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Languages
How did a natural disaster take us closer to Brexit?
The framing of the national debate around Brexit owed a debt to coverage of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, says Rahel Cramer.
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Languages
The evolution of English: From the 17th century to the present day
Part two: The history of colonialism was a major factor in the development of English. Follow the global spread of English from the 17th century to the present day.
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level 3: advanced icon
Languages
Grammar matters
Grammar matters because, combined with vocabulary choice, it is our main way of making meaning. This free course introduces you to one approach used to understand how meanings relate systematically to different aspects of grammar and shows how this deeper understanding can be applied to make everyday communication more effective.
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Education & Development
How do we learn language?
Children seem equally able to acquire any one of the 7000 or so languages they could be born into – how do they do it and what makes our species uniquely prepared to learn language? Paul lbbotson talks about this remarkable part of our human nature
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Languages
What effect is social media having on the way we mourn global tragedies?
Is the outpouring of grief we see on social media after a terrorist attack or the death of a prominent figure a sincere expression of emotion, or more to do with self-promotion?
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History & The Arts
Past-Time Lover: Ludwik Lazarus Zamenhof
This article is part of a collection produced for Valentine’s Day. Who would you select for your Valentine from these iconic figures from history?
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Languages
May the Forza be with you: Star Wars in other languages
Which language has Jabba the Hut's name literally translated to Jabba the Forester? How can you translate Yoda's syntax into other languages? Find out:
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Society, Politics & Law
Brexit: On the vote in Wales
Wales voted leave by a margin of 52.5 per cent. It is an interesting case study of how people voted against their own material self interest, to increase their precarity, and to become even poorer than they already are, writes Daniel Evans.
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level 1: introductory icon
Languages
Beginners’ Italian: food and drink
This free course, Beginners' Italian: food and drink, focuses on buying drinks and snacks in an Italian café, as well as on greeting and introducing yourself in Italian. It does not require any previous knowledge of Italian.
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Languages
Crime fiction
Explore the world of crime fiction with The Open University, a world leader in distance learning. Discover free courses, articles, video and audio resources, and interactive activities, free to study and available to start right away.
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level 2: intermediate icon
Languages
Intermediate German: The world of work
This free course, Intermediate German: The world of work, concentrates on developing cultural knowledge and practical language skills in listening, speaking, reading, writing and interacting in a variety of situations.
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Languages
Harry Potter and the Translator’s Challenge
How did translators go about converting the anagram 'Tom Marvolo Riddle'? Fernando Rosell-Aguilar explores the tricky business of translating J.K. Rowling's fun and creative words into 80 other languages.