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Languages
About The Open Centre for Languages and Cultures
Welcome to the OpenLearn Hub of the Open Centre for Languages and Cultures, a collection of free taster courses in a range of languages and communication-related subjects.
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Languages
European Day of Languages
Happy European Day of Languages! Find out more about why we should celebrate language learning.
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Languages
Hearing Race: Can language use lead to racism?
A new branch of the study of language seeks to explore the links between the language we use and the racial differences we experience. Can language have a race? In this article, Mel Green explores the links between race and language.
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History & The Arts
Try your hand at travel writing
Travel is something we can all do. We don’t have to travel great distances. A journey can be as close as the distance from our home to the park at the end of the road. Travel writing is one of the most compelling forms of writing because a good travel book can transport you immediately to different places, people, and cultures, all from the ...
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History & The Arts
World Emoji Day
This week, on July 17th, it's World Emoji Day. Discover their impact on language and communication in our hub with an emoji animation voiced by Lauren Laverne, academic insights and related FREE courses.
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Languages
Beginners’ Tamil: a taster course
Start exploring the Tamil language and its scripts and sounds. You will learn how to greet people and introduce yourself, as well as how to count from one to ten. You will also be introduced to Tamil society and culture and will learn about the food and music popular in Tamil-speaking societies.
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Languages
The evolution of English: From Romans to Shakespeare
Part one: The history of colonialism was a major factor in the development of English. Follow the global spread of English starting with the Roman invasion.
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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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Languages
The Future of Language
Language is one of the essential characteristics of what it means to be human. It’s the foundation for our culture and civilisation. But with the rapid rise of new communication technologies, there’s been speculation in some places that language as we know it may become obsolete in the near future!
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Languages
Getting started with Italian 3
In this free course, Getting started with Italian 3, you will learn and practise how to make enquiries about travel times using the 12-hour and 24-hour clock. You'll also have the opportunity to learn about the Tuscan Archipelago and about ferry services in Italy. The course also explores the Italian rail network and you'll learn vocabulary for ...
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Languages
Getting started with Italian 2
In the free course, Getting started with Italian 2, you will learn and practise how to ask and say the time in Italian. This will include learning and practising how to ask and say the time using the 24-hour clock, which is commonly used for arrival and departure times and for the opening and closing of shops and services. The course offers ...
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Education & Development
Design thinking cards
The welcome pack that is sent with our first level module (U101) is designed to get you thinking differently about objects that are familiar to us all.