In this issue WHERE is Inuktitut spoken Why Interns Are a Benefit to Your Company ? How easy is Travel Spanish Spanish Course- When You  Are Serious About It

Welcome! Ariunngaipaa! (In Latin alphabet "Welcome" in Inuktitut)

We are back with our Newsletter. Welcome to our February issue on the WHERE, WHY, HOW and WHEN of languages. You can read about WHERE Inuktitut is spoken, WHY you benefit from running internships, HOW to quickly learn basic Spanish phrases for your travels and WHEN to start learning Spanish seriously.

Thanks for reading,

  WHERE is Inuktitut spoken

As a newcomer to Canada I have to admit I was stumped by a request for an Inuktitut translation. I had a lot of questions.

First, is Inuktitut the language spoken by Eskimos?

Though "Eskimo" is still used by many people outside of Canada to refer to the Native people in Canada's North, it is an outdated term, and really only refers to the Yupik people living in Western Alaska and Russia's far East.

I then asked myself who speaks Inuktitut?

It is the Inuit peoples living north of the Canadian tree line that speak this fascinating language. Inuktitut is in fact the name of all the variants of the Inuit traditional language.

So my next question was - considering Inuktitut is traditionally an oral language, how am I going to translate it?

Inuktitut is written in different ways depending on the region. Being Czech, I was fascinated to discover that it was Moravian Missionaries from my country who first attempted to write Inuktitut in the mid 18th century. The Northwest Territories and part of Nunavut use a Latin alphabet like that of English to write Inuktitut (see the welcome in Inuktitut). However, in Nunavut and Nunavik, Québec, it is written using Inuktitut syllabics.

Why Interns Are a Benefit to Your Company ?

Intern Gabrielle Parent speaks French, English, Spanish and Thai

As a young business I cannot stress how much I have benefited from having interns - young aspiring translators or tutors who speak fluent Japanese, French, German, Spanish and who correct my English ;).
I would encourage any business, especially those who are just starting out, to recruit interns as they are nothing but useful.

What interns bring to your company:

Enthusiasm and new ideas. Free, keen, and useful help. An inquisitive nature and a fun attitude.

What interns need (as suggested by my interns):

Good coffee, preferably made in an Italian percolator, with steamed and frothed milk. Sprinkle options are also appreciated. Good music.
The interns' suggestions in regards to genre and volume must be welcomed. A big desk near a big window with a great view of something beautiful. A good reference.

Now that I've convinced you that you want them - where do you find them? Advertise on your website, or check local ESL schools. Many visiting professionals and students are looking for internship placements. I should mention that all of my interns have so far been women - it would appear that females have a knack for languages.

How easy is Travel Spanish

Spanish is one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. More than 400 million people on the planet speak Spanish. Behind English, it is the most widely spoken language in the Western Hemisphere. The Hispanic cultures span more than 28 countries, including Spain and most of Latin America, excluding Brazil.

Coincidentally, Spanish speaking countries also host a great number of the world's most glorious beaches and winter escapes. Here is a list of travel phrases that might be useful if you are planning a trip to somewhere Spanish speaking.

• Where is my room? • ¿Dónde está mi habitación?
• Where is the beach? • ¿Dónde está la playa?
• Where is the bar? • ¿Dónde está el bar?
• Don't touch me there! • ¡No me toque ahí!

Spanish Course- When You  Are Serious About It

Once you have mastered the basics above, you might want to check out our real-life Spanish course in Vancouver!

It's fun but you learn serious stuff.

Our Spanish language course:

All levels are welcome. Classes of 3-7 students are taught by professional teachers.
These 2-hour language sessions take place once or twice a week in Vancouver, Burnaby or, alternatively at your office. Other language courses and individual tutoring can be arranged upon request.

• Course fees (excluding GST):
• $ 395 (20 lessons; 2 hours/week).