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Microsoft to create machine translation system with human accuracy by AI

MicrosoftresearchersclaimedWednesdaytheyhavecreatedthefirstmachinetranslationsystemthatcantranslatesentencesfromChinesetoEnglishasaccuratelyashumans.AMicrosoftb

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Sweden's Finns fear minority language rights are under threat

AsrisingimmigrationincreasinglyputsScandinavia’sreputationfortolerancetothetest,Sweden’slargestnationalminorityfearsitslanguagerightsarethreatenedandchildrenwil

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Study shows how brain learns language

Newevidencesshowthatlanguageislearnedinbrainssystemsthatarealsousedformanyotherpurposes,insteadofinnately-specifiedlanguagemodulesaspreviouslythought.Thestudy,p

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Don't say cheese: Amsterdam turns against English usage in shops

Theircountry’sgripoftheEnglishlanguagehaslongbeenasourceofnationalpridefortheDutch.Butsomearguealinehastobedrawnsomewhereand,forthemunicipalityofAmsterdam,thata

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Iran’s English ban triggers debate over rich-poor divide

IranhasbannedtheteachingofEnglishinprimaryschoolsfollowingwarningsfromIslamicleadersthatearlylearningofthelanguageisthefirststeptoaWestern“culturalinvasion”asth

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B&R by the Numbers: Belt and Road projects need language talents

Editor’sNote:ThisistheeighteenthinstallmentofBeltandRoadPortal'sspecialseriesontheBeltandRoadBigDataReport2017.Althoughforeignlanguageserviceprovidershavesignif

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Ireland introduces Chinese to high school curriculum

OnMonday,Irelandofficiallylaunchedits10-yearlanguagestrategy,withChinesebeingaddedtothehighschoolcurriculum,markinganotherinstanceof“mandarinfever”inEurope.Acco

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Duolingo adds Mandarin course to its language library

OnlinelanguagelearningcompanyDuolingohasfinallyaddedaMandarincoursetoitsofferings.Withmorethanonebillionspeakers,Mandarinisthemostpopularlanguageontheplanet,but

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Sydney cultural extravaganza helps showcase growing Australia-China ties

About800studentsfrommorethan30schoolsanduniversitiesacrossAustralia'sNewSouthWalesstateimpresseda2,000-strongaudience,inanightofsonganddanceatthe2017ChineseLang

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Learning Chinese now compulsory for Indian border police's new recruits

TheIndoTibetanBorderPolice(ITBP),whichguardsIndia'sborderwithChina,hasdecidedthatnewrecruitsmusthavearelativelygoodunderstandingoftheChineselanguage–bothMandari

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Trying to save South Africa's first language

KatrinaEsauisworkinghardtosavethelanguageofherchildhoodfromdyingout.At84,MsEsauisoneofthelastthreefluentspeakersofN||uu,oneofthelanguagesspokenSouthAfrica'sSanc

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Phone apps boost Chinese-learning fever in the US

Thirtyyearsago,whenCharlesLaughlinwasincollegeintheUSstateofMinnesota,ChinesewascategorizedalongwithArabic,SwahiliandIcelandicasa"LessCommonlyTaughtLanguage"int

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Smart phone apps boost "Chinese Fever" in America

WhenCharlesLaughlinwasincollegeintheU.S.stateofMinnesotaabout30yearsago,ChinesewascategorizedalongwithArabic,SwahiliandIcelandicasaLessCommonlyTaughtLanguage"in

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Record number of Cubans learning English

ArecordfourmilliontouristswenttoCubalastyear,includingmorethan600,000visitorsfromtheUnitedStates.This,alongwiththeprospectofnewbusinessopportunitiesiftheUStrade

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More Chinese language schools springing up in Pakistan

A number of Chinese language institutes have cropped up in Pakistan as the next generation prepares for employment opportunities in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

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More Chinese language schools springing up in Pakistan

AnumberofChineselanguageinstituteshavecroppedupinPakistanasthenextgenerationpreparesforemploymentopportunitiesintheChina-PakistanEconomicCorridor(CPEC)project.A

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How to translate Shakespeare into American Sign Language

THERE are few lines in literature as memorable as “To be, or not to be—that is the question.” Uttered in the third act of “Hamlet”, the soliloquy offers a poignant examination of whether it is better to quietly bear the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” or to die, and “end the heartache”. The line has been delivered innumerable times across the world, and each actor offers a unique interpretation through pauses, tone and gesture. When David Tennant performed the line with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he spoke softly, with one long pause in the middle of the line, as though talking to himself. But when Rory Kinnear took on the role at the National Theatre, he said the line with a quiet nervousness, breaking it up with three separate pauses.