· March, 2011

Stories about Language from March, 2011

Trinidad & Tobago: “Bocas” Launches

  22 March 2011

“Literature doesn’t just mean fiction and poems — it’s also about ideas, questions, and debates, and using the tools of reading and writing to understand the world”: The Bocas Lit Fest announces its programme and list of participating authors for its inaugural event.

Malaysia: ‘Offensive’ Novel Creates Controversy

  20 March 2011

A recent controversy that has arisen in Malaysia is the issue of a novel used as a textbook for literature in secondary schools. Critics claim the book, which discussed the caste system, has racist content. The Indian community in Malaysia is demanding the removal of the book in the school syllabus

Mali : Internet and African languages

  19 March 2011

For the International Mother Language Day [Fr], Boukary Konaté [Fr], a French language Global Voices contributor, held a conference on “Internet and African languages”. The presentation [Fr] is on the blog “Toujours pas sages” [Fr].

Mozambique: A Brief Analysis on Language Issues

  14 March 2011

Sandra Flosi, on the blog Mosanblog, writes [pt] about the mix of spellings and the lack of explicit rules in the use of Portuguese language in Mozambique. Flosi comments on the proposal for a new Reform of Portuguese Ortography, whose costs for adoption in the country are estimated in 100...

Japan: Social Translation in Times of Crisis

  13 March 2011

When disaster struck on March 11, 2011, Japan was thrust into the center of attention. As inquiries, goodwill, advice, and donations pour in from around the world, citizens have stood up to participate in social translation.

Africa: African language Wikipedia update

  10 March 2011

African language Wikipedia update from South African blogger Greeman: “The process for forming a local chapter of the Wikimedia Foundation was jumpstarted at a workshop at Wits University in August last year, and is now nearing the final stages.”

India: The Dictionary – An Obituary

  9 March 2011

“Every Bengali home had an English dictionary,” comments Anirban, but now many people use embedded dictionaries in their devices or online dictionaries instead. Is it time to say goodbye to paper dictionaries?

Taiwan: Social Media Makes Indigenous Voices Loud and Clear

  9 March 2011

Stories about the Taiwanese indigenous population's struggle for identity, sustainability and dignity are missing from the country's public sphere, as a result of relative social and political domination by the majority Han Chinese population. Now, thanks to social media, indigenous youth are making their voices heard and reconnecting with their traditions.

China: In Memory of Post-80s Trash Poet, Xiao Zhao

  3 March 2011

On February 14, 2011, 25-year-old poet Xiao Zhao ended his life by jumping off a bridge near his home in Hunan province. While the urban post-80s generation blogging star Han Han has caught the world's attention and become one of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures in 2010", Xiao Zhao's short life tells a completely different story of the same generation in China.

Macedonia: What About the Census?

A number of Balkan countries were scheduled to run a census this spring: Macedonia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Albania, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Filip Stojanovski reviews what Macedonian bloggers are writing about the political aspects of the procedure.