Many languages, one world
People use thousands of languages to share ideas. Different languages can use different words for a familiar thing. A word names the thing; it is not the thing itself.
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name a language other than the one spoken at home and say where people speak it
- Recognise that another language has its own word for a familiar thing such as water or dog
- Listen to speech in an unknown language with interest instead of deciding it is nonsense
1 · Read
People around the world use thousands of languages. A word names something; it is not the thing itself. Dog is an English word. Perro means dog in Spanish. Different words can name the same animal.
Hola means hello in Spanish. Its h is silent. Oh-lah is a rough guide to its sound. In German, hallo is an informal hello. Listen to a speaker to hear each word.
Bonjour is a French greeting. It means hello or good day. Bon-zhoor is a rough sound guide. Listen to a speaker for a better model. In Italian, ciao is an informal greeting for friends. It can also mean goodbye.
People speak Spanish in Spain and many other places. A language can be used in more than one country. You might hear several languages in one town.
If you hear a language you do not know, let the people finish. You can ask which language it is. Their words can have meaning even when you do not understand them.
Au revoir means goodbye in French. Use it when you are leaving. It has a different job from bonjour, which is a greeting.
Languages use different words. Learn a greeting, listen to its sound, and ask about languages you do not know.
Original lesson, questions and flashcards written for this learning dataset.
Four original reading activities and six original flashcards written for this learning dataset.
2 · Watch
Take it off screen
Where it sits
Learn first
Optional connections
This opens up
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.