga in 1943.

The Tongan language has different numerical systems for different items. For instance, counting coconuts has different words for numbers than counting fish.

Like many other countries, Sunday is a day of rest in Tonga. But the local custom is so strict that it is illegal to do business transactions, to play sports/exercise, and to do most chores on Sunday, it even includes doing swimming or going running outside, doing kayaking, and even doing laundry. No one can buy food or avail of public travel services. But some essential services like hospitals and bakeries, particular tourism businesses such as resorts, including their restaurants and activities are exceptions to this rule.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.oregonmetro.gov/)

Tongans wear a moderate dress with cultural clothing wrapped around their waists, such as pandanus mats (Ta’ovala), or women may also wear girdles (Kiekie).

(Image Courtesy: https://www.scubadiving.com/)

Travelers should visit Tonga between June and October, as each year Humpback Whales travel 3,000 Miles to breed, give birth and raise their young in Tonga.

(Image Courtesy: https://world-tour.in/)

Some other exotic tourist spots in Tonga are Royal Palace in Nuku’alofa, Talamahu Market, Ha’amonga ‘a Maui, Maka Faakinanga, Mapu ‘a Vaea Blowholes, Swallows Cave.

(Image Courtesy: https://tongapocketguide.com/)

Your trip to Tonga will be more memorable with Tongan cuisine which is a fine combination of land and seafood, freshly harvested, cooked, and consumed with diverse ingredients. Here are some delicious Tongan dishes that you should try Ota’ika, Umu-cooked Fish, Lu Sipi, Lu Pulu, Faikakai Topai, Pele Sipi, Kapisi Pulu, Kale Moa, Lo’i Feke, Panikeke, ’Ufi Lolo’I, ’Otai, Pai Siamu, Pumpkin Soup, Puteni.

(Image Courtesy: https://www.south-pacific-sailing.com/)

Apart from the common festivals like New Year’s Day, Christmas, Easter, you should experience the exclusive Tongan festivals like Heilala Festival, Vava’u Blue Water Festival, Faka-Sepitema.

Hope you like it, if you know any other fascinating facts about Tonga, let us all know!

Source: https://tongapocketguide.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/