Samuel Dowd - Babbel Magazine
Samuel Dowd whittled away his formative years in the UK and Ireland. He graduated with a BA in Sculpture and an MA in Philosophy and Time-Based Arts, and works as an artist, film-maker, gardener, writer and Babbel editor. His thirst for all things experimental — including architecture, organic farming, polyglot prose-poetry and music — has taken him across the globe. He's lived in Finland, New Zealand, Austria, Croatia and, since 2013, Berlin. He has translated many strange and wonderful literary works into English, and is now striving to extend the time he can hold his breath underwater without thinking anything in any language.
Articles by Samuel
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?
School Of British Accents: A Tour Of The British Isles In 8 Dialects
What does a British accent sound like? It depends who you’re asking and where you are in the British Isles.
How And When To Use English Modal Verbs
Learn how to wow your English-speaking friends with your flawless mastery of modals!
Old Norse: The Language Of Ancient Scandinavia
What is Old Norse, where did it come from, and does any of it survive today? One of our linguistics experts tells the story of this Scandinavian language.
Writing The Woman: 4 Women Who Rewrote The World
In honor of International Women’s Day, Babbel editor Samuel Dowd reflects on four women whose startling, radical and courageous writing has, sometimes loudly and sometimes quietly, changed the course of literature and society.
The Story Of English, In Its Own Words
Ever ask yourself why people from Newcastle sound suspiciously Scandinavian? Or maybe why English has so many cognates with other languages? If you’re wondering how the unruly English language took shape, read on!
How Hard Is It To Learn Spanish?
Spanish is the language of Miguel de Cervantes, Jorge Luis Borges, Isabel Allende and Ricky Martin! So if you want to understand every lyric in Shakira’s back catalogue or have an urge to live “la vida loca” in Puerto Rico, we’re here to tell you how hard it’s going to be to learn Spanish.
How Hard Is It To Learn French?
Are you desperate to know what “la plume de ma tante” means? Do you adore la vie en rose? Or perhaps you’re yearning for a year in Provence? Whatever your motivation, here’s the lowdown on how hard it is to learn French.
How Hard Is It To Learn German?
Are you inexplicably drawn to the German accent? Or perhaps just a little curious about what an “Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher” is? Whatever your motivation, here’s the lowdown on how hard it is to learn German.