Languages Facts for Kids
Weird and wonderful language facts
The Korean alphabet, Hangul, was designed in 1443 by King Sejong so that ordinary people could read and write. The shapes of the letters are based on the positions of the tongue and mouth.
Polish has seven grammatical cases, meaning the endings of nouns change depending on how they are used in a sentence, which is one reason it is considered hard to learn.
The word 'OK' is understood in almost every country on Earth, making it one of the most widely recognised words in any language.
Instead of borrowing words from English, Icelandic invents its own. For example, the Icelandic word for computer is 'tölva', which combines the old words for 'number' and 'prophetess'.
Arabic has over 100 words for different types of camels, describing their age, colour, breed, and temperament.
In French, the final consonants of most words are silent, which is why many English speakers find French pronunciation tricky.
Just like spoken languages, sign languages have regional accents and dialects. A signer from London may use slightly different signs to one from Glasgow.
Estonian has fourteen grammatical cases — more than double the number in German — giving speakers an extraordinary range of ways to express relationships between words.
In the Australian Aboriginal language Guugu Yimithirr, there are no words for left or right. Instead, speakers always use compass directions like north, south, east, and west.
Thomas Edison suggested people say 'hello' when answering the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell wanted everyone to say 'ahoy' instead!