I've been watching a lot of Lie to Me, and it's making me think that I've got an answer to why I get misinterpreted a lot; is it possible that my microexpressions are "wrong"? [more inside]
posted by bartleby on Nov 5, 2009 - 7 answers

I seem to remember hearing or reading about an ancient society whose word for love was the same as their word for hate. But searching online I can't find anything like that. What culture/language was this? Or did someone just make up this story?
posted by Josh Coe on Nov 3, 2009 - 3 answers

I'm looking for a somewhat poetic word or phrase (in any language) that describes "a good thing that's happening too soon" or "a good thing that happened before I was ready for it" or something like that. [more inside]
posted by ferociouskitty on Nov 3, 2009 - 12 answers

Adjective-Filter! What's a good adjective to describe someone who is not wearing a suit coat? [more inside]
posted by niles on Nov 3, 2009 - 9 answers

A few years back, I was watching The Chappelle Show and Chappelle, during one of his monologues, made a reference to a sexual act, using a word that I was not familiar with. I assumed the word came from hip-hop subculture. He followed up by saying something to the effect of, "I love using nasty words that white people/FCC don't know yet. They have no idea how dirty I'm being when I say _______ ." Does anyone remember what that word was and what it means? Sorry I can't recall the season or the episode or more context.
posted by i'm being pummeled very heavily on Oct 30, 2009 - 4 answers

What are the pros and cons of learning more than one language? How can one adapt to a multi-language world? [more inside]
posted by Knigel on Oct 27, 2009 - 25 answers

What words for food are also words for affection? [more inside]
posted by bardic on Oct 27, 2009 - 64 answers

Where's Cissylvania? [more inside]
posted by madcaptenor on Oct 26, 2009 - 15 answers

How is "I should mind" used to mean "I don't really mind"? This and other grammar/language questions inside. [more inside]
posted by rossination on Oct 23, 2009 - 11 answers

Is there a Medieval Linguist in the house? I need a very short conversation between Cistercian nuns in Saxony translated into Medieval Latin. Any help so I don't sound like a complete idiot warmly welcomed. [more inside]
posted by The Whelk on Oct 23, 2009 - 7 answers

What did the Nazis call the French Resistance? I know they called the individual resisters "terrorists," but what word did they use to describe the resistance as a whole? (Insurgency, resistance, uprising, rebellion, etc.) This is research for a screenplay - I'm not looking for a discussion about modern parallels, or of what the morally correct word is in various situations. Also, if someone could give me the word in German that would be great! Please no guessing.
posted by bagadonuts on Oct 22, 2009 - 9 answers

Tell me everything you know about this sentence construction: "Are you finished your lunch?" [more inside]
posted by peep on Oct 22, 2009 - 91 answers

Having recently learned that Fritz Lang filmed an entirely different, French language, version of The Testament of Doctor Mabuse alongside the 'original' German version, I set out to find it. The only way to get hold of it seems to be via the Criterion DVD, but this is a Region 1 (NTSC) release only. Where else can I get a copy of the alternate Mabuse? Preferably as either a download or as a Region 2 (PAL) release [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Oct 22, 2009 - 6 answers

I'm suddenly having a problem with writing and speaking, specifically with being articulate. This has happened (temporarily) before as well. What do I do to get over this? [more inside]
posted by anniecat on Oct 21, 2009 - 22 answers

[EnglishFilter]: "Butcher knife" or "Butcher's knife?" [more inside]
posted by AAAAAThatsFiveAs on Oct 19, 2009 - 16 answers

What is the initial verbal meme that triggers the Pontypool outbreak in the movie Pontypool?
posted by benzenedream on Oct 18, 2009 - 4 answers

Relationship filter: He's an Austrian in Austria, I'm an American in America, and I have ADHD/Inattentive type. He's not familiar with this concept. What books can I suggest to him? [more inside]
posted by bilabial on Oct 18, 2009 - 7 answers

The folks over at Evil Mad Scientist Labs made a pretty comprehensive wallet-sized cheat sheet to help the uninitiated navigate Southern Indian menu items. I think it's well done, useful, and quite clever. I'd like to have something similar for all the world's cuisines. [more inside]
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj on Oct 15, 2009 - 7 answers

I am looking for translations for the words "twin" and "sister". I have used babelfish and other sites but really want the pronunciation not just foreign writings I can't decipher. Also, translations in other languages not listed such as different Native American tribal translations. Help?!
posted by madmamasmith on Oct 14, 2009 - 24 answers

What is the most important scientific question of our time? [more inside]
posted by Demogorgon on Oct 12, 2009 - 44 answers

Relocating to South America: haven't touched Spanish in 20 years, how do I freshen my lingual skills up? [more inside]
posted by devilish on Oct 12, 2009 - 7 answers

Where can I find some movies or tv shows that are spoken in Spanish with English subtitles? [more inside]
posted by inatizzy on Oct 9, 2009 - 16 answers

I'm half Dutch, but I've never been to The Netherlands. On my first trip there, where should I go, and what should I do, to get a better understanding of contemporary Dutch culture and language? [more inside]
posted by embrangled on Oct 8, 2009 - 11 answers

How do I talk to doctors in a professional manner? [more inside]
posted by bananaskin on Oct 7, 2009 - 11 answers

Dating Across a Language Barrier: Can you share success stories and advice about relationships where you and your partner primarily spoke different languages? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 7, 2009 - 13 answers

Recommend some French-language books (or sites) for a intermediate French-learner, to (hopefully enjoy) reading with the aid of a dictionary and bescherelle. [more inside]
posted by Kurichina on Oct 6, 2009 - 16 answers

What if I just want to walk it off? [more inside]
posted by pdb on Oct 5, 2009 - 12 answers

Grammarians: Is it OK to take liberties with the word "win" when publicizing a contest or draw? [more inside]
posted by wackybrit on Oct 5, 2009 - 15 answers

I'm learning Ancient Greek, and I'm exploring Spaced Repetition Systems as a learning technique. I've added all of my vocabulary to a deck in Anki, but I'm stuck with declensions. What's the best way to practice declensions in an SRS system?
posted by zenja72 on Oct 5, 2009 - 4 answers

Asking for a friend: Does anyone know of any low-cost or paid Spanish immersion programs? [more inside]
posted by AV on Sep 30, 2009 - 10 answers

What do you call this linguistic/social device? You are in a social situation, and want to get out. You say maybe, 'I'm going to be late for a meeting', when both people KNOW there is no meeting. But since you are being SO OBVIOUS, you are, in effect, telling them you are leaving. By being obvious, you are not evading, or lying, you are being creatively blunt. [more inside]
posted by ebesan on Sep 29, 2009 - 27 answers

I recently read about a study on what body language women use as perceived by men. Essentially, it said that there was no observable difference between a woman trying to flirt with a man and the same woman just being polite for the first four or five minutes of their first conversation together. I'm trying to find out if this actually happened, and if so whether it was a reliable, scientifically done study, but I lost the link right after reading it.
posted by sandswipe on Sep 27, 2009 - 8 answers

"Well, bless your heart!" and "How nice for you!" are two of my favorite barely-veiled criticisms. Can you provide me with some more? [more inside]
posted by MonkeyToes on Sep 26, 2009 - 150 answers

What words, in addition to little and pretty, can have double meanings to describe both qualitative and quantitative properties? For example, "little" can refer to the size of an object (my little pony), or to the amount of something (ye of little faith). Likewise, "pretty" can describe how attractive something looks (pretty in pink), but also modify the degree to which something is (these examples are pretty dumb).
posted by Robot Johnny on Sep 26, 2009 - 24 answers

How do you pronounce the last name of Astrud Gilberto in Portugese? [more inside]
posted by megatherium on Sep 25, 2009 - 7 answers

What is this type of toy called (and where can I buy one)? [more inside]
posted by UrineSoakedRube on Sep 25, 2009 - 11 answers

I almost never heard "Have a good one!" (in place of "Have a nice day!") until I moved to central NY - now I hear it at least once a day. Is it a semi-regionalism, a semi-neologism, or is this just confirmation bias? [more inside]
posted by Knicke on Sep 23, 2009 - 58 answers

I need to learn Biblical Hebrew, to a level of someone studying it for 4 university terms (2 years of one course/term) really really fast. If you've taken Biblical Hebrew in undergraduate or graduate studies, what textbooks did you use? [more inside]
posted by flibbertigibbet on Sep 22, 2009 - 11 answers

Modern Spanish-language music to help a complete newbie? ... but I have some specific preferences based on what I like in French! [more inside]
posted by wingless_angel on Sep 17, 2009 - 8 answers

Chinese Translation Filter: What is the best translation of, "a woman ahead of her time." [more inside]
posted by hybridvigor on Sep 16, 2009 - 3 answers

Which are the words that refer to the genital organs in Swedish? I've been told that Swedish has a "neutral" sexual/anatomic terminology that is neither vulgar, nor childish, nor medical/technical. "They call it like we call a nose a nose, and a leg a leg". [more inside]
posted by megob on Sep 13, 2009 - 12 answers

I am trying to find the first use, and/or the number of subsequent occurences of a phrase. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Sep 11, 2009 - 2 answers

Verb conjugation tester for OSX? [more inside]
posted by djgh on Sep 10, 2009 - 3 answers

Looking for podcasts or radio shows with women talking in Mancunian accents or similar Northern English accents. [more inside]
posted by reenum on Sep 5, 2009 - 6 answers

Downloadable content in Argentinian Spanish? [more inside]
posted by yesno on Sep 5, 2009 - 5 answers

Most likely relocating to Iraqi Kurdistan. What do I need to know? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 4, 2009 - 4 answers

Does a comprehensive etymological dictionary exist that crosses languages? [more inside]
posted by Tchad on Sep 3, 2009 - 11 answers

I've noticed an informal language convention, usually among younger people, but not always. It's a kind of affirmative interjection: "Right?". For example:

Me: I'll be glad when this heat wave ends.
Interlocutor: Right? (variation: "I know, right?")

My question: Does this type of expression have a name? I initially filed it with tag questions like "innit", but it's not really a question, it's more like "totally!" with a high rising terminal. Bonus points for any links to discussion of this particular expression; a casual search at Language Log yielded nothing.
posted by everichon on Sep 1, 2009 - 33 answers

I am teaching a high school Spanish class for the first time and need some help. I'm looking for 2 things, short news clips in Spanish and free songs with translations. [more inside]
posted by dealing away on Aug 30, 2009 - 12 answers

What's the best way to learn Japanese, if you don't care about being able to write it? [more inside]
posted by Mwongozi on Aug 30, 2009 - 18 answers