Walcha Central Library Home: Languages

Coined "the online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages," Omniglot has a variety of resources for learning new languages and understanding language systems. The sheer volume of materials may overwhelm readers at first (with information on more than 1,000 languages and nearly 300 writing systems), but the categories on the Home page make the content more manageable. These areas (Writing Systems, Constructed Scripts, Languages, Multilingual Pages, and What's New?) are further arranged into smaller topical sections for easier browsing. For example, the Multilingual Pages section has a segment on "useful phrases in many languages." Here, readers can find translations for popular phrases such as "welcome" and "have a nice day" in more than 100 languages. Many of these translations are accompanied by sound files to ensure proper pronunciation. There is also an FAQ page linked at the bottom of the site for readers who need additional browsing guidance.

Compiling records on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, AUSTLANG is a comprehensive database for linguists and historians. An interactive map highlights many of these language records, and the full database is available just below. Searchable by "language names," "placenames," or geographical code, the database curates information on a multitude of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. After finding a record of interest, readers can click the "View record" button to find additional information, including: locations, speakers, supplementary research materials, and other details. Additionally, the AUSTLANG database links out to other pertinent databases such as MURA from the AIATSIS catalog, "the world's largest collection dedicated to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories." Readers should note that the AUSTLANG database uses "terms and annotations which reflect the creator's attitude or that of the period in which the item was written [and therefore] may be considered inappropriate today in some circumstances."

For those studying a foreign language, whether independently or in a formal course, these free podcast series offered by Coffee Break Languages may come as a welcome aid for improving listening and speaking comprehension. Here, readers will find dozens of helpful audio lessons for French, Italian, Spanish, German, Mandarin Chinese, and Swedish, and a new series meant to assist native Spanish speakers learn English. Each podcast series features one or more native speakers teaching their language to Mark Pentleton, the founder of Coffee Break Languages and a self-described "language geek," in an engaging, well-organized structure that builds upon itself and encourages listeners to learn along with Mark. As the name implies, episodes are generally about 30 minutes long, enabling learners to get in a lesson on their coffee or lunch break. Each episode focuses on a specific topic and frequently integrates cultural aspects, such as food, literature, or film, that will likely be alluring both to those with travel plans and to the generally curious. Interested readers can listen and subscribe to Coffee Break Languages' podcasts via RSS feed, Soundcloud, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. Each language has its own separate podcast channel, making it easy for learners to progress through the lessons of their chosen language in the appropriate order.