Tag Archives: Migration

nyc2 035re Learn English, Make Friends!

How to make English-speaking friends is one of the perennial hot topics for new overseas students and new migrants. Advice on how to make “native” friends circulates like an underground currency: “Move in with English-speaking flat-mates!” “Avoid co-ethnics!” “Watch footy … Continue reading

Posted in Language learning, gender & identity, Language, migration & social justice | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Gerkish Flag Turkish alphabetisation for German integration

Contemporary Germany is the 3rd largest immigrant-receiving country internationally. In 2008, 15.6mio inhabitants (19% out of a total of 82.1mio) were post-1950 immigrants or their descendants (German Bureau of Statistics). With 2.9mio, Turks constitute the largest group of these. Unfortunately, … Continue reading

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ich spreche deutsch Many tongues instead of one!

I was so grateful to read Ingrid Piller’s in-depth critical post on German language politics, where she offered a profound analysis of the assumptions underlying the campaign “Ich spreche Deutsch”. The title of the campaign can easily be associated with … Continue reading

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raus mit der sprache The cult of personal responsibility

Ads for a campaign to speak German are currently all over Germany. The campaign is called “Ich spreche Deutsch” (I speak German) and aims to convince migrant youths to learn more German or learn German faster. The campaign’s clever slogan … Continue reading

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IMAG0770_2 Language consumption and mobility

In the past thirty years, Iran’s population has exploded from about 40 million to more than 72 million. Such rapid growth has resulted in the vast majority of the population now being under 30 years old with a median age … Continue reading

Posted in Language & consumerism | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments