Tag - language

 
 

LANGUAGE

Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 23, 2023
Zelenskyy signs ban on Russian place names in struggle over national identity
Streets across Ukraine are being renamed, and statues of figures like Catherine the Great are toppling down in what officials call 'de-Russification” projects.
Japan Times
CARTOONS / ZERO GRAVITY
Apr 22, 2023
Roger Dahl on giving a hand
JAPAN
Apr 19, 2023
Junior high pupils take first online English speaking test in nationwide assessment
In the new online speaking test, some 54,000 third graders at roughly 500 junior high schools used their own personal computers to take the test.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 10, 2023
The idiocy that will come with a reliance on AI
The real danger with AI is not that people will mistake a chatbot for a real person, it is that communicating with them will make real persons talk like chatbots.
Japan Times
WORLD
Apr 10, 2023
Indigenous groups fear culture distortion as AI learns their languages
Critics warn Indigenous groups are at risk from bias that can be embedded within algorithms, while generative AI models may also spread incorrect information.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Issues / LEARNING CURVE
Mar 6, 2023
Round 2 at your teaching job: New confidence, new opportunities
We're coming up on a new school year. Aim to improve your language skills and travel the country more with your newfound confidence.
Japan Times
Rugby
Mar 5, 2023
Fijian Drua coach says language barrier an issue in Super Rugby
Mick Byrne said he hoped the language barrier issue would be addressed by tournament organizers.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Feb 16, 2023
Tensions over Mandarin on the rise in Hong Kong after reopening
Debate over discrimination against Mandarin speakers in the city has been reignited following an influx of visitors from mainland China, with a viral video stoking concerns.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 16, 2023
New AI smartphone app will be able to decipher Japanese cursive manuscripts
The app's beta version is set for release later this month, while the full version is scheduled to become available to the public this March.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / How-tos
Jan 5, 2023
Listen up! Podcasts can help with that perennial resolution to learn Japanese
It's New Year's resolution time, did you make yours? If you're looking to improve your Japanese listening skills in 2023 then these podcasts have you covered.
Japan Times
WORLD
Dec 23, 2022
'Armed with English': Ukraine soldiers take language lessons
Lessons are practical — giving soldiers words like 'wounded,' 'semi-automatic' and 'cache' as well as phrases such as 'killed in action.'
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Dec 16, 2022
If you thought 2022 was a battle, this year's top kanji pick shows you weren’t alone
The kanji of the year for 2022 is used for wars and struggles, while this year's buzzwords referenced sports lingo and a Norwegian pop tune.
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / Vocabulary Boost
Dec 16, 2022
Merriam-Webster’s word of the year is ‘gaslighting,’ and don't try to tell us there isn't a Japanese equivalent
Merriam-Webster saw a huge spike in people looking up the word “gaslighting” in 2022, and Japan is also no stranger to the concept.
JAPAN
Dec 12, 2022
'War' selected as kanji of the year amid international conflicts
The kanji for 'sen,' meaning war, battle or match, was picked as the single most representative Chinese character corresponding to the social mood in Japan this year.
JAPAN
Dec 4, 2022
From 'HTT' and 'SusHi Tech' to 'NHK,' Koike’s way with words falters
The Tokyo governor is known for her past catchy policy terms such as Cool Biz, but lately her choice of expressions has failed to resonate with the public.

Longform

Professional cleaner Hirofumi Sakurai takes a moment to appreciate some photographs in a Gotanda apartment whose occupant died alone. 
The last cleanup: Life and death in a lonely Japan