Polyglots Anonymous

Polyglots Anonymous is back online!

Happy New Year, everyone! Another year has passed, and a new year offers promise of a clean start, new opportunities, and yet another chance to define and realize goals. A chance to better oneself, to learn and grow, to correct the mistakes of the past year...if only to fail 3 weeks later and go back to eating donuts every day for breakfast. And lunch. Eons ago, when I started Polyglots Anonymous, I wanted to create an outlet for my passion for languages. I wanted to share stories, review products, connect with polyglot communities, and most of all, study as many... Read more →

Project ALOT 2015 Update/Navajo Goal/Endangered Languages #13 & #14/ICLDC Trip

Happy New Year! OK, that was 30 days ago! Anyway, now it’s (mostly) a new year, some language projects are wrapping up as other ones are beginning, travel plans and language conferences are on the horizon, and I’m now beginning to ramp up my networking, advocacy, reviews, videos, and updates! Plus, more languages in 2015! So without further ado, here’s what’s going on so far: New Languages! January’s language (lucky #13!!) happens to be CHEROKEE And #14 (theoretically beginning tomorrow) will be MAORI News on old languages (Aren’t all languages pretty old? Hmm….) First up, as of the end of... Read more →

Project ALOT Endangered Languages #11 and #12

Happy December! I can't believe I'm almost at the 1-year mark with Project ALOT! Yipes! I'm wrapping up with Navajo with some posts in the works starting January 1st, as well as a few changes with everything to make things a little clearer and more organized (for me, at least). In the meantime, I need to get caught up on the languages for the last two months for 2014! I've decided to make things a little easier (?) on me so I can play catch-up. Both languages are ones I've dabbled in a little. (Don't worry, I'll make up for... Read more →

Project ALOT Endangered Language #8

Hi Everyone, I'm still recovering from my trip to Europe where I tried to practice some Manx and Welsh (as well as learn about how each language is being revitalized), and I'm excited to be working on a few ideas for posts (and possible articles elsewhere) BUT........it's time to introduce August's language before September gets here. This month, I'll start working on.... EUCHEE / YUCHI I've heard about this language a while ago and I've been wanting to get in touch with the people working to keep this language going, but now that they've lost two elders in a span... Read more →

Project ALOT follow-up for July 1st's post (with belated video)

Hi everyone! Even though I posted the information on July 1st, I wanted to make good on my promise (to myself) to post a video. I had the footage, and I needed the experience with editing footage anyway, so here you go! Check out Languages Around The Globe (www.latg.org) to learn about their Esperanto Challenge (www.latg.org/2014/07/Esperantoprojectbegun.html) while there's still time! Hasta! Read more →

Project ALOT Endangered Language #7, Travel Plans, and The 3-Week Esperanto Challenge

Hey, everyone! I have some slightly sad news: I had hoped to post a video today, but due to technical difficulties (which I won't deny might involve user error), I was unable to upload any footage today. I must say you all are really missing out. There were some amazing special effects, a car chase, Ewoks, lasers, Hugh Grant...I really outdid myself with this one. I hope to be up and running by week's end, because I really want to get more videos up! In the meantime, I'll have to update you guys the way our ancestors did: a plain... Read more →

What Am I Doing? Part II: From This Point On

So where were we? Oh yes. When last we spoke, I was slowly coming out of a distraction-induced coma. I’ve been true to my word and studying the languages I’ve mentioned (Navajo, Manx, Tuvan, Noongar, Quechua, and Nuuchahnulth so far), but I haven’t been doing much about talking about them or about what I’ve learned. I’ll admit that external circumstances have left me in a bit of a funk, but I feel like I’m coming out of that, and ready to work on the next phase of Project ALOT! So what can you expect in the next few weeks (and... Read more →

Project ALOT Endangered Languages #5 and #6

Alrighty! Time for a little catch-up and moving forward! I have two languages to announce—one for May and one for June. As some of you might have guessed, May’s language has been inspired by a Kickstarter campaign that was successfully funded in April. So thanks to the Living Quechua documentary, the endangered language for May is (predictably enough): QUECHUA I’ve had my eye on this language for a while, but armed with only a Lonely Planet phrasebook, I had little else to go on. But one of the perks of the campaign is a trilingual book (English/Spanish/Quechua) with a CD... Read more →

What Am I Doing? Part I: Up To Now

What am I doing? I ask myself that constantly. I’ve been studying five endangered languages since January 1st. But what of it? I haven’t posted much about any of it. In fact, I never even posted May’s language, and June 1st is right around the corner. So what gives? What’s been going on? It’s been a long and hectic five months. Life has been a mix of chaos and distraction. Work has been busy and stressful. I’ve had a few side gigs that have eaten up some free time. I’ve been sick (more often than usual). I’ve traveled (less often... Read more →

Project ALOT Endangered Language #4 (seriously for reals this time)

Hi Everyone, Where are my manners? I meant to post the real Endangered Language #4 for April shortly after my April Fool's prank post. (Yes, it was a joke. No, I'm not learning Klingon. Yet. Although here's a fun fact: there are more speakers of Klingon than there are of 135 other languages in the world.) Anyway, I was also on the fence about which language to work on next. There are so many good ones, and so many good language causes out there I'd love to get connected with (like this fundraiser for Living Quechua). There seems to be... Read more →