Culture

Is French Still The Language Of Molière?
400 years after the greatest French playwright was born, the name Molière is associated with the French language more than ever.

Read The World: Books About Rio De Janeiro
If you can’t physically go to Rio, here’s the second best thing.

Swedish ‘Hen’ Is Here To Stay: The Success Of A Made-Up Gender-Neutral Pronoun
For a long time in Swedish, you had to choose between the masculine ‘han’ and feminine ‘hon’ pronouns. The Swedish ‘hen’ is changing that.

Names Of Rock Bands, Explained
How to go from “The Tea Set” to “Pink Floyd” in a few simple steps.

Gender-Neutral English, Dear? We’ve Been Using It For Centuries!
You’d have to plug your ears, wear an eye mask and enforce a complete media ban to avoid the controversy about gender-neutral language. But is it important? And does English have an advantage compared to other languages?

Read The World: 10 Books About Rome
All books lead to Rome. Well, these ones do, anyway.

Common Hand Gestures To Avoid Abroad
Here are some handy tips for traveling overseas.

Read The World: 10 Books About Paris
Whatever your genre, you’ll find a book worth picking up about the city of lights.

Earth Day Celebrations: A Global Affair Glorifying The Planet
Every day is a good day to give Gaia some love.

Read The World: 10 Books About Dublin
Read up on one of the literary capitals of the world.

7 Non-English Films Better Than Their Hollywood Remakes
The original isn’t necessarily always better, but in a lot of cases it’s worth watching.

A Cultural History Of The Kebab
When you need to eat something quick and tasty, a kebab is something we can all agree on.

The Shakespeares Of Other Languages
Shakespeare didn’t just contribute substantially to many a school’s required reading list — he also left an indelible mark on the English language. Who are some other writers who had a foundational impact on their language?

Cants And Anti-Languages: The Hidden World Of Secret Languages
Sometimes languages aren’t meant to be understood.